Public Health Senior Research Manager

Salary: £56,021 to £59,421 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 07 January 2024

The Role 

We have an exciting opportunity to join the new NIHR Research Support Service National Specialist Centre for Public Health as our Public Health Senior Research Manager.

This is a key senior management role in this new National Specialist Centre for Public Health. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer and working closely with the Centre Director and Deputy Director, you will have a leading role in the development, strategic management, and expert delivery of this new £22M NIHR investment to support Public Health Research in settings outside of the NHS.  

The role requires an extensive understanding of, and senior level expertise in research management and governance, project and programme management; and skills and experience which enable you to scope, lead and deliver key elements of this vision.  You will lead a team of Public Health Research Programme Managers to take forward a programme of national activities and projects, ensuring that the Centre delivers on its strategic ambitions.  

You will act as the key link and represent the unit to NIHR nationally, the newly commissioned NIHR Research Support Service (RSS) across England and with external contacts including Local Authorities (including Health Determinant Research Collaborations), Local Government Association, NIHR Public Health Research Programme, NIHR Academy, Clinical Research Networks, Health Research Authority, universities and public organisations, and the funding body (NIHR/DHSC).

You will be a strong leader who is able to set the direction for their team and inspire them to work collaboratively and creatively with internal and external stakeholders to make it easier to do Public Health research that people can trust. 
To apply for the position, we’ll need your CV and a personal statement outlining how you are suitable for the role using evidence to highlight how you meet the essential criteria in the knowledge, skills and experience as listed in the job description.

This is a fixed term position available until 30th September 2028. 

For more information and an informal discussion please contact Professor Ashley Adamson, Centre Director ashley.adamson@ncl.ac.uk or Kay Howes, Chief Operating Officer kay.howes@ncl.ac.uk 

About the NIHR RSS Specialist Centre for Public Health 

The NIHR aims to increase the generation and use of Public Health research in non-NHS settings and has made substantial new investment of >£22 million in a NIHR Research Support Service Specialist Centre for Public Health to support this. This Specialist Centre has a national remit and is hosted in the Population Health Sciences Institute at Newcastle University along with a NIHR Research Support Service Hub (RSS).

Our vision is to develop the infrastructure, capacity and capability to support practitioners and researchers to carry out high quality Public Health research, outside the NHS, to produce robust evidence to improve population health and reduce health and care inequalities. 

We will achieve our aim by meeting these strategic objectives:

1. Build capacity and capability in Public Health research to enable diverse communities of practitioners and researchers to design, access research funding for and deliver the high-quality research needed to generate evidence on how to influence the wider determinants of health
2. To work collaboratively and broker relationships with partners nationally across NIHR infrastructure and Public Health systems, policy and practice including Local Authorities, Association of Directors of Public Health, Local Government Association, Local Government Association, Academia, Office for Health Improvement & Disparities, UK Health Security Agency, voluntary and community sector organisations and members of the public
3. Develop and share best practice and resources for the design, delivery and systems for governance of Public Health research outside of the NHS

This post offers an exciting opportunity to be part of this new team to establish and lead on the strategic direction and delivery of this new Centre

Key Accountabilities

• The Public Health Senior Research Manager will be a key member of the Centre’s leadership team and work closely with the Director, Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer (COO) to establish and enable the implementation of the Centre’s vision
• Support the Director, Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer in formulating and implementing the Centre’s Strategy.  Provide independent judgement and advice on issues of strategy, vision, performance, resources and standards of conduct and constructively challenge, influence and advise and guide the Director and Executive in developing proposals on such strategies
• Provide advice and guidance to Director, Deputy Director and Chief Operating Officer on research management and governance, project and programme management to enable the development of strategies to build capacity and capability in Public Health research across England.  You will carry out detailed assessment and analysis of issues and problems for the delivery of Public Health research across England, using specialist knowledge to identify issues and trends which have a broad impact and recommend appropriate solutions
• Lead on specified key deliverables as set out in the Centre’s Strategic Plan, working alongside the Centre Director, Deputy Director, Research Design Lead, Chief Operating Officer and Directors of each of the Centre’s Satellites to deliver the centre’s objectives.  Key deliverables include, but are not limited to:
  • Provide resource for Local Authorities to identify opportunities for Public Health research and undertake initial work to support funding applications
  • Provide researchers at all stages of their career with advice on research design and funding applications for Public Health research
  • Support consistency in research scrutiny and governance including advising on ethical review and sponsorship
  • To scope options and contribute to establishing a registry for Public Health research
  • Increase capacity and capability for Public Health research and opportunities for training and Career progression within the Specialist Centre for Public Health
  • Use professional knowledge and experience in research development, management and governance to lead, initiate, develop and manage a portfolio of national activity and projects to implement these key deliverables.  You will use your specialist experience to find innovative solutions to resolve any conflicting priorities and potential overlap or gaps in provision
• Lead for the specified cross cutting functions within the Centre, being responsible for their development and oversight. Cross cutting areas include, but not limited to:
  • Brokering relationships with partners across the system
  • Public Involvement and Engagement in research
  • Ensuring heath inequalities are considered when designing and delivering research
  • Ensuring Equality, Diversity and Inclusion are considered when designing and delivering research
• Represent the centre to and engage with key national stakeholders, Local Authorities, including Health Determinants Research Collaborations, Public Health practitioners, the wider Public Health community and members of the public; founded upon transparency, openness, mutual respect; to ensure that the centres’ activities are co-designed with researchers, practitioners and the communities they serve
• Take oversight to ensure that the centre’s activity to build capacity and capability in Public Health research is developed using evidence-led practice, offers value for money and that any national policy and regulatory requirements and good practices are embedded. Work with Public Health Research Programme Managers to ensure activity is high quality, innovative, responsive and customer focussed
• Develop robust performance indicators and risk management metrics each of the key deliverables and cross cutting areas to ensure they achieve their objectives
• Lead, manage and develop the capability of the Public Health Research Programme Managers, motivating and mentoring colleagues to meet the Centre’s strategic aims within budgetary parameters.  Provide leadership and direction to the team – setting objectives, ensuring colleagues have appropriate training, mentoring and support to perform their duties, and monitor performance
• Provide intelligence and advice to the Executive on matters relating to the key deliverables.  The post holder will be expected to author relevant strategic documents submitted to the Centre’s Executive and Advisory Board, ensuring documents are prepared to a high standard and delivered on time
• Represent the Centre at local, regional and national meetings, at national and international conferences, preparing and delivering presentations as appropriate
• Manage, monitor, control, and report budgets for the national projects within your portfolio, working closely with external project partners and university finance teams, to ensure that projects come in on time and target.  Produce regular progress reports to the Chief Operating Officer and Centre Executive Board, meeting reporting deadlines as required
• Contribute to the general running of the Population Health Sciences Institute and any other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade that may be required to provide a coordinated and efficient managerial service

The Person (Essential)
 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience (Essential) 

• Significant experience of research development, management and governance
• Experience in a Senior Research leadership role, including formulating and delivering strategy and evidence of the ability to contribute effectively and creatively to the development, communication and implementation of strategic projects and associated resource planning
• Proven high level of decision making and problem-solving skills, and a demonstrable ability to undertake initiatives, prioritise and plan appropriately within a strategic framework
• Experience of Horizon Scanning - monitoring external developments and assessing their impact on the organisation
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills including diplomacy, motivation, negotiating and influencing
• Proven track record of successful leadership in a multi-stakeholder environment
• Success in developing effective working relationships with colleagues at all levels and across a range of disciplines and partner organisations and providing authoritative advice to senior colleagues
• Able to work independently, and to make decisions on complex or overlapping matters 
• Proven experience of building leading and managing teams, who work collaboratively and flexibly and are accountable for delivering excellent service
• Excellent project management skills and the ability to deliver results on time and within budget
• Strong digital literacy skills and can communicate and collaborate easily using digital tools

Desirable

• Knowledge of Public Health or applied health related research field
• Experience of working in or with local government or evidence of an understanding of local government

Attributes and Behaviour

• Able to effectively collaborate and communicate with a variety of colleagues and stakeholders. Acts in a collaborative, inclusive, transparent and open manner, acting with integrity and able to build high levels of trust
• Able to see the “big picture”, to think strategically and to consider the detail in complex situations, including where there are conflicting priorities  
• Creative thinking – ability to come up with new ideas, problem-solving, imagining beyond the status quo
• High drive and initiative, able to demonstrate professional resilience
• An articulate, confident and politically adept communicator, ready and able to deal with difficult situations and to challenge where necessary. Persuades, convinces and influences others in order to achieve results and gain support
• Takes the initiative to develop and implement new ideas and approaches
• An energetic and “can do” approach which will inspire and enthuse others, ready to take the lead in driving forward initiatives
• Possesses the personal stature to engage with and earn the respect and good will of peers and more senior colleagues

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent level qualification plus experience in a similar research-related role or significant vocational experience, demonstrating development through progressively more demanding, relevant roles

Desirable

• Project Management qualification
   

 Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 26481