Welsh Kidney Network Manager

Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac

The post holder will be managerially responsible and accountable to a nominated lead WHSSC Director working closely with the Network Chair/Lead Clinician-AMD for the development and delivery of the Network objectives and work plan as appropriate to this role.

The post holder will liaise and collaborate with the following through meetings and direct personal communication.

The post holder is required :

• To work under own direction and directing others within confines of NHS Wales policy.
• To assimilate and summarise complex documents, compare facts and analyse situational data from a range of sources, develop options and assess risks and opportunities to the organisation and facilitate consensus building and decision-making.
• To be responsible for the day to day operational management and strategic development of all the Network services within the post holders portfolio, balancing the need for proactive service development and strategic leadership against the reactive demand of operational responsibilities and stakeholders.
• To work independently guided by broad health and social care strategies and organisational policies and specific local and national guidelines, advising on how these should be interpreted and implemented.
• To develop national guidance and policy for Adult Renal services in collaboration with the Welsh Government and other National groups.
• In conjunction with the Network Chair/Lead Clinician-AMD, to directly support Welsh Government officials in drafting Ministerial briefings, submissions, press lines and speeches and in answering Ministerial correspondence and Assembly Questions relating to renal services and relevant policy and standards.
• In conjunction with the Network Chair/Lead Clinician-AMD, to provide advice information and expertise to WHSSC on renal service matters.
• To work collaboratively across services and other clinical networks where clinical adjacencies and linkages exist to the benefit of renal and general patients.
• To work with the Network Chair/Lead Clinician-AMD to create appropriate frameworks and systems that will ensure the implementation, review and update the Renal Delivery Plan (which replaced the NSF in 2017).
• To build relationships with relevant professionals in other organisations.
• To negotiate directly with relevant stakeholders regarding the scope, size and timing of national, regional and local projects, to secure all support and resources required.
• To provide managerial leadership across the entire WKN and ensure that all its aims and objectives are clearly communicated to staff within the team.
• To manage, motivate, and inform stakeholders and patients to ensure the timely completion and adoption of service improvements and clinical pathways.
• To lead national reviews of renal services, including performance against UK Renal Association Standards and the UK Renal Registry.
• To undertake meetings with members of the public; staff in the NHS; Independent sector provider organisations, and politicians to explain planning issues and option appraisals for service change and development.
• To provide, receive and respond to highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious information where there are significant barriers to acceptance. This will require the post holder be well informed/briefed and using the highest level of interpersonal and communication skills, such as would be required when communicating in a hostile, antagonistic or highly emotive atmosphere. These skills will be applied on a daily basis, across Wales, to dealings with patients; patient groups/charities; Health Boards; WHSSC/T; the Independent Sector dialysis Providers; WAST; other Networks; Welsh Government and NHSBT, amongst others.
• To receive, collate highly complex, clinical and commercially sensitive information from a huge variety of specialist sources. Using the highest level of proberty the manager has then to translate this information into effective policy and service improvement across Wales. Frequently this requires presentations to large groups (up to a hundred) including patients, the public, other health professionals and Trade Unions sometimes with antagonistic and often hostile responses e.g. Dialysis Expansion Workstream, Delivery of a new National Standard for Transport to and from Dialysis. There are many other examples across other ongoing work streams as this is an integral skill for the delivery of the post e.g. working with WG to deliver the new Transplant Organ donation bill; working with NHSE, NHS Blood and Transplant, WG, patient groups, and the Transplant team in Cardiff to encourage the use of hepatitis C positive kidney donors in an effort to improve organ availability for those of the transplant register/waiting list. These are highly contentious policies on which Wales has led and the involvement of manager of the WKN is germane to that success.
• The manager is responsible for working with colleagues to establish and to deliver a new standards of care for Non-emergency patient transport. Working with the WHSSC Corporate Team, to act as the lead, non-clinical contact for public and media related communications relevant to the WKN and Renal Services in Wales.
• To support and advise other service planners and providers in the development of public and service engagement. This will be across the health, emergency and utility sectors.
• To act as the focus for the relationship between the WKN and the Welsh Association of Renal Physicians and Surgeons.
• To ensure the publication of an annual report on adult renal services setting out service development, clinical outcomes and future intentions.
• To communicate effectively with senior personnel in a wide range of specialty areas/organisations on financial matters/budgets; clinical and non-clinical governance concerns; project management e.g. the award of a 10 year £70m dialysis contract across SE Wales.
• To be identified as the non-clinical expert in the planning of Adult Renal and Renal-associated Services in Wales. This will require extensive travelling and personal engagement as well the building of trust and relationships based on sound and complex knowledge.
• To develop an expertise in the planning and delivery of Renal Services including:
  • Modes of Renal replacement therapy and service delivery.
  • Finance and resource management.
  • Development of capital facilities and capital planning.
  • Development of suitable project management skills.
• To be the primary point of contact for advice and leadership on issues relating to planning and delivery of renal services including:
  • Ensuring that HBs have up to date information and advice on issues and where appropriate active intervention is undertaken on their behalf.
  • Corporate and Clinical Governance particularly between organisations.

The post holder will possess standard keyboard skills and have the ability to travel to work with other partners across Wales on a daily basis. There will also be the necessity to travel to work with partners outside of Wales to represent WHSSC and Wales in national forums e.g. National Transplant meetings in London on a regular basis. The post holder will travel to other service providers and facilities across the UK on an occasional basis.

This job description is not exhaustive. The priorities and emphasis may change in view that it is a new post and to reflect service needs. This represents an outline of the post and is not a precise catalogue of duties/responsibilities.

Qualifications and/or Knowledge

Essential

• Educated to Master's Degree Level or equivalent level of work experience, skills and knowledge.
• Programme and Project management experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• Extensive knowledge of the organisation of the NHS and renal services.
• Understanding of National legislation, policy and guidance as appropriate to the role.
• Understanding of budgetary and financial management.
• Understanding of performance management techniques.
• Understanding of clinical and corporate governance.
• Understanding of the modernisation agenda for the NHS.

Desirable

• Leadership programme.
• Prince Project Management training or equivalent.
• An understanding of research and evaluation methods.
• Understanding of third sector providers.
• Knowledge of alternative contracting methods such as social enterprise.
• ECDL or similar qualification.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of planning and commissioning adult renal services.
• Experience in the planning of renal transplantation services.
• Experience of working with National policy makers, and government officials.
• Significant experience in a senior management position in a large complex organisation in particular in a key leadership position.
• Experience of directing the planning and commissioning of services at a local and National level including performance, financial and staff management.
• Experience of planning and implementing long term strategy.
• Experience of successfully leading major change programmes, including improving performance.
• Ability to influence at all levels and a highly strategic thinker.
• Strong track record of internal and external partnership working.
• Experience of multi - disciplinary/agency working.
• Demonstrable success in building, leading, motivating, managing and developing teams.
• Experience of using a range of communication methods for public and staff involvement.

Desirable

• Experience of developing service level agreements.
• Experience of working within Specialist Services planning organisations.
• Experience of developing policy and standards at a National level.
• Experience of working with Local Authority and/or Non-statutory sector.

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

• Confident directing services at a senior level and taking overall responsibility for key outcomes.
• Able to demonstrate a high level of interpersonal skills, displaying credibility, influence and political acumen.
• Highly developed oral and written communication skills with the ability to persuade, influence and negotiate to achieve successful outcomes.
• Able to interpret legislation, policy and National guidance as appropriate to the role.
• Proven ability to achieve targets and objectives within a demanding and pressured environment against challenging deadlines
• Proven ability to manage and monitor significant budgets.
• Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload and that of the team to operate effectively.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate with colleagues, service users and stakeholders on complex and contentious issues.
• Sound judgement, decision making and organisational skills.
• Ability to work without supervision or guidance using their own initiative to solve complex multi stranded problems.
• Ability to deal with highly complex, sensitive situations assessing and recommending courses of action.
• Ability to communicate complex information and issues to a wide range of senior internal and external stakeholders, persuading them of the need for change and influencing their decision-making when appropriate using tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to analyse and appropriately present often highly complex information.
• Good IT and keyboard skills.
• Experience of dealing positively with organisational politics.

Desirable

• Welsh Language Skills.

Values

Essential

• Confident and dynamic in a senior role.
• Ability to demonstrate capability for strong leadership with the ability to motivate and engage.
• Highly self-motivated with ability to demonstrate flexibility, determination, perseverance, and resilience.
• Politically astute and high level of intuition.
• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations and to work under pressure.
• Display exemplary personal and professional standards of behaviour and integrity at all times.
• Demonstrate empathy with service users and carers.
• Ability to concentrate for long periods of time.
• Ability to deal with stressful and emotional situations on a regular basis e.g. grievance and organisational issues.

Other

Essential

• Must be prepared to travel frequently throughout Wales and across the UK as required.
• Ability to deal with a stressful and demanding workload.
• Able to work hours flexibly.
• Able to undertake the full remit of the role.
• Satisfactory DBS clearance.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).