Senior Scientific Project Manager

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Communication and document management

1. Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders to fully deliver on expected research impacts (scientific, clinical and societal) and to contribute to the longevity of the research portfolio.
2. Serve as a main point of contact on assigned projects for research teams and study investigators, external funding bodies, pharmaceutical companies and national networks.
3. Advise key academic members of the group with regard to grant applications, protocol and patient information sheet development and the national and R&D governance associated with these.
4. Advise and negotiate on clinical trial agreements (including financial and Intellectual property arrangements), material transfer agreements and data sharing agreements as required.
5. Collate, analyse and interpret complex information for creation and presentation of project plans. Ongoing assessment and identification of issues to ensure that they are delivered to performance targets, including the preparation of activity and management reports.
6. Oversee production of abstracts and posters for local, national and international conferences. Coordinate the process from submission to publication including proof-reading and editing of manuscripts before submission.
7. Prepare and submit interim and annual reports for R&D, ethic committees, funding bodies, CSGs etc. as required.
8. Maintain strong relationships with colleagues in key partner organisations/ departments (the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, the Oglesby Cancer Research Building (OCRB), the Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC), the University of Manchester (School of Medical Sciences).
9. Present complex research information to project teams, the Haematology research team and wider collaborators.
10. Assist clinical colleagues in supporting medical students and haematology trainees in research related projects.

Knowledge, training and experience

1. Be able to demonstrate an in-depth experience and knowledge of Haematology, translational research and precision medicine. Hold a significant position within research, preferably within a Higher Education/NHS research environment.
2. Demonstrable experience of scientific writing.
3. Understanding of Information Governance in the NHS and University environments.
4. Significant and demonstrable experience in pre- and post-award research grant and contract management, with a superior understanding of research funding mechanisms including knowledge of Trust and University costing and finance systems including Full Economic Costing.
5. Experience of coordinating and submission of relevant grant funding applications, submission of regulatory, ethics and R&D applications for research projects and clinical trial management and reporting.
6. Demonstrable ability to analyse complex information from a wide variety of sources which may be conflicting.

Planning and organisational skills

1. Responsible for ensuring that researchers have all the information that they need to develop their projects and that researchers have an understanding of the processes that need to be followed and the timelines involved.
2. The postholder will propose changes to policies within their work area and would be involved in the review and implementation.
3. Manage the delivery of key projects and associated work streams, monitoring key performance indicators and working autonomously to ensure delivery within agreed project deliverables.
4. Arrange and lead project meetings as appropriate. Preparing agendas, taking minutes and distributing, following up any action points.
5. There will be a need to be flexible around researcher's availability with the ability to adjust plans as required to ensure all targets are met.
6. The post holder is expected to use initiative and be able to work independently without close supervision. They are also expected to plan and organise their own time and workload activity with prioritisation, referring to senior managers as necessary.

Personal and people development

1. Maintain professional development whilst evaluating own specialist knowledge with assistance from the assigned line manager, to satisfy the NHS knowledge and skills framework.
2. Demonstrates the agreed set of values and accountable for own attitude and behaviour.
3. Follow all relevant policies and procedures; in particular in relation to the Data Protection Act, and any regulatory practice.
4. Provide project line management as required in liaison with colleagues from The Christie. Ensure that the correct processes are in place for staff and system administrators to escalate issues which affect project delivery.
5. Provide training on research management and engagement to staff and stakeholders at all levels, including clinicians and management.
6. Support the project team to cover absence and allocation of workload in order to provide a consistently high level of service and keep to project deadlines.
7. Co-supervise PhD students by providing mentoring on fundamental research methods and to signpost to appropriate processes and personnel where necessary.
8. Link in with project management support networks such as Cancer Research Project Manager network or Research Project Manager Network.
9. Participate in Trust-wide/ University education programmes and study days, regional and national meetings and research seminars as appropriate.

Physical, mental and emotional effort

1. Long periods of time spent using keyboard to input information and use of VDU for electronic communication.
2. Prolonged concentration may be required (e.g., when proofreading or checking through trial documentation).
3. Occasional exposure to distressed circumstances as trial patients are commonly suffering from terminal illnesses.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Post-graduate qualification or similar experience in scientific and medical research.

Desirable criteria

• PhD
• Project management qualification

Experience

Essential criteria

• Teaching/ mentoring in a research environment
• Significant experience of project, scientific and business management in a research environment
• Experience of report writing and preparing manuscripts for publication
• Big data management
• Grant writing and submissions
• Experience working with funding bodies; an understanding of funding mechanisms and managing a delegated budget

Desirable criteria

• Previous experience of working with NHS Trusts and/or University research environments

Skills

Essential criteria

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbally with, the ability to communicate complex information at all levels
• Ability to absorb, understand and evaluate a wide range of complex information, some of which may be conflicting
• Excellent organisational skills. Setting and achieving project goals for time and budget
• Analytical skills to review, interpret and advise on project options including the ability to adapt to changing or conflicting situations
• Ability to manage multiple projects to set and work to strict deadlines
• Advanced use of MS Office IT packages.

Desirable criteria

• Use of bibliographic software (e.g., EndNote)
• Familiarity with multi-site teleconference media
• Graph pad prism, statistical packages and working with Big Data

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Understanding of translational research
• Understanding of Data Protection Act and confidentiality
• Understanding of clinical and academic research requirements - Good clinical practice (ICH GCP) and R&D regulations and Research Governance

Desirable criteria

• Understanding of haematological malignancies and related research

Values

Essential criteria

• Ability to demonstrate the organisational values and behaviours

The closing date for this post may be extended if there are insufficient applicants or brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.

We want to ensure that everyone who works at the Christie or uses our services is welcomed, valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Christie values diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and fair representation across the organisation at all levels. In support of these commitments, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority people and people with disabilities for this post. Appointment will be only on merit.

We are committed to creating a balanced and diverse workforce. As such we welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Together we will foster inclusion and tackle inequity and health inequalities in cancer care.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

All positions within the Christie are subject to the receipt of satisfactory written references, medical clearance and evidence of your Right to Work in the UK. Some roles will require a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check. Please note if you are successfully appointed to a post with this Trust, you will be required to pay for your own DBS Disclosure.

By applying for this post you are agreeing to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, I regret that on this occasion your application will have been unsuccessful.

The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and will form part of the recruitment process. In the event that you are successful following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.

Overseas candidates wishing to apply for this position and who would require immigration sponsorship, may wish to self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for the post on the UKVI website.

You should be aware the Trust operates a No Smoking Policy and therefore employees are not permitted to smoke at work.