Head of Research Delivery & Support for Wider Care Settings

Job description

Job responsibilities

Assisting in the identification of sites and Principal Investigators, making the best use of clinical data combined with an understanding of the Key responsibilities for this role include fostering and nurturing productive relationships with regional partners including both commercial and non-commercial study teams/sponsors, research site delivery personnel, and senior research leadership within Delivery Organisations. This role will lead dedicated teams in the provision of these services, ensuring seamless coordination with other services/functions within the regional network and across the national network. This includes collaborating closely with Regional Specialty and Setting Leads to support the delivery of regional and national projects. In addition to regional duties, the postholder will collaborate with senior counterparts from other RDN regions and the national RDN team to innovate and evolve services, aligning them more closely with the changing needs of the system.

This role will line-manage the senior manager of the Agile Research Delivery team and direct the agile teams resources to meet strategic needs. This may be complemented by additional line management and or supervision of the clinical or care elements of the senior managers role. Line management of staff members will include undertaking staff reviews to identify training and development needs, and establishing how those needs will be met, and managing performance against agreed objectives. The postholder will ensure the same review processes take place for all staff with the defined function via appropriate line management arrangements and that skills and capabilities exist to meet current and future business needs.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

Act as a senior leader within the RDN, providing strategic direction and guidance

Work as part of a community of senior leaders across the national network, exercising shared leadership and promoting the consistency of experience across a nationally harmonised Agile Research Delivery Teams and study support services for out of hospital settings

Co-develop and lead on national projects as required

Collaborate with National and RRDN Specialty and Settings Leaders to align regional operational activities with national strategic objectives

Offer strategic leadership to research delivery sites, contributing to strategic planning (including the development of three-year strategies) and proactively tackling operational challenges as an active partner

Lead the implementation and cascade of a range of national strategic directives within the region and the local RRDN, reporting on local learnings, successes and challenges

BUSINESS PLANNING

Contribute to collective national business planning for the Agile Research Delivery (all settings) and Study Support and Partner Liaison services for out of hospital settings

Contribute to coordinating, reviewing, evaluating and approving research site delivery plans, and have delegated responsibility for periodically performance monitoring against those plans to ensure that RDN funding is being used appropriately and effectively

Lead on regional business planning for the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service, ensuring effective implementation and reporting

INFORMATION & ADMINISTRATION

Understand and interpret highly complex information, data and situations to inform plans and make decisions. This may include communicating and presenting to a variety of audiences and the facilitation of collaborative discussions

Provide leadership and support for the implementation of Information Governance best practice within the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service

Be responsible for the implementation and effectiveness of the processes that ensure data integrity within relevant RDN systems, enabling the identification of potential concerns and patterns and supporting RDN customers and partners in resolving issues.

Promote the use of digital innovation and effective Business Intelligence across all the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service functions, working closely with the Data and Analytics Senior Manager to build both the team's and stakeholders' capabilities in these areas

Have oversight of the activities that support study sponsors, funders and investigators to access data to enable them to effectively manage the delivery of their studies in out of hospital settings

Lead on the oversight and effectiveness of the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service across all specialities and settings to proactively identify potential issues and opportunities, working as an active partner to resolve and action follow-up activity

Contribute to the Strategic oversight of the RDN Portfolio, including:

Undertaking strategic portfolio oversight activities to identify opportunities and challenges within the capacity and capability of the research system to deliver future research. This will include ensuring that regional specialities, settings and localities meet the agreed definition of a balanced portfolio

Supporting portfolio oversight activities undertaken on the current portfolio as requested

Identifying and addressing impact on health inequalities at all stages of research delivery

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT

Oversee the regional implementation of the Agile Research Delivery Team, ensuring its effectiveness and alignment with regional and national objectives

Contribute to the regional implementation of the Study Support Service, ensuring its effectiveness and alignment with regional and national objectives, with a particular focus on supporting research in out of hospital settings

Contribute to the regional implementation of the Study Support Service, working as part of a national network, to support with:

Developing and sharing regional intelligence to inform site and PI identification, eligibility and clinical data to ensure effective planning, placement and performance monitoring (on request) of studies

alth inequalities to inform placement of studies

Undertaking eligibility reviews

Providing health or care intelligence to the on request study performance service and the Active National Delivery service

Supporting funders and sponsors in study design to optimise deliverability, including providing early feedback on protocols

Advising on study deliverability and undertaking deliverability assessments when requested, including giving consideration to equitable patient access/areas of high patient need

Work closely with Setting Leads to ensure there is robust strategy for delivery in the primary care, community and residential care settings

Manage programmes and projects within the remit of the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service. This may include national projects, the oversight of local programmes of work, and coaching and supporting team members in their project management

Lead communities of practice and events for senior leaders, facilitating system-level collaboration and learning to solve operational challenges and pursue opportunities for strategic development

Lead a dedicated team to provide Agile Research Delivery Team services, ensuring a collaborative and inclusive team environment

SERVICE IMPROVEMENT & DEVELOPMENT

Promote a nationally consistent customer-centric approach to service delivery, ensuring that the needs and expectations of stakeholders are met or exceeded

Maintain awareness of research process initiatives undertaken with other national bodies to support future integration into the study support service (e.g. just in time site activation, digital recruitment, Be Part of Research)

Maintain an excellent working knowledge of relevant legislation and processes, and work with national colleagues to respond and incorporate these into RDN business

Keep up to date with innovative study design and delivery methods, exploring opportunities for promotion and roll-out within national and regional delivery operations

Develop trusted relationships with partners, and promote a culture of seeking and acting on feedback from customers and partners, so as to provide a responsive service and identify opportunities for improvement, sharing insights and learnings across the national network

Identify, implement and lead strategies to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service operations regionally and nationally

Support the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service team members with solving identified challenges in study delivery, particularly in more complex or sensitive situations

Lead on building capacity and capability for study delivery across specialities and settings, including:

In collaboration with RRDN Specialty and Settings leads, oversee horizon scanning to ensure there is the capacity and capability within the research system to accommodate new and emerging technologies

Under the RDN Operating Model for strategic development, and Research Delivery Models lead and participate in projects to address any opportunities or challenges identified

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Oversee the Agile Research Delivery Team and Study Support Service

Develop and implement strategies for ensuring service delivery meets or exceeds established benchmarks, including targets and obligations specified in the RRDN Host Organisation Contract

Develop and implement strategies and systems for quality assurance, including audit and review of the work, providing feedback, development and support as necessary

Ensure seamless coordination with other services and functions within the RRDN and across the national network, working with other teams to provide a consistent experience and work as one organisation

Person Specification

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Good IT skills, particularly in use of Web applications, Google Workspace applications and MS Office applications
• Flexible approach to working and enthusiastic attitude towards challenges
• Acts as a champion for patients, carers, the public and their interests, ensuring the public voice has an impact on RDN activities
• Highly motivated, with the ability to influence and inspire others
• Constantly strives for improvement, bringing a 'can do' attitude and seeking out innovation
• Goal-oriented, with a focus on tangible results that are aligned with overarching national objectives
• Committed to ongoing learning and development, proactively seeking opportunities for personal and team growth
• Takes a professional approach to all interactions, remaining diplomatic under pressure and fostering a solution-focused environment
• Role models and works in accordance with the values of the RDN and the employing NHS Trust

Additional Requirements

Essential

• Good IT skills, particularly in use of Web applications, Google Workspace applications and MS Office applications
• Flexible approach to working and enthusiastic attitude towards challenges
• Acts as a champion for patients, carers, the public and their interests, ensuring the public voice has an impact on RDN activities
• Highly motivated, with the ability to influence and inspire others
• Constantly strives for improvement, bringing a 'can do' attitude and seeking out innovation
• Goal-oriented, with a focus on tangible results that are aligned with overarching national objectives
• Committed to ongoing learning and development, proactively seeking opportunities for personal and team growth
• Takes a professional approach to all interactions, remaining diplomatic under pressure and fostering a solution-focused environment
• Role models and works in accordance with the values of the RDN and the employing NHS Trust

Skills & behaviours

Essential

• Experience of business planning, financial management and operational implementation, preferably within an NHS organisation.
• Experience of contributing to the development of national policy or strategies and translating those into regional plans.
• Experience of leading continuous improvement
• Project management experience in a leadership capacity, delivering complex projects involving multiple agencies and individuals to tight deadlines
• Highly developed leadership, strategic thinking and planning skills with the ability to demonstrate these in highly political environments
• Proven interpersonal skills to work with clinical and management colleagues at all levels across a range of organisations and the ability to develop strong working relationships with senior stakeholde
• Demonstrable ability to use autonomy to undertake actions as a result of own interpretation of policy and guidance, providing a source of expert advice to the organisation
• Strong problem-solving skills, including a proactive approach to identifying and addressing potential future issues
• Ability to communicate highly complex and difficult information both orally and in writing, both internally to colleagues and externally to a range of audiences, including in pressured and politically
• Ability to analyse and interpret highly complex information and to make judgments regarding a range of highly complex management issues
• Ability to plan, manage, adjust and deliver complex programmes and projects, involving multiple agencies and individuals and a broad range of activities, to tight deadlines
• Empathetic approach to resolving conflict, with the ability to work with sensitivity and tact
• Attention to detail

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters level qualification or equivalent experience.
• Management qualification
• Evidence of continual professional development

Desirable

• Project Management qualification or equivalent experience

Experience

Essential

• Specialist knowledge of research, the NHS and the wider health and care system including associated responsibilities to the public and patients
• Specialist knowledge of the range of life science industrys needs and requirements with regard to health and care research
• Comprehensive understanding of governance and legislative framework for conducting clinical research in the NHS
• Comprehensive understanding of the UK research pathway and funding
• Knowledge of national systems, structures and processes for supporting clinical research in NHS and non-NHS settings
• Knowledge of utilising Business Intelligence solutions to work within a performance management framework, and good understanding of performance management techniques
• Extensive knowledge of methods, tools and techniques for problem-solving and continuous improvement that are relevant to system-level health and care working
• Experience of health and care research management at a senior level, including the support of studies pre-approval and post-approval
• Experience of chairing and facilitating meetings, including with sensitive or political topics
• Experience of managing health and care research support services including workforce planning and the management of people and finances
• Experience of developing and managing high quality customer centric services for commercial and non-commercial customers
• Experience of working collaboratively and in partnership with other organisations, with demonstrable experience of delivery across organisational boundaries
• Professional operational research leadership at a senior and system level
• Experience of direct line management and managing teams to deliver clear objectives and performance targets, including through organisational change
• Experience of business planning, financial management and operational implementation, preferably within an NHS organisation.

Desirable

• Professional strategic leadership at a senior level

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF

Employer's website

https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)