Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Operations Manager (XN08)

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Job summary

Are you a dynamic and accomplished Operational Manager with a passion for driving excellence in clinical research? The NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility (CRF) invites you to be a key player in our cutting-edge facility, where ground-breaking research meets exceptional operational management.

The NIHR Leeds Clinical Research Facility is a pioneering centre dedicated to advancing healthcare through innovative research. Based at in the Research and Innovation Centre at St Jamess Hospital, the Operational Manager will have oversight of the following five CRF delivery sites:

St Jamess CRF (adults): 18 beds to support the delivery of first in human/early phase/experimental medicine trials spanning a variety of clinical areas/specialties

Leeds General Infirmary CRF (adults): 4 beds/treatment chairs, supports delivery of cardiology and neurology clinical trials

Leeds Childrens CRF (based at the LGI): 6 beds/treatment chairs supporting delivery of experimental medicine research in a comprehensive range of illnesses, from antenatal conditions through to adult variants of childhood diseases

DenTCRU CRF (based at Leeds Dental Institute): 6 high specification dental chairs with operating microscopes, surgical scrub sinks and intra-oral digital cameras for digital photography and controlled lighting for colour matching and tooth whitening studies

Main duties of the job

As an experienced Operational Manager, you will be the driving force behind the seamless execution of clinical research projects. Your role will encompass strategic planning, team leadership, resource management, and process optimisation. You will work closely with a multidisciplinary team of researchers, clinicians, and administrators to ensure the successful delivery of high-impact research studies.

Why Join Us?

Impactful Work: Contribute to cutting-edge research that can shape the future of healthcare and improve patient outcomes.

Collaborative Environment: Engage with experts from diverse fields, fostering an atmosphere of innovation and shared knowledge.

Professional Growth: Leverage your expertise to drive operational excellence while continuously enhancing your skills and knowledge.

Leadership Opportunity: Lead and inspire a dedicated team, shaping their professional development and fostering a high-performance culture.

Key Responsibilities:

Develop and execute operational strategies aligned with research objectives.

Lead, mentor, and manage a team of skilled professionals to ensure project success.

Oversee resource allocation, budgets, and timelines to optimise project efficiency.

Identify opportunities for process improvement and implement best practices.

About us

Research is at the heart of our Trust. Leeds Teaching Hospitals is involved in research at all levels, developing and trialling new treatments for patients. We believe that being involved in cutting-edge research helps us provide better care to our patients.

Over the next 5 years, we aim to be the best Trust to deliver high-quality clinical research and to champion research amongst our staff. We also aim to support and grow our world-class clinical infrastructure and assets for research and innovation.

Our ambition is to:

Be the best Trust to deliver high-quality Clinical Research

Be the Best NHS Trust to Champion Research

And to maintain and grow world-class clinical infrastructure and assets for research and innovation.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Date posted

04 September 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£50,952 to £57,349 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9298-DRI-0095

Job locations

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF

Job description

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

The post of Operations Manager is a vital component of the core team that supports the operational management and governance of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leeds Clinical Research Facility (CRF) working with the Associate Director of Operations: Research and Clinical Director of the CRF. The overarching CRF comprises the core team and 5 delivery facilities of varying size at four key locations across the LTHT estate.

The essential components include:

Expert leadership:

Managerial oversight and financial planning for all activity conducted within the CRF, you will work flexibly across the CRF estate and have day-to-day responsibility for resource utilisation, both physical and human to support a wide range of clinical research activity, including contributing directly as appropriate to practical aspects of trial design, initiation, conduct, quality control, data analysis and reporting, ensuring multidisciplinary collaboration with clinical specialties and other departments throughout the trust, research departments and Industry.

Working closely with central R&I finance you will be responsible for ensuring accurate costing of study protocols, controlling budgets and clinical trial related expenditure.

Informatics:

Ensure data capture on activity is robust and consistently derived to ensure accurate analysis. Prepare regular reports for senior management on CRF activity, performance against key metrics, opportunities for growth and development. Identifying and actively seek solutions to barriers identified or encountered. Prepare data for quarterly and annual reporting to the NIHR, business planning and grant development activities.

Staff management:

You will have direct responsibility for a designated group of non-nursing research delivery staff, supporting effective recruitment, performance, professional development, conflict resolution and annual appraisal. You will deliver programmes of Training and Education for CRF staff as designated and commensurate with your knowledge, skills and experience.

Hub structure:

You will actively support the Associate Director of Operations: Research and Clinical Director in all aspects of operational governance and oversight across the CRF with particular emphasis on patient experience and quality assurance, working closely with a Quality Assurance Manager to ensure that the highest standards of trial conduct and patient safety is maintained. This includes preparation and response to internal or external audit and inspection.

Deputise for the Associate Director of Operations: Research in operational delivery and management meetings as required and authorised.

JOB DIMENSIONS

Organise and undertake multidisciplinary research and development.

Provide day-to-day high level operational management and oversight of the clinical trial facilities comprising the NIHR Leeds CRF

Make a significant contribution to the senior management team, taking a lead on specific initiatives as designated by the Associate Director of Operations: Research , for example, business development activities and strategic planning.

Seek opportunities for reputational enhancement with Industry and drive new business opportunities and partnerships

Manage a number of academic interdisciplinary clinical research projects, providing project manager level support, leading the clinical research delivery team and research fellows assigned to the projects to ensure on-time, on-budget performance.

Provide advisory service on practical aspects of clinical trial design to potential sponsors and Trust departments.

Be an initial and main contact for all sponsors of research programmes.

Develop and review study protocols and associated study documentation.

Work collaboratively with the Leeds Clinical Trials Research Unit and other academic departments to ensure effective cross discipline working in the delivery of academic research

Ensure robust communication with the joint Sponsors office of LTHT/UoL

Full line management responsibilities of non-nursing clinical research delivery staff

Supervise, train, and mentor clinical research staff

Provide programmes of training and education to professional and non-professional groups of staff within scope of own professional practice

Specification, sourcing and costing of clinical trials and departmental research projects.

Specification, sourcing and costing of research equipment and clinical resources.

Frequent collation and input of clinical trial related data into electronic systems

Verification and signing of departmental orders up to the value of £500

Work closely with R & I finance to understand and actively manage financial resources, identifying threats and escalating concerns appropriately

Oversee and be accountable for the processes and pathways supporting recruitment of research participants into studies

Verification and signing of departmental orders up to the value of £500

Promote and increase awareness of the CRF both internally within the organisation and externally, as a centre of excellence and promote our reputation for high quality clinical research activity

Lead patient and public involvement and engagement initiatives promoting and facilitating the patient, carer and public voice in research This includes facilitating and recruiting members to PPI panels and distinct working groups where necessary

Provide advisory service on clinical trial design to potential sponsors and trust departments

Frequent use of specialist equipment for testing patients in clinical trials

Exercise initiative, manage and prioritise own workload

Undertake Continuing Professional Development.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Essential

Postgraduate degree

Degree In Biological Sciences or similar relevant programme of study at degree level

Experience in developing and delivering clinical research portfolio.

Substantial experience of the latest regulations for Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and Research Governance.

Excellent written and oral communication as well as organisational skills.

Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of Medical science.

Demonstrable ability to interact and motivate a multidisciplinary team.

Demonstrable Leadership and Mentor skills

Detailed knowledge of the full range of Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Ability to work under pressure.

Desirable

Demonstrable Project Management skills

Education and Training experience

Experience of Public and Patient Involvement

Good knowledge and experience of a wide range of PC software applications and databases

THE LEEDS WAY VALUES

Our values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:

Patient-centred

Collaborative

Fair

Accountable

Empowered

All our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values

Additionally the following are core values which relate specifically to this post:

A high level of scientific integrity and honesty.

Commitment to ethical research methods.

A strong focus on patient safety, quality and accuracy.

Willingness to work flexibly.

A positive attitude to change

Commitment to a team way of working

CORE BEHAVIOURS AND SKILLS

The jobholder must have good knowledge of clinical research methods and an understanding of human anatomy, physiology and disease processes.

CORE KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

The workload is substantial in quantity and unpredictable in nature requiring the ability to exercise initiative and manage own workload without supervision.

The post requires a keen eye for detail and stringent, impartial scientific analysis of data and results in the process of drawing supportable evidence based conclusions from clinical research.

Ability to maintain a high level of sustained concentration for prolonged periods along with the ability to assimilate new knowledge and resolve and clarify complex and conflicting factors arising from research findings.

A good interpersonal skill with patients in the explanation and conduct of clinical investigations and with staff at all levels.

Responsiveness to the needs of the users of the service.

Clinical research methodology

Project management.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Line management responsibility of full and part-time NHS clinical research staff.

Liaise and/or meet with the sponsor company to obtain a full briefing on the background of the study, study objectives/design, timescale, reporting /data acquisition requirements and regulatory status of the study.