Senior Accountant for Research & Development Nick Raven wins April’s Exceptional People Individual Award – for his outstanding support to efficient research delivery.
The nomination
Congratulations’ to Nick who was nominated by his colleague Deputy Head of Research and Development Claudia Hurducas.
Claudia commented:
“Nick has been consistently exceptional in the way he supports research delivery across Oxford Health, combining outstanding technical expertise with genuine kindness and integrity. Through our regular interactions and the many meetings we have worked in together, Nick has repeatedly gone well beyond his role to ensure that complex financial challenges never become barriers to high quality research.
“An example is his support for the development and financial management of an expanded biosample storage capability. Nick not only ensured robust governance and sustainability, but proactively worked through novel and complex funding arrangements to enable this strategically important work to move forward safely and efficiently.
“He has made a significant contribution to managing a wide portfolio of complex grants and funding sources, consistently finding innovative and proportionate solutions that maximise value while maintaining full compliance.
“What truly sets Nick apart is his compassionate and inclusive approach. He takes time to help colleagues understand financial pressures, requirements and new ways of working, doing so with patience, clarity and respect. His creative thinking around speeding up finance review, risk assessment and management has materially improved study set‑up timelines and strengthened grant applications, making him both an outstanding role model and a hugely valued member of the R&D community.
“While Nick’s role is not patient‑facing, the impact of his work is felt by patients, service users and carers through faster study activation, improved governance and better use of resources. By removing financial bottlenecks and managing risk proportionately, he enables research teams to focus on delivering safe, high‑quality research that ultimately improves care and outcomes.”
