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Vacancy: Permissions Coordinating Centre Change Manager

Vacancy: Permissions Coordinating Centre Change Manager

15th May 2017

Employer: SHIL, based within NRS PCC this is open to individuals interested in a secondment opportunity.

Location: NHS Grampian R&D Offices, Foresterhill, Aberdeen.

Reports to: NRS CMT General Manager. Local functional management through NHS Grampian R&D Director.

Term: The post is for a one year contract with the possibility of an extension for a further year.

Closing date: Monday 5 June, 2017.

Background

NHS Research Scotland (NRS) is a partnership involving Scottish NHS Boards and the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of the Scottish Government. The overarching aim of NRS is to ensure that NHS Scotland provides the best environment to support clinical research and it aims to increase the number of studies and the level of patient recruitment to research projects undertaken across Scotland.

The NRS Permissions Coordinating Centre (PCC) consists of a small team based within the NHS R&D Offices at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, manages the process of obtaining R&D NHS management permission for multicentre research projects in Scotland, commercial and non-commercial. 

The NRS Central Management Team (CMT) provides support to PCC and the wider NRS collaboration by providing a range of services.

Scottish Health Innovations Ltd (SHIL) is a company owned by the NHS and Scottish Ministers, which works in partnership with NHS Scotland to support health research and innovation, and CMT is part of SHIL.

Job Summary

The postholder will lead and support the wider NRS community to develop and implement significant upcoming changes to NRS processes, planned to come into effect during 2017-18.  This will involve developing, managing and delivering a change management programme.

The postholder will work with NRS R&D Offices, Networks and other groups to develop a change culture ensuring that national and local systems are developed to implement changes and improvements.

The post-holder will lead discussion and coordinate national activity, requiring process improvement expertise and change management skills. The postholder will be the leader for improvement and exhibit integrity, transparency and other behaviours essential to continuous improvement.  This will require the postholder to successfully deliver training of a complex and technical nature.

The post holder will also provide day to day leadership to the PCC team based at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Arrangements are in place with NHS Grampian to ensure that the post can deliver line management to PCC staff. The NHS Grampian Senior Manager and R&D Director are ultimately responsible for PCC staff.

The role will involve communication with a wide variety of stakeholders to provide complex information about projects, initiatives and services through a range of media and settings

Key responsibilities

NRS Change Management ~80%

  • Work with CMT, CSO and the wider NRS community to develop and implement changes to the UK-wide approval system as they relate to Scotland, including implementation of e-submission of applications, changes to the local approval process from Site Specific Information form (SSI) to the new Local Information Pack (LIP), and other changes to streamline and improve UK-wide working.
  • Provide support and advice to the NRS community to develop positive approaches to change enhancing the culture of research support within NRS.
  • Support CSO, CMT and NRS senior management in UK cross-border working with NIHR, HRA, MHRA, Health & Care Research Wales and HSC R&D NI, and other relevant organisations.
  • Enable NRS staff to develop an understanding and positive approach to planned changes in working practice across PCC and NRS, through the use of workshops, guidance, training and other routes. Act as a champion to encourage forward thinking, and an acceptance of change across NRS.
  • Provide a central point to lead, collate, develop and deliver national processes, guidance, working instructions and SOPS that integrate seamlessly with local Health Board processes.
  • Ensure that patient safety, dignity and confidentiality are central to the development of clinical research
  • Other duties as agreed with the CMT General Manager and NHS Grampian R&D Director.

PCC team management ~20%

  • Routine day to day management of PCC team, ensuring that staff are supported and able to deliver the core PCC function. This includes: approval of annual leave requests, staff appraisal and development, management of sick and other absences.
  • Support the positive development of the PCC team as workload and activity changes arise due to the evolving UK-wide approvals system.
  • Develop and implement improvements to the work of PCC to ensure short approval times, and to make placement of studies in Scotland more attractive.
  • Support the continued update, development and implementation of PCC internal working instructions and guidance.
  • Work with CMT and the NRS Community to address and resolve process issues relating to NRS PCC.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

  • Experience of delivering change
  • Knowledge of change and project management principles and experience of their successful application
  • Experience of building and maintaining an effective change network
  • Training and coaching experience
  • A post-graduate degree, preferably in a science, health or management discipline
  • Evidence of ability to deliver a supportive and positive experience of change, to provide a constructive challenge, and to influence the actions of others
  • Attention to detail
  • Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
  • Proactive stakeholder management and ability to build relationships with people at all levels 
  • Flexibility and ability to act quickly
  • Experience of working in a complex environment with multiple stakeholders
  • Facilitation of groups, for example running workshops or discussions
  • Responsibility for the day to day range of staff management matters
  • Occasional travel across Scotland and the UK is a requirement of the job

Desirable Criteria

  • Experience of NHS approval processes is welcomed, but is not required
  • Experience of working in, or with, health research 

Apply for the position of NRS PCC Change Manager.

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