Senior Qualitative Insights and Engagement Manager

Job overview

The role requires a confident engagement and involvement professional who works at a consistently high level and is able to develop and lead strategic programmes of work. The post-holder will have a strong understanding of the NHS and health research landscape, will have knowledge of national politics relating to health, research, data and innovation. They will have extensive experience of delivering a range of successful engagement and involvement methodologies.

Main duties of the job

The Senior Qualitative Insights and Engagement Manager is a challenging role that requires high levels of confidence, aptitude and diplomacy as well as exceptional professional skills and expertise. The role spans both strategic development and operational delivery and the post holder will be able to excel in both.

The Senior Qualitative Insights and Engagement Manager will report to the Associate Director of Strategy and Insights and will be responsible for designing, developing and delivering all qualitative insights programmes with a range of complex stakeholders including patients, the public, people with lived experience and professionals. The role will also offer strategic advice and counsel to colleagues across ICHP and the wider NWL sector to support them in designing and delivering effective qualitative insights and engagement programmes. This role will work across missions, providing specialist expertise and support.

The postholder will deputise for the Associate Director as necessary. They will form part of the senior leadership of the Strategy and Insights directorate, and will be responsible for line management of the Qualitative Insights Manager.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Generic

• Role model behaviours that live our organisational values of collaboration, courage, quality, and impact, and encourage similar behaviours in colleagues and line reports
• Show a commitment to learning, self-reflection, appraisal, and development, including undertaking a Personal Development Plan annually; and support direct reports to undertake a similar process
• Operate in an environment of significant complexity and ambiguity, taking time to understand the context of the operating environment and demonstrating good judgement (including seeking counsel from others when needed); and offer support and guidance for others seeking advice.
• Exhibit a curiosity about the work going on across the organisation, and share with others, internally and externally, impactful work that ICHP supports to enable innovation and resolve complex problems.
• Actively seek to participate in available project opportunities, with an approximate expectation of being involved in project work for up to [70-75%] of your time, and working on several projects at any one time (with a mix of longer-term and shorter-term projects).
• To be the ‘go to expert’ in the organisation for your specialism, playing a proactive role in shaping the organisation’s approach to deploying your methodology. Specific
• Support the Associate Director of Strategy and Insights to develop a comprehensive, strategic approach to qualitative insights to support the successful delivery of missions, taking account of both local and national context with regards to policy developments and political changes.
• Prioritise, plan and deliver high quality qualitative insights and engagement activities to support the delivery of partner priorities, including the production and implementation of strategic plans for programmes of work that may be additional to that of missions.
• Advise the Associate Director and broader ICHP team on methods to enhance qualitative insights, helping to build positive relationships with a vast range of networks and groups including patient and public groups, charities, third sector, professional bodies and advocacy groups.
• Oversee the day-to-day planning and delivery of a high quality qualitative insights and engagement activities. This will include all or some of the following:
• Strategic advice and counsel to the Associate Director, wider ICHP team and our members when required.
• Working closely with other senior leads to ensure an aligned approach, in particular the Quantitative Insights Lead.
• Advise staff on how qualitative insights can support their programmes and projects, working in partnership with professionals where needed.
• Developing and overseeing the delivery of qualitative insights and engagement activities to support both programmes commissioned by NWL partners (missions and other) as well as work that may be commissioned by other clients e.g. deliberative engagement projects.
• Overseeing effective engagement and relationship management with a broad range of groups that will support qualitative activities, for example, professional and clinical networks, PPIE leads and networks, charities, advocacy groups and others across NWL, London and where appropriate nationally and internationally.
• Representing ICHP in regional and national qualitative engagement and involvement networks as necessary.
• ICHP has a growing public deliberation and engagement portfolio and this role will play an important role in supporting the design and delivery of these projects.
• Ensures we deliver tangible outcomes and employs a variety of methodologies to measure them; ensuring alignment with changing best practice.
• Exceptional project management skills, ensuring delivery of high quality programmes delivered within budget and to time.
• Strong focus on value-add challenge of both the detail as well as the bigger picture to ensure the most suitable method is adopted and the highest quality outcome achieved.
• Ensures qualitative activity is coordinated with and delivered as part of the wider ICHP programme of work thus providing a seamless, integrated experience for members and clients.