Job summary
The RRDN Operations Director is the senior officer responsible for the operational services of the RRDN. These services are delivered for the RRDN, partner organisations and research funders, with particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the life sciences industry (across both commercial contract and commercial collaborative research). These services include Study Support, Agile Research Support, regional support for Active National Delivery, Financial Management and Business Operations. The RRDN Operations Director line manages the Service/Team Leaders for the defined operational services.
This vacancy is only available to current senior management team members of Greater Manchester and North West Coast CRNs regardless of their employer and current employees of the host organisations of the two CRNs, which are Manchester Unviersity NHS Foundation Trust and Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust respectively.
Main duties of the job
The RRDN Operations Director will support national and regional initiatives to help meet the research delivery needs of the life sciences industry, including providing a key account management function. The RRDN Operations Director will also work closely with the RRDN Strategic Development Director and ensure operational intelligence and expertise is used to strengthen the 3-year RRDN Strategic Implementation Plan.
From October 2024, the current NIHR Clinical Research Network will be changing to become the NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN). The RDN will continue to support the effective and efficient initiation and delivery of funded research across the health and care system in England for the benefit of patients, the health and care system and the economy, with a name that better reflects the scope and purpose of the network to support:
- Clinical trials and other well-designed health and social care research studies (including studies that are delivered outside of an NHS setting);
- Public health studies that require the recruitment of individuals within an NHS setting (that is, acute, ambulance, mental health, community or primary care) or an episode of care which involves contact with the NHS.
About us
MFT is England's largest NHS Trust with a turnover of £2.5bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. We're creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.
Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 28,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so you'll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.
We've also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our brand-new Electronic Patient Record system which we've launched in September 2022.
We're proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. What's more, we're excited to be embarking on our new Green Plan which will set out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.
At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Be responsible for ensuring research sites have an appropriate level of funding in line with their plans to support and deliver the core NHS service support activities
- Be responsible for working in collaboration with regional R&D departments in order to support those departments in the delivery of their studies
- Be responsible for ensuring research sites have an appropriate level of funding in line with their plans to support and deliver the core NHS service support activities
- Be responsible for the management, coordination and delivery of the following key RRDN services: Study Support Service (including Enhanced, On-Demand Study Support); Agile Research Support; Active National Delivery (regional contribution); Commercial Services; Financial management (including Excess Treatment Costs); Business Operations
- Provide strong leadership, engaging with the regional research community to support and enable the efficient set up and delivery of RDN Portfolio research, with particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the life sciences industry
- Budgetary management for the RRDN hosted services, NHS support costs allocation and the Operations element of the RRDN funding allocation (total RRDN funding to be £35m per annum per RRDN on average
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. So that youre even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, youll need to take time to read the Candidate Essentials Guide that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how we care for you as you care for others. Most importantly, it also contains critical information youll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.
COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst COVID-19 vaccination is not currently a condition of employment, we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, there is helpful advice and information available by searching on the NHS England website where you can also find out more about how to access the vaccination.
Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at resourcing@mft.nhs.uk.
Were looking forward to hearing from you!
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Be responsible for ensuring research sites have an appropriate level of funding in line with their plans to support and deliver the core NHS service support activities
- Be responsible for working in collaboration with regional R&D departments in order to support those departments in the delivery of their studies
- Be responsible for ensuring research sites have an appropriate level of funding in line with their plans to support and deliver the core NHS service support activities
- Be responsible for the management, coordination and delivery of the following key RRDN services: Study Support Service (including Enhanced, On-Demand Study Support); Agile Research Support; Active National Delivery (regional contribution); Commercial Services; Financial management (including Excess Treatment Costs); Business Operations
- Provide strong leadership, engaging with the regional research community to support and enable the efficient set up and delivery of RDN Portfolio research, with particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the life sciences industry
- Budgetary management for the RRDN hosted services, NHS support costs allocation and the Operations element of the RRDN funding allocation (total RRDN funding to be £35m per annum per RRDN on average
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. So that youre even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, youll need to take time to read the Candidate Essentials Guide that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how we care for you as you care for others. Most importantly, it also contains critical information youll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.
COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst COVID-19 vaccination is not currently a condition of employment, we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, there is helpful advice and information available by searching on the NHS England website where you can also find out more about how to access the vaccination.
Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at resourcing@mft.nhs.uk.
Were looking forward to hearing from you!
Person Specification
Qualificatons, Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Masters level qualification or equivalent
- Management Qualification
- Comprehensive understanding of research, the NHS and the wider health and care system including associated responsibilities to the public and patients
- Experience of managing health and care research support services including the allocation of both funding and human resources
- Significant experience of managing a large budget with solid knowledge of financial process requirements
- Knowledge of national systems, structures and processes for supporting clinical research in NHS and non-NHS settings
- 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 stakeholders
- Lives by values which include openness, collaboration, responsiveness, inclusion, personal integrity and creating positive cultures where these values thrive
Desirable
- Understanding of governance and legislative framework for clinical research in the NHS
- Executive level experience
Person Specification
Qualificatons, Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Masters level qualification or equivalent
- Management Qualification
- Comprehensive understanding of research, the NHS and the wider health and care system including associated responsibilities to the public and patients
- Experience of managing health and care research support services including the allocation of both funding and human resources
- Significant experience of managing a large budget with solid knowledge of financial process requirements
- Knowledge of national systems, structures and processes for supporting clinical research in NHS and non-NHS settings
- 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 stakeholders
- Lives by values which include openness, collaboration, responsiveness, inclusion, personal integrity and creating positive cultures where these values thrive
Desirable
- Understanding of governance and legislative framework for clinical research in the NHS
- Executive level experience
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Main office Oxford Road Campus
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
Manchester
M13 9WL
Employer's website
https://mft.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)
