NHSJobs.com

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• To act as a visible and credible R&D Director across all components of the Trust’s NHS R&D functions including NIHR infrastructure programmes and networks. This will include internal leadership and playing a leading role with external partners, including the University of Plymouth (UoP) and other HEI partners.
• To oversee robust financial, performance and governance arrangements across the Trust’s R&D functions with appropriate mechanisms.
• To take operational accountability for all aspects of the Trust’s R&D functions, adopting a flexible yet ambitious approach to deliver the operational strategy and year-on-year business plans.
• To encourage and facilitate an inclusive operational approach to research,
• To lead with the Clinical Academic Groups within UoP in developing robust research operational plans, working collaboratively with partner organisations as required.
• To operationally represent the Trust’s R&D functions locally, nationally, and internationally as appropriate, fostering external relationships and collaborations with other NHS Trusts, research institutions and commercial partners as appropriate.
• Develop appropriate Trust wide policies, procedures, and processes relevant to the R&D function.

Human Resources

• Direct responsibility for overseeing the administrative and management functions within the Trust’s R&D department to provide credible, visible, and authoritative leadership.
• Establish, develop, and maintain the appropriate infrastructure for the Trust’s R&D functions, having an oversight of the recruitment and retention of appropriate staff and identifying areas of efficiency across the Trust’s R&D functions.
• Be the professional managerial lead for staff within the Trust’s R&D functions, providing mentorship, development and creating a learning culture, built on effective communication, and is recognised as a positive role model.
• Promote and support an appropriate skill mix within the staff structure of R&D, development of new roles and multi- and cross-disciplinary working with UHP R&D functions as appropriate to support the research strategies.
• Fully line manage Senior R&D colleagues within the R&D Department including individual performance management, appraisal, and development of staff to optimise individual and organisational performance.
• Responsible for developing plans to ensure effective team building across the R&D management teams and functions within the department is established to create a productive and facilitative working environment.  
• Ensure all staff have access to continuing professional education and development, to optimise individual and team performance in delivering on the strategic objectives within the Trust’s R&D functions.
• Communicating effectively and appropriately with a range of individuals and staff groups, at times in highly contentious or sensitive, hostile, or antagonistic environments.
• Responsibility for managing staff conflict resolution and complaints.
• Ensure all R&D Staff comply with the Trust’s standing financial instructions, agreed R&D standing financial instructions and other Trust policies and procedures.

Equality and Diversity

The jobholder must comply with all policies and procedures designed to ensure equality of employment and that services are delivered in ways that meet the individual needs of patients and their families.  No person whether they are staff, patient or visitor should receive less favourable treatment because of their gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion etc.

Training and Personal Development – Continuous Professional Development

The jobholder must take responsibility in agreement with his/her line manager for his/her own personal development by ensuring that Continuous Professional Development remains a priority.  The jobholder will undertake all mandatory training required for the role.

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

• As this is a senior role, the candidate must be able to effectively communicate in all settings, even if the issue is highly contentious or sensitive or is met with hostile or antagonistic behaviours.

• Develop key relationships with senior operational leads within UHP, UoP and all other external partners to undertake high level negotiations and influencing at a very senior level.

• Act as an ambassador for the operational aspects of the UHP R&D functions in a variety of settings.

• Be responsible for delivering a robust marketing strategy for UHP R&D, both to internal and external audiences, directing the work of associated staff to ensure effective and timely delivery of marketing messages and communications.

Relationships

 Internal

• Chief Medical Officer
• Chief Nursing Officer
• Senior R&D Colleagues
• Lead Research Nurse
• Executive Board Members
• Research Delivery Teams
• Researchers
• Support Services: Pharmacy, Pathology, Radiology etc

External

• NIHR Peninsula Regional Research Delivery Network
• Executive Dean of Faculty of Health, UoP
• Research Director for Faci;tu pf Jea;tj. UoP
• Associate Dean for Research , Faculty of Health, UoP
• Heads of School, Faculty of Health UoP
• Director, Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit ( PenCTU)
• Head, Joint Clinical Research Office ( UHP and UoP)
• Deputy Vice Chancellor ( Science ) of the University of Plymouth
• SW Health Innovation Network
• Department for Health & Social Care
• Other key National Institute for Health Research platforms, including PenARC
• Commercial partners & clinical research organisations
• Primary Care Partners and Community Partners
• Public Health
• Community partners