CRF Senior Charge Nurse

We are seeking an experienced nurse passionate about cancer research to join our motivated team at the NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facility (MCRF) at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. This role is ideal for someone with a blend of clinical research and leadership experience who prioritises exceptional patient care and enhancing patient experience. If you're excited about delivering tomorrow's treatments today, this is an excellent opportunity to make a significant impact.

As a key member of the CRF leadership team, you'll be a role model for a skilled delivery team managing complex and experimental cancer clinical trials. The CRF is a highly specialised department that encompasses research clinics, outpatient services, and both day-case and inpatient care, supporting cutting-edge experimental medicine and advanced-phase oncology trials.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with another Band 7 CRF Senior Charge Nurse, providing visible leadership and excellent management to ensure the smooth daily operations of the CRF. Your leadership will be vital in delivering a safe, high-quality service and ensuring the best possible patient experience across the unit.

Main duties of the job

We are seeking a Senior Oncology Nurse with substantial experience in clinical research and management to lead our clinical team and support the CRF Matron and Operations Lead in achieving the strategic objectives and vision for the Manchester Clinical Research Facility (MCRF) at The Christie. The ideal candidate will be an innovative, forward-thinking leader with a strong understanding of safety, governance, and a commitment to providing exceptional patient care.

In this role, you will need excellent communication skills and the ability to guide and inspire your team through change. You will work as part of the CRF Senior Leadership Team to help drive the ambitious development plans for the CRF, and work towards offering a comprehensive seven-day service. This service will support an expanding portfolio of cutting-edge research, including complex cell and gene therapies and other novel cancer treatments.

Your leadership will be critical in fostering a culture of excellence, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, safe care, and advancing the CRF's mission to be at the forefront of innovative cancer research and patient-centred care.

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Ensure that excellent care is provided for patients.
• Provide visible clinical leadership to the CRF team promoting a culture of leadership by example to all staff.
• Be responsible for the day-to-day supervision of junior staff and students ensuring ongoing staff development.
• Be actively involved in promoting the research work of the department.
• Attend and contribute to clinical team meetings.
• Ensure that working practices adhere to health and safety policies and be responsible for reporting of any incidents and performing risk assessments of research studies.
• Promote and collaborate in developing good working relationships, maintaining good communication systems with departments both within and outside the division to ensure that participants have an effective and efficient research experience.
• Ensure appropriate and effective communication with all nursing, medical, and research staff and other external agencies.
• Ensure planning and organisation of complex activities across a range of studies requiring collaboration with other professionals and agencies.
• Be responsible for workforce planning and development to meet future staffing requirements in conjunction with the lead nurse and operational lead.
• Ensure compliance with Trust policies to ensure the safety of personnel and patients who use/attend the Facility.
• Ensure compliance with UK and International research regulatory frameworks.
• Ensure clinical trials are prioritized appropriately ensuring equitable use of the facility and optimal space.
• Support the Clinical Research Facility Operational Lead and Matron in ensuring that trials within the Facility are appropriately planned, resourced and risk assessed.
• Ensure that equipment within the CRF complies with Trust policies and any regulatory requirements for medical and other equipment.
• Act as a source of advice for Research teams wishing to use the Clinical Research Facility to conduct research activity.

Management

• Provide clinical leadership and line management of staff ensuring the delivery of the highest professional standards through staff development and individual performance appraisal/review.
• Ensure that staffing and skill mix is appropriate to the level of activity on the Facility utilizing IT systems for efficiency and effectiveness as appropriate.
• Ensure the efficient use and ordering of consumables and other supplies and assist with the CRF operational budget as appropriate.
• Responsible for the delivery of clinical expertise in all aspects of the clinical setting, acting as a visible expert within the facility.
• Ensure familiarity with risk issues pertaining to confidentiality of participant and research related documentation (Data Protection Act, 1994, Caldicott 1999 GDPR regulation 2018)
• Ensure adherence to safeguarding principles.
• Undertaking the role of Duty Manager within the Trust on a rotational basis.

Clinical

• Facilitate the delivery of highly specialised, participant-focused, protocol-driven care in collaboration with participants, relatives, Research teams and the multidisciplinary team.
• Ensure participant care is delivered according to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust policies and procedures.
• Ensure that care delivered is participant-centred and where possible evidence-based whilst in accordance with the research protocol and maintaining the rights of the participant.
• Continuously evaluate the quality of care given, regularly reassessing the needs of the research participants and effect changes as required in consultation with the participant, the Research teams and the multidisciplinary team.
• Practice at a level which demonstrates advanced knowledge and skill and requires a high level of precision.
• Lead on the development of core practice standards and contribute to clinical audit with a particular emphasis on clinical benchmarking to maintain and improve clinical and research practice.
• Ensure clear accurate records to support and record all research activity.
• Seek opportunities to develop own and junior staff's research skills adapting to any changes in the research requirements of new studies.

Research

In collaboration with research teams ensure robust study-specific risk assessments are conducted for all research studies wishing to use the CRF ensuring effective and efficient use of the Facility's resources.

Develop a pro-active communication strategy to ensure effective communication with CRF staff, users, internal and external stakeholders.

Support R&I Division in developing costing and pricing mechanisms for trials within the Clinical Research Facility and identifying costs within specific trial protocols.

Education and Training

• Be accountable for ensuring that all staff essential training meets the Trust's KPIs.
• Work in collaboration with Practice Educators for Research to lead in the induction and training of staff, establishing mentorship and clinical supervision opportunities as appropriate.
• Work collaboratively and as an expert resource to support, develop and implement the NIHR competency framework for MCRF (TC) nursing staff.
• Encourage participation in educational opportunities for all levels of research staff in the MCRF e.g. NVQs apprenticeships and higher academic qualifications.
• Support placements for Schools and University Graduates in conjunction with NIHR Manchester Clinical Research Facilities including international/national placements where appropriate.
• Ensure mentorship of student nurses and trainee nurse associates where appropriate and ensure the clinical environment is conducive to teaching, education, training and development of all staff.
• Support visits to the MCRF (TC) for both internal and external visitors including site evaluation visits for clinical trials.
• Seek opportunities to promote the achievements of MCRF staff and facilities at conferences, professional events and open days through formal and informal presentations and tours.

Professional

• Undertake continuous professional development seeking opportunities to enhance skills which can be identified via a personal development plan.
• Maintain own clinical/professional competence and credibility. Utilise clinical session to role model standards of care and expected behaviours.
• Maintain valid and up to date registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council complying with NMC guidelines in relation to professional issues.
• Act as a point of reference for all employment and professional issues relating to MCRF (TC) staff.
• Promote MCRF (TC) as a centre of excellence for clinical research.
• Take responsibility for professional and personal development, participating in the Trust annual appraisal review with the Lead Nurse and CRF Operational Lead.

Finance and Resource Management

• Identify workforce requirements to meet the MCRF (TC) objectives and work alongside the Operational Lead and Matron to develop business plans to secure funding for the provision of staff as appropriate.
• Ensure contracts are renewed as appropriate for equipment.
• Be responsible for the ongoing management of the CRF asset base, including medical equipment.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Registered Nurse
• Expertise and knowledge of Research and Development regulations and research Governance
• Understanding of National Research policy
• Current GCP certificate
• Post Registration oncology qualification

Experience

• Demonstrable experience of managing a clinical team.
• Experience in Oncology nursing
• Examples of initiating and leading on change
• Evidence of managing and delivering clinical trials
• Examples of effective people management and leadership skills
• Experience in quality and clinical improvements
• Experience of handling sensitive professional issues and human resource issues
• Line management experience at a senior level
• Experience of workforce planning and development
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Experience of collaborative working within and outside organisational boundaries
• Experience in delivering experimental medicine clinical trials

Skills

• Excellent leadership, interpersonal and managerial skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Able to communicate with a wide range of staff at varying levels including external stakeholders
• Excellent presentation, training and mentoring skills
• Able to inspire and motivate others and lead by example
• Able to interpret data and present it in a meaningful way to a wide range of stakeholders
• Able to use problem-solving skills, prioritise and quickly identify the core issues in a situation
• Able to make calm rational decisions in the face of adversity

Knowledge

• In depth and up to date knowledge of the governance and legislative framework for clinical research.
• Detailed understanding of clinical research in the NHS
• Knowledge of professional and NHS issues and policy
• Knowledge of National Clinical research nursing strategy
• Knowledge and understanding of clinical governance, risk management and the national quality assurance agenda
• Understanding of current issues within the experimental medicine landscape
• Expert knowledge of clinical trials regulations
• Knowledge of current national systems and approval processes for clinical research studies in the UK
• Knowledge of the inspection and regulation environment in which clinical research operates

Values

• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours

Other

• Flexibility in working hours
• Able to perform a wide range of duties
• Self-motivated
• Travel across Manchester to all MCRF sites

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£46,148 to £52,809 a year, per annum, pro rata