Consortium Programme Manager

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust; Sutton; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading cancer center in Sutton seeks an experienced Consortium Programme Manager to oversee the operational aspects of a groundbreaking brain cancer research initiative. This role requires strong leadership skills, extensive project management experience, and the ability to engage with multiple stakeholders in healthcare. The Manager will establish processes, support the delivery of research strategies, and ensure that all operations respond to patient needs. This hybrid position offers a dynamic working environment with a focus on innovation and collaboration.

Benefits

Flexible working opportunities

Professional development

Diverse career paths

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in project/programme management and stakeholder engagement.
• Proactive, highly organized with strong reasoning and analytical skills.
• Experience of devising and/or managing complex budgets.

Responsibilities

• Oversee all operational aspects of the Consortium.
• Manage project delivery across different themes.
• Establish and maintain relationships with research partners.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

Postgraduate qualification in biomedical/life sciences or an allied subject

Project or programme management qualification (e.g., PRINCE 2 or MSP)

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Consortium Programme Manager to oversee all operational aspects of a newly awarded NIHR Brain Tumour Novel Therapeutics Consortium. The Consortium is a world first endeavour to drive national and international brain cancer research aiming to establish the UK as the testbed for oncology innovation, accelerating development of brain tumour therapeutics and championing inclusion of patients with rarer tumour subtypes onto clinical trials across all ages. Key to the success of the Consortium is to establish and maintain complex relationships with researchers across the country, with public contributors, Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, research funders including brain cancer charities, industry, in order to develop the research and ensure its relevance to the patients.

The postholder will work with individuals at all levels of seniority, comprising clinical, research and management professionals within the public and private sectors. Candidates should have extensive experience of project/programme management and stakeholder engagement. The ideal candidate will have significant experience working in complex multi-partner research projects/programmes. They will be proactive and highly organised, with a strong reasoning and analytical skills, administrative experience. They will also possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

This is a hybrid role with a combination of on-site (3 days/week) and home working (2 days/week).

Main duties of the job

This senior role will oversee all operational aspects of the Consortium, supporting the leadership to manage effectively the delivery of the three themes as well as the capacity building and community engagement elements. The Manager will work with the Consortium leadership to establish and maintain complex relationships with researchers across the country, with public contributors, Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission, research funders including brain cancer charities, industry, in order to develop the research and ensure its relevance to the patients. The post-holder will work with individuals at all levels of seniority, comprising clinical, research and management professionals within the public and private sectors.

About us

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals - one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey - as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Job responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification:

• Lead the development and establishment of processes to ensure the smooth running of the Consortium.
• Lead on developing systems for identifying and remedying underperformance on a regular basis.
• Work closely with the Consortium Lead, Co‑Leads and founder members to optimise the Consortium activity, recommending and implementing mitigation strategies.
• Work with the Consortium leadership to drive the development and delivery of themes research strategies and strategies for research capacity and capability development plans, patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE), engagement with the brain research community, communications, and research inclusion.
• Oversee the Consortium Steering Committee, setting the agenda and ensuring appropriate administration of the Committee. To ensure that appropriate and relevant items are raised for discussion and that the expertise of the Committees is used to feed into the strategy and operation of the Consortium.
• Provide advice to the Consortium Steering Committee on all aspects of the NIHR and the Consortium, recommending courses of action and ensuring all actions agreed by the Committee are delivered.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in biomedical/life sciences or an allied subject or equivalent experience
• Project or programme management qualification/accreditation (eg PRINCE 2 or MSP) or equivalent experience such as managing NHS based clinical/health research projects/programmes
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development

Experience

• Stakeholder management experience, particularly with scientific, clinical research or pharmaceutical industry partners.
• Experience in operational leadership, including committee governance and reporting to stakeholders.
• Experience of project managing research projects involving multiple organisations within a healthcare setting.
• Experience in managing meetings with senior stakeholders, including setting agendas, taking minutes, and delivering on objectives.
• Previous experience of working with the NIHR.
• Experience of devising and/or managing complex budgets working within the AcoRD framework.

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

• An understanding and value of the UK standards for patient and public involvement in health research
• An understanding of the importance of identifying and mitigating health inequalities through research design.

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.