Study Support Service Manager - B7

Job overview

We are seeking an experienced and motivated leader to join the Study Support Service at the South East Regional RDN. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in how research studies are planned, supported and delivered across the NHS and wider health and care system. You will work within a collaborative national network focused on improving the consistency, quality and efficiency of research delivery.

You will join a supportive and knowledgeable team that values partnership working, continuous improvement and shared learning. We work closely with research sites, sponsors and system partners to solve challenges and strengthen research capacity across the region. Our culture is open, respectful and improvement-focused, with strong peer support and opportunities to develop leadership skills.

In return, we offer flexible working, excellent development opportunities and the chance to build expertise across a broad research portfolio. If you are motivated by making a difference to research delivery, enjoy collaborative problem-solving and want to grow your leadership capability within the NIHR Research Delivery Network, this is an excellent opportunity.

Main duties of the job

As Study Support Service Manager you will lead delivery of Study Support Services across designated specialties and settings, ensuring high-quality pre-approval services (planning and placement and national cost attribution tools) and post-approval services (portfolio oversight and on-request support).

You will line manage Study Support Service Facilitators, allocating workload, developing capability and supporting performance. You will work closely with research delivery organisations across the South East RDN region to support study feasibility, address delivery challenges and strengthen research capacity and capability.

You will collaborate with regional and national colleagues to ensure consistent service delivery and contribute to improvement initiatives across the network. You will use data and insight to monitor portfolio performance, identify risks and target support where needed.

Examples of decisions you will make include:

●       Determining study planning and placement recommendations based on feasibility and capacity.

●       Deciding when portfolio performance issues require intervention or escalation.

●       Prioritising team resource and improvement activity across specialties.

This role suits a collaborative, organised professional who combines operational delivery with partnership working and continuous improvement.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the full job description & person spe

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

• ●     Act as a liaison between various stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration, communication and alignment of objectives ●     Work as part of a community of specialty and settings leaders across the national network, promoting the consistency of experience across a nationally-harmonised Study Support Service ●     Collaborate with designated Local Specialty and Settings Leadership to align operational activities with strategic objectives ●     Provide strategic support to designated research delivery sites, drawing on and contributing to national network intelligence ●     Support the implementation and cascade of national strategic direction within the region and the local RRDN

BUSINESS PLANNING

• ●     Develop and undertake activities which contribute to the annual business planning cycle ●     Support with reviewing, evaluating and approving research site delivery plans, and have delegated responsibility for periodically performance monitoring against those plans to ensure that RDN funding is being used appropriately and effectively within specific specialties and settings

INFORMATION & ADMINISTRATION

• ●     Understand and interpret highly complex information, data and situations to inform plans and make decisions within designated specialities and settings. This may include communicating and presenting to a variety of audiences and the facilitation of collaborative discussions ●     Facilitate the implementation of Information Governance best practice within the Study Support Service ●     Support the implementation and management of the Study Support Service processes that ensure data integrity within relevant RDN systems, enabling the identification of potential concerns and patterns and supporting RDN customers and partners in resolving issues ●     Promote the use of digital innovations including data visualisation tools/dashboards to inform study and process decision making ●     Manage the activities that support study sponsors, funders and investigators to access data to enable them to effectively manage the delivery of their studies (and enable them to request support from the RDN as required) ●     Maintain and support general understanding of costing and attribution tools, process and policy that ensure studies in the region meet national requirements ●     Implement compliance with the DHSC RDN Portfolio Policy to ensure that the process, procedure and monitoring of studies enables sponsors / delegates, research delivery sites and funders to understand and adhere to their roles and responsibilities. For example, this may include satisfying the Eligibility Criteria for NIHR support before they are included on the portfolio and subsequently adhering to the expected actions and requirements set out in the NIHR RDN Portfolio Terms and Conditions ●     Maintain oversight of the RDN portfolio within designated specialties and settings to proactively identify potential issues and opportunities, working as an active partner to resolve and action follow-up activity ●     Lead the coordination of the National Specialty and Setting Groups (e.g. organise national meetings and support the general activities of the National Specialty and Setting Leads)