Job summary
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has awarded £5 million over 5 years to fund a HealthTech Research Centres Network (the Network) hosted by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. The Network will provide coordination and leadership for the NIHR HealthTech Research Centres (HRCs), which are national centres supporting the development, evaluation and adoption of innovative health and care technology to support people to live healthier, better quality lives.
For more information on the Network please visit: https://www.nihr.ac.uk/news/nihr-awards-5m-for-a-healthtech-research-centre-network-to-provide-national-leadership-for-the-development-of-medical-devices-diagnostics-and-digital-technologies/36052
A unique opportunity has arisen for an ambitious, dynamic and transformational Chief Operating Officer, to lead the Network, aiming to transform UK HealthTech into a thriving ecosystem, harnessing and connecting NIHR's 14 national HRCs to increase their impact via strategic collaboration, industry engagement and cross HRC coordination.
We are looking for a driven individual with a proven track record of success in large-scale operational management and delivery and excellent interpersonal skills, who will work with a senior leadership team and who will be responsible for successfully implementing the Network's strategic initiatives and delivering impact.
This is a newly created senior position, in which the successful candidate will work at a national level.
Main duties of the job
Key responsibilities will include:
- Visible Leadership and Coordination: Oversee the strategic collaboration, industry engagement, cross HRC activities, workforce development, public involvement and marketing and communications across the 14 national centres.
- Strategy formulation: Support the iteration of the Network Strategy in response to national policy and initiatives, Government direction and industry requirements.
- Business Development: Using a collaborative approach, maintain a pipeline of current opportunities and keep track of market intelligence, ensuring that the Network is responsive to unmet needs of the health and care system, industry, patients and the public, as well as national priorities.
- Relationship Management: Build and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including NIHR, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), funding bodies, policy-makers, and industry leaders.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with senior stakeholders across the UK HealthTech innovation landscape and ensure consistent and valued engagement with the 14 HRCs. Build a culture of partnership and collaboration.
- National Impact: Ensure the Network functions as an effective and influential entity, enabling the HRCs to collectively deliver more than the sum of their parts.
- Support and Guidance: Provide proactive support for industry collaborations, strategic initiatives, and cross-HRC projects to drive life-changing research and innovation.
About us
What you can expect from Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust is one of the largest and most successful healthcare employers in the UK. We offer fantastic development opportunities and there are always exciting initiatives for enthusiastic professionals. The city, England's greenest, is vibrant and friendly, boasts two universities and is located on the edge of the Peak District.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
This vacancy is advertised on a fixed term contract basis for a period of 5 years due to the post being externally funded. The fixed term contract status of the post holder will be reviewed in accordance with the Trust's legal obligations regarding fixed term contracts taking into consideration the ongoing source of the external funding and the requirement for the post to be maintained.
Please also note any secondment must first be agreed with your current line manager.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
This vacancy is advertised on a fixed term contract basis for a period of 5 years due to the post being externally funded. The fixed term contract status of the post holder will be reviewed in accordance with the Trust's legal obligations regarding fixed term contracts taking into consideration the ongoing source of the external funding and the requirement for the post to be maintained.
Please also note any secondment must first be agreed with your current line manager.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree and masters level qualification
- Post graduate qualification, or equivalent experience and training across a number of relative specialties, e.g. change management, management and leadership, performance management, strategic planning, finance management etc
- Programme management qualification (MSP) or equivalent experience
- Formal qualification in Project management (PRINCE 2 practitioner) or equivalent experience
- Evidence of Continued Professional Development
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a director or equivalent in one or more large complex organisations
Experience
Essential
- Experience of driving transformational change
- Experience in staff management and performance management gained over an extended period of time
- Experience of effective partnership working with internal and external stakeholders
- Experience of working with key national organisations such as government departments, arm's length bodies and industry trader organisations
- Experience of large-scale operational management over an extended period, including the interpretation of complex strategic plans and targets into operational systems and programme management processes, and use of relevant performance metrics to evaluate success
- Experience of working with a wide range of organisations and in leading complex negotiations across organisational boundaries.
- Extensive experience of facilitating group discussions to design, plan and progress programmes and projects
- Experience in communicating complex information/ideas to positively influence very senior stakeholders (e.g. Executives, Government bodies),and to inform policy decisions
- Specialist knowledge in data interpretation, and experience in using this to support Board level decision making.
- Proficient in the use of technology and data analysis tools to drive decision-making
- Experienced in maintaining pipeline of current opportunities and tracking market intelligence to ensure business development goals are achieved
- Specialised knowledge of current UK HealthTech landscape, the associated research and innovation framework and the relevant policy context and infrastructure.
- Experience and specialist knowledge in commercialisation of health technologies and understanding of route to market within the NHS
- Experienced financial management developed in a complex and emergent environment with increasing and changing demand
- Evidence of sourcing external funding
Desirable
- Experienced in building and leading network organisations.
- Demonstrable knowledge and implementation of HR processes
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Strategic vision and planning, with the ability to successfully translate strategic planning into successful operational delivery, on a regional, national and international scale.
- Ability to build powerful, strategic and sustainable relationships with a range of stakeholders
- Ability to support at CEO level, deputise effectively and be accountable for key decisions
- Ability to take the lead in effective risk management
- Significant capability to understand and analyse multiple highly complex issues simultaneously, drawing on a breadth of knowledge and experience and data sources to inform judgment and make difficult decisions which are ethical and which balance competing priorities
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and negotiating skills. The ability to communicate highly sensitive, highly complex, and highly contentious information, and negotiate successfully despite significant barriers to acceptance.
- Specialist knowledge and understanding of healthcare, the current political and policy environment and an appreciation of the broader social, political and economic trends influencing it.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Proactive drive to promote diversity, inclusion and equality within the workplace
- Excellent organisational skills
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree and masters level qualification
- Post graduate qualification, or equivalent experience and training across a number of relative specialties, e.g. change management, management and leadership, performance management, strategic planning, finance management etc
- Programme management qualification (MSP) or equivalent experience
- Formal qualification in Project management (PRINCE 2 practitioner) or equivalent experience
- Evidence of Continued Professional Development
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a director or equivalent in one or more large complex organisations
Experience
Essential
- Experience of driving transformational change
- Experience in staff management and performance management gained over an extended period of time
- Experience of effective partnership working with internal and external stakeholders
- Experience of working with key national organisations such as government departments, arm's length bodies and industry trader organisations
- Experience of large-scale operational management over an extended period, including the interpretation of complex strategic plans and targets into operational systems and programme management processes, and use of relevant performance metrics to evaluate success
- Experience of working with a wide range of organisations and in leading complex negotiations across organisational boundaries.
- Extensive experience of facilitating group discussions to design, plan and progress programmes and projects
- Experience in communicating complex information/ideas to positively influence very senior stakeholders (e.g. Executives, Government bodies),and to inform policy decisions
- Specialist knowledge in data interpretation, and experience in using this to support Board level decision making.
- Proficient in the use of technology and data analysis tools to drive decision-making
- Experienced in maintaining pipeline of current opportunities and tracking market intelligence to ensure business development goals are achieved
- Specialised knowledge of current UK HealthTech landscape, the associated research and innovation framework and the relevant policy context and infrastructure.
- Experience and specialist knowledge in commercialisation of health technologies and understanding of route to market within the NHS
- Experienced financial management developed in a complex and emergent environment with increasing and changing demand
- Evidence of sourcing external funding
Desirable
- Experienced in building and leading network organisations.
- Demonstrable knowledge and implementation of HR processes
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Strategic vision and planning, with the ability to successfully translate strategic planning into successful operational delivery, on a regional, national and international scale.
- Ability to build powerful, strategic and sustainable relationships with a range of stakeholders
- Ability to support at CEO level, deputise effectively and be accountable for key decisions
- Ability to take the lead in effective risk management
- Significant capability to understand and analyse multiple highly complex issues simultaneously, drawing on a breadth of knowledge and experience and data sources to inform judgment and make difficult decisions which are ethical and which balance competing priorities
- Excellent communication, interpersonal and negotiating skills. The ability to communicate highly sensitive, highly complex, and highly contentious information, and negotiate successfully despite significant barriers to acceptance.
- Specialist knowledge and understanding of healthcare, the current political and policy environment and an appreciation of the broader social, political and economic trends influencing it.
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Proactive drive to promote diversity, inclusion and equality within the workplace
- Excellent organisational skills
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
