In order to support our growth as a centre of excellence in research, we are looking to recruit a Band 5 Senior R&I Administrator to the R&I Hosted Studies Team within The Christie NHS Foundation Trust. The Hosted Studies Team forms part of the Research and Innovation (R&I) division. This post is offered as a 12 month fixed term contract to cover staff absence at 37.5h/week.
This post is an integral part of the R&I Division’s core function which exists to provide an efficient support service for the research delivery teams and both internal and external researchers enabling the Trust to deliver its research ambitions.
The role involves supporting the core R&I team by line managing the R&I Administrator, reviewing and processing amendments and contracts, collating data for performance metrics, managing Research Passports and assisting management to implement new SOPs.
Applicants should be qualified to at least diploma level, or have an equivalent level of experience. They will need to be IT literate with previous experience of administrative work, including understanding of electronic management systems. We are looking for a candidate with good organisation and communication skills; who can work well both in a team and using their own initiative.
The post holder will support the R&I Core team including (but not limited to):
• Act as a key point of contact with the core R&I team, study sponsors, clinical research organisations and research teams.
• Provide support to the core R&I Office with the management of research projects, particularly the processing of project amendments and contracts.
• Pull data together for performance metrics.
• Management of Research Passports.
• Accurate documentation and tracking, as well as a good working knowledge of GCP, research governance requirements and
• Trust Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Encourage the sharing of best practice and dissemination of information through regular meetings.
• Responsible for supporting and supervising workload allocation for R&I Administrators.
• Work closely with the Senior Research Management Team to implement new SOPs and working procedures within designated teams.
The Ideal candidate should be self-motivated, an enthusiastic team player, conscientious and hardworking, have good time management, being able to work to tight and/or unexpected deadlines.
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country.
We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years.
We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
1. Daily Project Management
1.1 Facilitate the review and processing of all research-related agreements including but not limited to clinical trial agreements, confidential disclosure agreements and service-level agreements.
1.2 Liaise closely with reviewers/legal experts to aid timely approval and processing of such agreements. Work in collaboration with the delivery teams to prioritise study contracts where appropriate.
1.3 Assist with the processing of amendments for Sponsor Authorisation for Christie-sponsored projects and issuing notification of no objections for hosted projects where applicable in accordance with regulatory and research governance requirements.
1.4 Coordinate and track the review and sign-off of Honorary Research Contracts and Letters of Access for researchers.
1.5 Ensure that the Trust has documentary evidence that projects comply with relevant regulatory and research governance requirements.
1.6 Management of the external R&I mailbox, ensuring distribution of communication where relevant and management of internal shared mailboxes as appropriate.
1.7 Work in collaboration with the R&I Coordinators to review the project information available on the Local Portfolio Management System (LPMS) and other trust systems as applicable to ensure accuracy and completeness, performing update information exercises as required.
1.8 Support the R&I Coordinators in processing new research projects as required.
1.9 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. Use own judgement where applicable when using facts from situations which may require further analysis.
1.10 Plan workload effectively ensuring agreed objectives are met.
1.11 Work within trust and divisional policies and procedures, working unsupervised and independently. The post holder is guided by relevant protocols and SOPs, and expected to exercise judgement outside these areas.
1.12 Primary point of contact for the R&I Office for disease teams, service departments and the wider R&I office to provide and receive complex information regarding R&I activity across the Trust and externally.
2. R&I processes
2.1 Ensure internal and external timelines for processing contracts, amendments and research passports/letters of access are adhered to.
2.2 Data collection for divisional metrics and reporting of key performance indicators.
2.3 Data quality review.
2.4 Assist with implementation of new systems.
2.5 Encourage the sharing of best practice and dissemination of information through regular structured meetings with all administration staff.
2.6 Review of relevant SOPs, work instructions and training material to ensure these are up to date and fit for purpose. This work is done in collaboration with the wider R&I office.
2.7 Contribution to service improvement initiatives relating to areas of work including the identification of deficiencies within the service and implementation of new ways of working in collaboration with the R&I team and across the division as required.
2.8 Contribute towards the development and implementation of Trust-wide research strategies, policies and procedures.
3. Meetings
3.1 Where appropriate, attend R&I meetings / meetings of R&I facility management committees as required.
3.2 Where appropriate, organise and schedule research meetings/conferences/in-house training events, ensuring appropriate accommodation, attendance and distribution of papers, and that an agenda is agreed and where appropriate coordinate with outside sources.
3.3 Provision of minute-taking for internal and external meetings as appropriate.
3.4 Participate in and deliver Trust-wide education programmes and study days, regional and national meetings and research seminars as appropriate.
4. People management
4.1 Responsible for supporting and supervising workload allocation/monitoring across administrative team members, escalating issues as appropriate to senior managers.
4.2 Provide support to senior managers with general Human Resource activities, including but not limited to recruitment and selection, and line management of administrative team members as required. This will be in accordance with Trust policies.
4.3 Provide induction support and training to new and existing clinical trials staff through one-to-one and group learning activities.
5. Personal requirements
5.1 Responsible for own professional/personal development, working with their line manager to develop and fulfil a personal development plan that satisfies the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework.
5.2 Long periods of time spent using keyboard to input information and use of VDU for electronic communication.
5.3 Prolonged concentration is regularly required (e.g. when checking through trial documentation and entering data into IT systems).
This job description is not meant to be finite and may be subject to change following discussion and agreement with the post holder. Similarly the post holder may be requested to undertake such other duties not mentioned in the job description which are commensurate with the grade.
This advert closes on Tuesday 21 Jan 2025
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