Lead Manager for Research, Development and Innovation

Job overview

The post holder will provide operational leadership for the R&D Department at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTH) working closely with the Director of Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I), the Senior Research and Development (R&D) team, and an over 80-strong team of research nurses and research active clinicians, as well as working closely and collaboratively with key stakeholders particularly academic and life science partners. The post-holder will oversee the successful running of the BTH R&D Department as well as BTH’s National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Commercial Research Delivery Centre (CRDC). BTH R&D collaborates closely with the NIHR, DOH and commercial sponsors alongside our colleagues from the 35 partner CRDCs. BTH R&D has a key role leading in-house, regional and national projects of great significance, looking to coordinate and accelerate the delivery of high-throughput late phase clinical research trials as well as innovative trial design. This role will involve working closely with commercial sponsors, Contract Research Organisations (CROs) and the ABPI. The post holder will be expected to work closely with the NIHR Regional Research Delivery Network North-West (NIHR RRDN NW), the NIHR Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) hosted by Blackpool Council, and the NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) as partners in their recent NIHR BRC bid.

Main duties of the job

The role includes but is not limited to: • Overseeing day-to-day R&D operational tasks to ensure the effective and efficient operational management of the R&D service. • Ensuring that the work of NIHR Blackpool CRDC is consistent with other CRDCs and its national remit making sure that appropriate infrastructure is in place for the long-term sustainability of the CRDC. • Working with the NIHR RRDN NW (National Institute for Health Research Clinical Regional Research Delivery Network North-West) and other relevant bodies, to maintain a clear understanding of local, regional and national policies relevant to NHS R&D and a balanced portfolio of research activities. This includes working closely with chief and principal investigators to ensure that opportunities for recruitment to portfolio studies are maximized. • Working with BRC Manchester to develop Trust capacity and capability within early phase research maximising the available opportunities for BTH staff. • Working with HDRC: Blackpool, potentially establishing a Joint Research Office supporting research in public health and prevention for the benefit of our community. • Maximizing new potential funding opportunities to support the Trust R&D agenda. • Ensuring that the UK Policy for Health and Social Care Research is adhered to through a rigorous approval and monitoring programme. • Promoting Research and Development work across the Trust, Provider Collaborative Board and Integrated Care Board.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To manage the successful delivery of research studies at BTH, planning and coordinating significant multi-disciplinary research activities, and ensuring the right delivery team is available and in place. To manage the successful delivery of late phase commercial clinical research through the NIHR Blackpool CRDC including business development to ensure a robust pipeline of studies. To deliver an increase in research within the Trust: • Increased research income from all sources Academic appointments • Peer-reviewed publications and conference papers presented Increased research capacity and capability in Trust employees To review research delivery against agreed performance metrics, NIHR CRDC KPIs and NIHR high level objectives. To evaluate strategies to maximise patient recruitment to target, Trust research income and research patient and industry survey outcomes to meet these objectives. To provide specialist advice and training on all aspects of research methodology and process, interpreting legislative and regulatory requirements and to provide methodological guidance to researchers or sign post them to alternative sources. To work with the NIHR RRDN NW in securing recurring R&D funding and to bid for increased NIHR budget, where appropriate, in line with NIHRfunding arrangements. To play a leading role, together with the Director of RD&I, in developing and managing Trust operational plans under the umbrella of the BTH Strategy, covering both Research and Innovation. To manage and support Trust “sponsored” research projects. To manage and support Trust “service evaluation” project. To assist and advise researchers in the funding of research projects and to ensure that research project management is reported to the R&D Committee. The post holder will be required to support, promote and manage implementation of the Trust Risk Management Strategy within the R&D department including: incident reporting, adverse incidents and management of complaints. Deputise for the Director of RD&I at certain meetings Management responsibilities • Promote team effectiveness and innovation. • Provide effective leadership and management of staff within the core R&D Department by ensuring effective team communications, workforce planning, recruitment, performance, conduct, appraisals, and ongoing development. • Maintain high levels of individual and team engagement, attendance and innovation. • Actively promote quality in the team by making clear standards, expectations, monitoring progress and taking action when standards fall short of expectations. • Generate research income through increasing the number of commercially and charitably funded studies and through successful grant applications. Support the implementation of the National Contract Review Process (NCVR) nationally. • Lead on the full costing of research projects, both academic and commercial utilising all necessary tools and work with Finance Colleagues to maximise recovery of costs from external funders. • Manage research budgets across the Trust, working with the finance department on appropriate policy development for successful management of such budgets. • Lead on ensuring all R&D projects and reporting requirements meet with Quality and Compliance standards as mandated locally and nationally in a timely manner. Partnership Working and Relationships • Promote the profile of Nursing and AHP research within the Trust, including by use of the Intern programmes currently run by HEE and other NIHR bodies. • Take the lead on communications between the Trust and all NIHR infrastructure that the Trust is associated with concerning resource allocations, staffing and sharing good practice. • Work with the BTH Communications team and NIHR Communications teams to create a Research Communications Strategy both for internal and external audiences. • Ensure that research by Trust staff has appropriate dissemination through the Trust, the local media, the health economy and the health sciences (peer reviewed journals). • Actively promote research at the Trust through a variety of channels. • Present to local, regional, national and potentially international audiences about the RD&I work being done at the Trust.