Job summary
- Main area
- Research and Development
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week (The CRF operates routinely between the hours of 08:00-18:00. However, some early evening, over night and weekend work may be required at times.)
- Job ref
- 411-RES-24-6251378
- Employer
- Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Alder Hey Children's Hospital
- Town
- Liverpool
- Salary
- £50,952 - £57,349 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/05/2024 23:59
Employer heading
NIHR CRF Operational Manager
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust is a provider of specialist health care and has a presence in community outreach sites and, in collaboration with other providers, our clinicians help deliver care closer to patients’ homes by holding local clinics at locations from Cumbria to Shropshire, in Wales and the Isle of Man. The Trust also provides inpatient care for children with complex mental health needs at our Sunflower House building newly relocated, and opened on the hospital site.
We currently have more than 4,000 staff working across our community and hospital sites. We’re also a teaching and training hospital providing education and training to around 540 medical and over 500 nursing and allied health professional students each year.
As black and minority ethnic (BME) employees are currently under-represented in this area, we particularly welcome applications from members of our BME communities. All appointments will be made on merit.
You can expect a warm welcome at Alder Hey Childrens NHS Foundation Trust, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At Alder Hey we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
- Great flexible working opportunities
- Lease car scheme and Home Electronics Scheme
- Generous annual leave and pension scheme
- Extensive staff health and well-being programmes
Job overview
The CRF Operational Manager will be responsible for developing and implementing an effective operational strategy that deliver the short, medium and long term objectives of AHCRF, based on the 2022 renewal. These reflect local and national needs and were designed to deliver high quality research and ensure the best use of resources. The post holder will also work closely and collaboratively with senior colleagues within the Clinical Research Division (CRD), in particular the Research Governance Manager and Research Matron to support the effective setup and delivery of studies within the CRF, and the General Manager and Head of Nursing for Research, to optimise the support for and integration of the CRF within the whole of the research architecture of Alder Hey.
Main duties of the job
To engage with key groups and individuals across both the Trust, and external academic and commercial partners, to ensure ongoing collaborative research relationships are established, and effective project delivery achieved.
Analysis of CRF performance data to determine trends and patterns and collate these data into reports.
Responsible for the day-to-day running of the non-clinical aspects of the CRF, including facilities and information management.
Taking into account the AHCRF objectives, Trust’s overall strategy, Trust research strategy, develop and implement a range of plans to improve CRF engagement and performance across departments and services across the Trust.
Work with the senior management team to develop and implement an income strategy for the CRF to ensure the long-term financial stability of the CRF.
Working for our organisation
The NIHR Alder Hey CRF (AHCRF) is based in the heart of Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. It is a purpose-built, cutting-edge facility providing a high quality, clinical space in which children and young people can take part in clinical research safely and effectively, according to robust and ethically approved protocols. The facility is staffed by paediatric research nurses, a research play specialist, clinical trial pharmacists and other support staff. The AHCRF team works with all research related staff to provide a robust service for the facilitation and delivery of safe and effective clinical research. Priority areas for AHCRF are experimental medicine, commercial and non-commercial early phase trials and studies of high intensity and risk, as well as late phase clinical trials.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Communication
- To champion the CRF project to executives, senior managers and clinicians within the Trust.
- To engage with key groups and individuals across both the Trust (internal theme leads, research active departments and investigators), and external academic and commercial partners, to ensure ongoing collaborative research relationships are established, and effective project delivery achieved.
- To oversee liaison with pharmaceutical companies and clinical research organisations during the set-up, interventional and follow up phases of commercial studies.
- Develop relationships with other CRFs across the UK CRF Network in order to operationalise collaboration on projects or wider initiatives, in particular the LUHFT CRU.
- To develop and maintain links with key partners and initiatives including the North West CRF Alliance, GOSH BRC Paediatric Excellence Initiative and CRF Managers Network.
- To routinely report performance information, including progress against NIHR short, medium and long term objectives, to key internal and external committees.
- Deliver formal presentations to large groups of stakeholders.
Analytical Skills
- Analysis of CRF performance data to determine trends and patterns e.g. analysis of proportion of early phase and experimental medicine trials over time, and collate these data into reports (e.g. Trust committees, NIHR annual reports)
- Interpretation of trends and patterns to inform options to progress.
- Use of expert judgement to recommend and/or implement options.
- Manage the publicity and promotion of the CRF including planning and coordination of open days and events. Seek opportunities to promote the CRF as a centre of excellence.
- Oversee the development and on-going maintenance of the CRF website and social media accounts (i.e. X®) as channels for both internal and external communication.
Planning and Organising Skills
- Responsible for the day-to-day running of the non-clinical aspects of the CRF, including facilities and information management.
- Taking into account the AHCRF objectives, Trust’s overall strategy, Trust research strategy, develop and implement a range of plans to improve CRF engagement and performance across departments and services across the Trust.
- Be responsible for the operational delivery of the research programme.
- Take action to address project underperformance.
- In conjunction with the CRF Director, Deputy and senior management team, plan and produce the CRF annual report, quarterly reports to NIHR CCF, and ensuring that planning requirements are regularly updated for the forthcoming six months.
Physical Skills
- Standard keyboard skills.
Responsibility for Policy/Service Development
- Contribute to the development of clinical and research policies and procedures.
Responsibility for Financial and Physical Resources
- Work with the senior management team to develop and implement an income strategy for the CRF to ensure the long-term financial stability of the CRF.
- To have responsibility for the departmental budget and physical resources and their effective utilization.
- Responsible for management of the CRF budget.
- Provide reports to divisional and Trust committees on financial matters relevant to the CRF.
- Liaise with investigators and research support team to provide estimated costs for proposed CRF research studies.
- Manage the ordering of medical equipment, supplies, services and equipment, ensuring that competitive quotes are obtained, and resources are effectively and efficiently utilised.
- Provide regular reporting to NIHR on utilisation of funds.
- Responsible for the on-going management of the CRF’s medical equipment. Develop and maintain inventories appropriate for good resource management and ensure that systems are in place for safety testing, servicing and maintenance as appropriate.
- Responsible for procurement of new equipment, furniture & fittings and ensure that purchases are underpinned by maintenance contracts where appropriate.
- Liaison with Estates and external suppliers in planning and implementing any repairs, improvements or other building works.
- Jointly with the Matron, be responsible for the Health and Safety of patients, visitors and staff ensuring that all incidents, accidents and hazards are reported according to the Trust’s incident reporting mechanisms and that the CRF provides a safe environment for research. Conduct risk assessments where appropriate.
- Be responsible for undertaking regular business continuity planning for the CRF and implementing any necessary changes, with support from the wider team.
Responsibility for Human Resources
- Develop and co-ordinate the established national online teaching/training programme.
- Promote sharing of best practice through regular team meetings and externally with other UKCRFs
- Co-ordination of placement staff and students.
- Supervision of external visitors and contractors to CRF.
Responsibility for Information Resources
- Responsible for updating and maintaining CRF related information e.g. ward occupancy.
- Responsible for quality assurance of CRF related data on Trust systems.
- Responsible for creating reports to support performance and reporting.
- Collation of data for, and writing of, NIHR annual report
Responsibility for Research and Development
- Routinely oversee the operational aspects of clinical R&D activity within the CRF in conjunction with the matron.
- Conduct customer satisfaction questionnaires, user and patient surveys to monitor departmental performance and develop action plans to address any issues raised.
- Provide assurance that medical equipment is appropriately tested.
- Maintain a thorough working knowledge of current research governance and EU Clinical trial legislation, guidance and policies and ensure these are adhered to by staff in conjunction with the research governance manager
- Maintain a working knowledge of issues relating to delivering clinical research studies in a paediatric setting.
- Maintain awareness of local Trust policies relating to research and its governance and ensure all staff comply with these.
Person specification
Education and Training
Essential criteria
- Educated to masters level in a subject relevant to the role or equivalent relevant experience.
- Project management qualification or equivalent relevant experience.
Desirable criteria
- Valid GCP certificate
Experience
Essential criteria
- Management within a clinical research environment.
- Working with clinicians and other health care professionals.
- Engaging with commercial and academic partners.
- Experience of effective budgetary management and control, including achieving annual targets on a regular basis.
- Managing organisational change.
- Presenting to large groups of staff or members of the public.
Desirable criteria
- Management experience within a paediatric setting within the NHS.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Research practice within the NHS.
- The NIHR and its KPIs.
- Operations and project management.
- Financial principles and processes.
- IT systems and processes for research and performance management.
Desirable criteria
- Paediatric research practice with the NHS.
- EDI principles.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Highly developed interpersonal and facilitation skills, with ability to gain and maintain credibility at all levels of the organisation, including with senior clinicians and external partners.
- Political awareness – ability to perceive impact of actions on the decisions and activities of others.
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to respond effectively to multiple priorities.
- Ability to interpret national guidance relating to research.
- Ability to analyse and interpret complex information.
- Ability to propose changes to practice and lead on service development.
- Ability to communicate with staff and colleagues at all levels.
- Time management skills, able to meet deadlines, and work with several projects simultaneously.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and listening skills.
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Able to work independently.
- Composed and resilient.
- Team worker.
- Punctual and flexible across hours of work when required.
- Treats others with courtesy and respect at all times.
- Takes responsibility for own actions and promotes good team working.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Dr Dan Hawcutt
- Job title
- NIHR CRF Director & Director of Research
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Additional information
Please contact our Divisional PA Rebecca Murphy to arrange contact with the CRF Director.
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