Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services. Guy’s is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas’ has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions. Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients. In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research. We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King’s Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King’s College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit. Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of ‘good’. Our adult community services achieved a rating of ‘outstanding’. The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients. We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS. Job overview We are looking to appoint a highly motivated, experienced and enthusiastic individual to undertake this newly created senior role of Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN) Strategic Development Director. You will be responsible for the development and delivery of RRDN strategic plans to build research capacity and capability at organisational and regional level with particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the life sciences industry (across both commercial contract and commercial collaborative research). Regional Research Delivery Network in the South London region which will come into effect from 1 October 2024. The expectation is that the successful applicant will commence in post by no later than 1 July 2024. The RRDN South London will be one of 12 Networks which will replace the existing Local Clinical Research Networks (LCRNs) throughout the country from 1 October 2024 and will support the effective and efficient initiation and delivery of funded research across the health and care system in England for the benefit of patients, the health and care system and the economy. Main duties of the job The RRDN Strategic Development Director is the senior officer responsible for the development, delivery and implementation of RRDN strategic plans to build research capacity and capability at organisational and regional level with particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the life sciences industry. They will develop strong working collaborations and partnerships with organisations and leaders in health and care research and services in the RRDN region and seek to improve efficiency and effectiveness wherever possible. The RRDN Strategic Development Director will also work with the RDN Coordinating Centre in the strategic oversight of the RDN Portfolio. This function will ensure that the Portfolio is maintained as a cohort of high-quality, fully-funded, viable and deliverable studies that are important to health and social care. The Strategic Development Director will maintain expert and in-depth knowledge of the capacity and capabilities of the infrastructure, settings, sites and investigators available to support and deliver research in the region. Regionally the RRDN Strategic Development Director will line manage and coordinate the work of the teams established to support strategic development of research delivery capability and capacity, Portfolio oversight, and RRDN support functions. Alongside their regional responsibilities the RRDN Strategic Development Director will co-develop and lead national programmes of work in collaboration with the RDNCC. Working for our organisation From October 2024, the current NIHR Clinical Research Network will be changing to become the NIHR Research Delivery Network. The RDN will continue to support the effective & efficient initiation and delivery of funded research across the health & care system in England for the benefit of patients, the health & care system and the economy, with a name that better reflects the scope and purpose of the network to support: Clinical trials and other well-designed health & social care research studies (including studies that are delivered outside of an NHS setting); Public health studies that require the recruitment of individuals within an NHS setting or an episode of care which involves contact with the NHS. The whole of England will be supported through 12 NIHR Regional Research Delivery Networks. These will work with the national Coordinating Centre to provide a joint RDN leadership function so that the NIHR RDN as a whole functions as a single organisation with a shared vision and purpose across England. Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust will be the Host Organisation for the South London RRDN region. Detailed job description and main responsibilities STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP Be accountable for implementing RDN national strategies in the RRDN region to build research capacity and capability, particularly in respect of commercial research Be responsible for devising and leading a 3-year RRDN Strategic Implementation Plan in line with the RDN strategic aims and national 3-year plan. The RRDN Strategic Implementation Plan will be developed in conjunction with regional partners, including NHSE regional offices, ICSs, AHSNs, patients and the public Work with regional partners on their individual research strategies, to draw together national and regional priorities, using system leadership within the region to ensure coordination and synergy Work with RDN Setting and Specialty Leads on national and regional strategic development priorities Maintain expert and in-depth knowledge of the capacity and capabilities of the infrastructure, settings, sites and investigators available to support and deliver research in the RRDN region (particularly in respect of commercial research) Collaborate with the RDNCC on the strategic oversight of the RDN Portfolio to ensure that the Portfolio is maintained as a cohort of high-quality, fully-funded, viable and deliverable studies that are important to health and social care Being a visible leader and actively promoting a culture of staff development, collaboration, positive staff experience, wellbeing and inclusion, and embedding patient, carer and public involvement within the RRDN at all appropriate levels of decision making Develop, lead and deliver significant national programmes of work on behalf of the RDN Board Actively promote equality of opportunity, inclusivity and diversity in the RDN, for research participation and RDN staff Work with partners across the RRDN region and nationally to progress improvements and transformation activities ensuring the RDN can realise the opportunities which come from working across the wider health and social care system Be accountable for the development and delivery of strategies for increasing research capacity and capability inside and outside of the NHS, working with NHSE regional offices, ICSs, AHSNs, patients and the public BUSINESS PLANNING Be responsible for devising and leading a 3-year RRDN Strategic Implementation Plan in line with the RDN strategic aims and national 3-year plan. The RRDN Strategic Implementation Plan will be developed in conjunction with regional partners, including NHSE regional offices, ICSs, AHSNs, patients and the public Contribute to the oversight and development of RRDN business, financial, strategic development and impact plans, and associated reports Develop and optimise potential for high quality and sustainable health and care research within the region and nationally in alignment with RDN vision, direction and strategic aims Ensure all business planning, implementation and reporting requirements are met in line with the RRDN Host Organisation Contract Ensure effective mechanisms and services are in place for the continued support of the RDN Portfolio, with particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the life sciences industry OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT Be responsible for the management, coordination and delivery (including line management) of RRDN strategic development and portfolio oversight activities and associated teams, and RRDN support functions, possibly including but not limited to Business Intelligence, Communications and Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement Ensure that the RRDN is managed in line with the requirements of the RRDN Host Organisation Contract Ensure that the RRDN provides effective, high quality and nationally consistent services Ensure that relevant national strategies, policies and frameworks are fully implemented and associated targets met ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Be a visible leader and actively promoting a culture of staff development, collaboration, positive staff experience, wellbeing and inclusion, and embedding patient, carer and public involvement within the RRDN at all appropriate levels of decision making Be an ambassador for RDN and actively modelling and championing RDN values As part of the RRDN Senior Leadership Team, advance the development of a highly professional and expert team to ensure effective delivery through appraisal, personal development planning, coaching and mentoring Develop effective working relationships with NHSE regional offices, ICSs, AHSNs, LETBs and other local stakeholders and partners Ensure professional supervisory arrangements are in place for the RRDN Staff (the RRDN Core Team, RRDN Agile Research Support Team, and RRDN Specialty and Settings Leads) Promote a learning organisation that uses the knowledge and skills of all members to improve performance and generate helpful and shared outputs Contribute to the ongoing development of the vision and direction for the RDN and translate into deliverable priorities for the RRDN PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT Provide strong leadership, engaging with the regional research community to support and enable the efficient set up and delivery of RDN Portfolio research, with particular emphasis on addressing the needs of the life sciences industry Contribute to the establishment and oversight of effective systems and processes for robust performance management to ensure the RRDN Host Organisation Contract is adhered to Analysis of complex and often conflicting data to identify strategic priorities and business plan activities Identify areas of underperformance and take the necessary action to resolve, using appropriate risk management approaches and escalations LIFE SCIENCES INDUSTRY Establish mutually beneficial relationships with life sciences industry partners in collaboration with the RDNCC to maximise the opportunities available for the benefit of our population Champion the RDN’s capacity and capability to support Life Sciences Industry research and the contribution of the Life Sciences Industry to the NHS Drive forward the RDN strategies to support the needs of Life Sciences Industry research regionally and nationally Ensure that RRDN services provided to the Life Sciences Industry are provided consistently, within the required timeframes and to a high quality standard and in line with identified national RDN requirements FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES Be responsible for the effective budgetary management for the Strategic Development element of the RRDN funding allocation (total RRDN funding to be £35m per annum per RRDN on average) Ensure that effective financial procedures and arrangements are in place and that these are in line with the RRDN Host Organisation’s financial regulations, RDNCC guidance and the RRDN Host Organisation Contract Ensure value for money and strive for continuous efficiencies in use of funding CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. Utilise performance and other available data including benchmarking to identify and drive forward improvements in service delivery and performance Utilise service improvement approaches, such as ‘Lean’, or as directed by RDNCC, to streamline operational delivery systems and processes in order to optimise efficiency, delivery and value for money. Ensure robust mechanisms for continuous operational and business improvement processes are in place, supporting the delivery of transformational change across the RDN Take responsibility for the implementation of all relevant RDN and RRDN policies and procedures NHS AND NON-NHS ENGAGEMENT Develop and foster effective relationships and collaborations with stakeholders such as, but not limited to, ICS/ICBs, HEIs, charities, other NIHR infrastructure, NHSE/I, AHSNs, to enhance and promote research and development across the health and care economy Ensure engagement and commitment from regional NHS organisations / providers of NHS services, other parts of NIHR and key external stakeholders as appropriate to enable implementation of RDN strategies Lead on supporting local authorities and stakeholders with relatively small research portfolios to further grow their research capacity and to use their knowledge and expertise to enable better outcomes for their citizens Work across the health and care specialties to identify and develop further opportunities to embed research into the NHS, non-NHS and wider health and care environment ENSURING PATIENT, CARER AND PUBLIC IMPACT ON DELIVERY OF RDN STRATEGY Act as a champion for patients, carers and the public, ensuring that their interests are meaningfully incorporated into the development and delivery of the RDN and RRDN Ensure all patient, carer and public involvement and engagement activities of the RRDN are of the highest professional standard Embed patient, carer and public involvement within the RRDN at all appropriate levels of decision making CORPORATE GOVERNANCE Ensuring that the RRDN and it’s associated services are provided in line with the RRDN Host Organisations corporate governance requirements Person specification Education Essential criteria Masters level qualification or equivalent Management qualification Knowledge and Experience Essential criteria Comprehensive understanding of research, the NHS and the wider health and care system including associated responsibilities to the public and patients Experience of working in the health and care research sector, the health and social care service sector or academic environment at a senior level Comprehensive understanding of the UK research pathway and funding Experience of co-creating and implementing strategies to build capacity and capability for the delivery of health and care research Experience of contributing to the develop of national policy or strategies and translating those into regional plans Professional research leadership, both strategic and operational at a senior level Significant experience of managing a large budget with solid knowledge of financial process requirements Knowledge of national systems, structures and processes for supporting clinical research in NHS and non-NHS settings Desirable criteria Understanding of governance and legislative framework for clinical research in the NHS Executive level experience Skills and Abilities Essential criteria Highly developed leadership, strategic thinking and planning skills with the ability to demonstrate these in highly political environments Proven leadership skills in the management of change Demonstrable ability to use autonomy to undertake actions as a result of own interpretation of policy and guidance, providing a source of expert advice to the organisation Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues Proven interpersonal skills to work with clinical and management colleagues at all levels across a range of organisations and the ability to develop strong working relationships with senior stakeholders Ability to deal with challenging situations in a formal setting Strong external communications skills in a politically sensitive environment with knowledge of and experience in handling media relations Ability to communicate highly complex, sensitive or contentious information orally and in writing, both internally and externally, to a range of audiences Extensive experience of delivering presentations to large groups of stakeholders in often pressured and politically sensitive environments to a high standard (Board level quality) Ability to analyse and interpret highly complex information to make judgements regarding a range of highly complex management issues Value and Personal Qualities Essential criteria Highly motivated with the ability to lead and inspire others Appreciation of the impact of organisational culture on service delivery Lives by values which include openness, collaboration, responsiveness, inclusion, personal integrity and creating positive cultures where these values thrive Commitment to supporting the development of staff and understanding of workforce planning Flexible approach to working Attention to detail Outcomes focussed Acts as a champion for patients and their interests, ensuring the patients’ voice has an impact on RDN activities Commitment to and focused on quality, promotes high standards in all they do Able to make a connection between their work and the benefit to patients and the public Demonstrates honesty and integrity and promotes organisational values Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership. Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy. As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends. Flexible working We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual’s personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process. Your e-mail address is important to us - We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis. Please apply for this post by clicking "Apply Online Now." Further details / informal visits contact Name James Lyddiard Job title CRN South London Transition Lead Email address [email protected] Telephone number 07717 303815