Head of Research and Development
- NHS
- Full Time
- Cheltenham
- 53755.00 - 60504.00 a year
Job Description
Job summary
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC) is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to lead the Trust's Research and Innovation Team in delivering the objectives of its Research and Innovation Strategy which aims to position GHC as a centre of research excellence.
Based at the Fritchie Research Centre in Cheltenham, the GHC research team delivers a variety of research and evaluation projects across many different clinical areas in both Mental and Physical health.
Working alongside our Clinical Directors for Research and the Regional Research Delivery Network the postholder will lead on developing the local research team, expanding the trust's research capability across the National Institute for Health and Social Care Research portfolio, as well as supporting local teams and clinicians to develop their own research and evaluation projects.
They will work across a variety of clinical areas from Mental Health, Dementia, and Community-based services as well as primary care and general practice. The post will play a key role in creating and strengthening research partnerships with a range of local organisations such as the University of Gloucestershire, the COBALT imaging unit, local authorities, social care, as well as charity and voluntary organisations.
The Trust has a small, dedicated and ambitious research team who are focussed on putting GHC 'on the map' with support from a team leader with the same drive and ambition.
Main duties of the job
Provide highly skilled, professional leadership and operational delivery to implement national and local research strategies and plans to enable GHC to be recognised locally and nationally as a provider of the highest quality of care driven by evidence and a research culture.
Oversee the infrastructure and systems in place to ensure sound research development (portfolio, academic & commercial), governance and compliance across the Trust.
Ensure continued excellence with all research activity conducted within the Research Governance Framework, and other relevant UK and EU regulatory frameworks.
Manage staff and resources to enable a supportive and coherent mental health and community research unit across the Gloucestershire area served by GHC, to support effective study set-up and delivery.
Work with other research leaders across the Gloucestershire Health System (NHS, social care, education and voluntary sectors) to support system-wide approaches to research management and governance
Lead and develop a complex research culture that enables staff to develop research skills and / or use the results of research in practice for the benefit of patient care.
Provide expert, professional research advice to the delivery of the Trust's Research activity.
Oversee expert research advice to the development of the Trust's Research Centre.
Manage the Fritchie Centre environment resource once developed for Trust wide benefit.
About us
We have in excess of 5000 staff working over 50 sites, providing a diverse range of services. We strive to support an organisational culture that is welcoming, builds and celebrates inclusivity and diversity and provides a sense of belonging and trust.
The annual NHS Staff Survey gives our people the opportunity to tell us about their experience working at the Trust. For the 2023 survey just over 2800 colleagues gave us their views (58.5%). It was great to see from the results that colleagues are saying that:
- 89.7% believe they are making a positive difference to patients/service users;
- 73.3% would recommend the organisation as a place to work;
- 82.4% agree that care of patients and service users is the organisations priority;
- 76.7% would be happy with the standard of care for a friend or relative
Our results put us as 5th nationally as a Community, Mental Health and Learning Disabilities NHS Employer of Choice and 1st equal amongst all NHS Provider Trusts in the South West. However, we know we have more to do and will continue to drive forward our commitment to making GHC a Great Place to Work.
Job responsibilities
The post holder will be responsible for overseeing the set-up, maintenance, and close of studies adopted to the NIHR Portfolio, in accordance with local, national and international legislation.
The post holder will be operationally responsible for:
Work with the Clinical Research Directors to design and develop long-term strategic plans, policies and initiatives to ensure the continuing advancement of research activities across the Trust
Expert operational leadership of the Trusts Research Strategy providing regular review and enabling positive development across the organisation and with research active practitioners from all disciplines.
Developing, implementing and monitoring R&D policies to govern the conduct and management of both commercial and non-commercial research throughout the Trust in accordance with relevant regulations
Engaging with research sponsors including commercial companies and academic departments.
Act as a central focus for all matters pertaining to local research activities ensuring they are recognised as a vital component of the Trusts core business.
Promote partnership in R&D, facilitating researchers and other interested individuals, groups, communities to work effectively in partnership to advance quality R&D.
Develop and promote appropriate NHS, Academic, voluntary and social care sector collaborative R&D through leadership of the service
Act as an expert resource for the research team and Trust staff and undertake the management responsibilities for all Research Team staff.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree /Professional Qualification in a science related discipline or Registered Nurse, Allied Health Professional or Social Care qualification e.g. Social Work, Occupational Therapy
Knowledge
Essential
- Highly developed specialist knowledge of research including governance, methodology, clinical research policy and management, change management
- Knowledge of the complexities of undertaking research in the mental health specialism or other complex settings.
Professional / Specialist Knowledge
Essential
- Ability to build effective working relationships with a diverse range of colleagues
- Ability to value, understand and synthesise complex information from many sources and to implement that knowledge to influence decision/developments.
Personal Skills & Attributes
Essential
- Ability to interact and liaise with internal and external healthcare, academic and industry professionals
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details
Employer name
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Fritchie Centre
Charlton Lane
Cheltenham
GL53 9DZ
Employer's website
https://www.ghc.nhs.uk/who-we-are/jobs/ (Opens in a new tab)
