Research Development Manager - Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Job Purpose

Based within the School of Cancer Sciences and the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute, and working closely with partners in the College of Medicine Veterinary and Life Sciences, the PET Research Development Manager will play a lead role in promoting and managing a translational PET imaging research strategy both for the School and across different Schools and Colleges, helping to deliver a pipeline that enhances and optimises PET imaging research activity (including the Scotland Total-Body PET Facility).

They will take a leading role in overseeing the management and strategic direction of PET research. They will prepare a development strategy to proactively identify and support clinical and non-clinical academics, facilitating opportunities and aligning the most appropriate expertise.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for directing, implementing, and monitoring the PET imaging scientific strategy (including operational activity, usage and research grants), working in collaboration with the academic Directors of the PET team and key stakeholders and researchers, such as Principle Investigators across different Schools and Colleges.
• Proactively engage and work with staff across academia, NHS, regulatory networks, research management and governance to ensure that effective processes, resources and knowledge is in place to support all relevant activities. Working collaboratively with researchers to facilitate optimal facility access and PET research project delivery.
• Responsible for identifying and maximising opportunities for income generation and research translation through publicising relevant internal and external funding calls. Bring together teams of key researchers from the wider MVLS, University of Glasgow, University of Edinburgh and external organisations (such as the National PET Imaging Platform) and lead the coordination of strategic bid submissions.
• To proactively lead on marketing and promoting strategies for PET activities both through internal and external communications (including webpages, social media, public engagement and liaising with a wide range of stakeholders). Identify new channels for communications and promotions, actively represent and promote PET research at the University at relevant networking events.
• To plan, organise and lead on the organisation of PET imaging related meetings, seminars, invited speakers and external scientific events, spanning the full event lifecycle, from event scoping to final outcomes and ensuring that events are within budget working together with academic Directors of the PET team and key stakeholders.
• Through personal research and networks keep informed and understand scientific advances in the field of PET imaging research, to communicate these with stakeholders, integrate advances into strategy, where appropriate, and drive forward developments in collaboration with the academic Directors.
• Play a key role in planning for sustainability of PET research, including understanding costs and income, anticipating future trends, developing budget forecasts (usually over 3-year horizon) and identifying funding sources to enable strategic research aims.
• Identify and develop collaborative relationships with new and existing partners to increase research income and PET research engagement.
• Play a key role in developing, influencing, and maintaining key partner and stakeholder relationships around the vision for the Scotland Total Body PET Facility, and brokering introductions and collaborative research partnerships with the University.
• Ensure that PET research activities are appropriately costed, managing initial usage enquiries, and working closely with the College Research and Innovation teams. Responsible for monitoring and overseeing the PET Facilities activities (including operational activity, usage and research grants), to provide management information, identify issues, providing solutions/recommendations for implementation.
• To act as a key point of contact for PET researchers, new and existing. As well as play a key role in signposting relevant expertise across the College and NHS to ensure project success.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential:

• Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9,10 or 11 (Ordinary/Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification), or equivalent, including being professionally qualified in relevant area, with a broad range of professional experience in a management role(s).
• Knowledge of project management methodologies.
• Functional understanding of clinical and research imaging.
• Basic understanding of relevant clinical trial and medical device legislation.
• Knowledge of Health and Safety legislation.

Desirable:

• A PhD in a relevant area with independent research experience i.e. designing own research & writing peer reviewed papers.
• A working knowledge of relevant University policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of how to work effectively with the NHS.
• Legislative practice relevant to clinical imaging studies such as GCP, GMP, IRMER, legal and regulatory guidelines for clinical research.

Skills

Essential:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work across more than one organisation, understanding and responding to the different and changing needs of each organisation and lead and implement business process improvement delivery.
• Strong leadership skills combined with an ability to be highly organised and motivated to succeed.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, balance stakeholder expectations and resolve conflict.
• Broad people management skills and ability to influence and lead at all levels within the involved internal and external organisations.
• Negotiating skills. A proven track record in negotiating a way forward in a collaborative environment and securing agreement from the partner level teams.
• High level of competence with a range of computerised systems, databases and data sources to support project management; improve team communications, information and data dissemination.
• Able to prioritise own work and that of others under conflicting pressures.

Experience

Essential:

• Research management experience managing multi-disciplinary collaborations with clinical domain experts and academic/NHS/Industry research functions.
• Management of complex projects and a track record of successful delivery against objectives.
• Experience of working in the technically complex areas of clinical or research imaging and across a range of management functions resolving issues arising.
• Experience in analysing financial data and providing management information with a high degree of accuracy.
• Experience of service design principles, process improvements and evaluation.
• Proven experience of developing operational plans to support delivery of strategic objectives.

Desirable:

• Experience of line management of a small team of staff.
• Experience of event management, including leading teams in this respect.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 8, £49,559 - £57,422 per annum. Relocation assistance will be provided where appropriate.

This post is full time and open ended.