Job description and selection criteria
Job title / Senior Project ManagerDivision / Medical Sciences
Department / Experimental Medicine, Nuffield Department of Medicine (NDM)
Location / Oxford
Grade and salary / Grade 8: £39,324 - £46,924 per annum
Hours / Full time
Part time would be considered
Contract type / Fixed-Term - 18 months in the first instance
Reporting to / Chief Investigator - Prof. Ellie Barnes
Post number / 126398
Additional information
The role
Background
This exciting project is the result of £5.2 million award by the Medical Research Council (MRC UK) within the field of Stratified Medicine. As a statement of their commitment to this project, the Nuffield Department of Medicine and the Oxford NIHR BRC http://oxfordbrc.nihr.ac.uk/ are directly funding this post.
The consortium, STOP-HCV (STratified medicine to OPtimise treatment for patients with HCV infection; www.stop-hcv.ox.ac.uk), brings together clinicians and scientists in collaboration with industry to improve the care of people infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV).
Stratified Medicine is a type of personalised medicine where treatments are directed specifically at people who are most likely to respond to them, often using detailed information about individuals. This information may relate to both the patient and to the infecting virus. We believe that the treatment of patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) would benefit enormously from this approach.
About 300,000 people in the UK are infected with HCV. The virus has a high tendency to persist, causing liver cirrhosis (scarring), liver failure and liver cancer. Until recent years, treatment for HCV has consisted of two drugs interferon and ribavirin. However new drugs, which directly act against the virus (called DAAs), are now being used in NHS patients for the first time. The consortium is already successfully working well together. Blood samples and clinical information from >11,500 HCV infected people across the UK have been collected and are available through a single bio-bank, HCV research UK (www.hcvresearchuk.org), including a defined cohort of patients with cirrhosis (the STOP-HCV Cirrhosis Study). Clinical studies have been established in collaboration with industry (the BOSON study) and through National Institute of Health Research funding (STOP-HCV-1). Within these patient cohorts we are assessing the genetic make up of both the virus and the infected person themselves. We are also looking at the way in which the immune system responds to the virus, and measuring protein markers in the blood. We are assessing these in patients receiving therapy, and also in those with serious liver disease to try to work out in advance who will develop further complications of their disease. A unique feature of our group is the ability to draw all these strands together.
We have developed new technologies to rapidly obtain host and viral sequence data from thousands of infected people, and have successfully integrated this data together. In this way we hope to improve treatment options for patients so that the right therapies are given to patients who are most likely to benefit from them.
This is an exciting and ambitious undertaking led from Oxford (Chief investigator: Ellie Barnes), but involving 21 partners: 11 Universities, the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Public Health England, Hepatitis C Trust, 7 industry partners (to date), Biomedical Research Units and comprehensive NIHR biomedical research centres.
Overview of the role
As Project Manager you will occupy an existing post that is crucial to the success of this consortium. You will have strong organisational and interpersonal skills and a high level of self-motivation. You will play a central role in ensuring smooth running of all aspects of the STOP-HCV Consortium, liaising between the consortium members and taking primary responsibility for financial and administrative reporting to the MRC. You will support the consortium partners and closely monitor their inputs and outputs to ensure that the project objectives, milestones and deliverables are achieved. You will have a key role within the project steering committee. This will involve organising and attending meetings with the partners and extensive email and phone communications.
You will be involved in developing the project from the outset and it will be expected that you initiate new ideas, develop new contacts, and be confident and competent in working closely with the industry sector. This requires a person with strong leadership qualities and substantial experience in managing complex projects. You will have the ability to work under pressure and independently, demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and communicate effectively with people at all levels. You will be based in Oxford with direct interactions requiring travel to the other centres across the UK. Your work will involve close interactions with your line manager, Dr Ellie Barnes (daily) and with Prof. Will Irving (Nottingham University), and Dr. John McLauchlan (Glasgow University) project leaders for HCV research UK, and STOP-HCV.
Responsibilities/duties
1. To assist the Chief Investigator in coordination and execution of project activities scheduled in the Work Strands (WS).
• Develop a visual representation of the full range of activities over the project duration, including using Gantt charts
• Monitor project milestones and deliverables, identify and manage risks and issues, actively plan for successful delivery of project.
• Lead and manage the development and maintenance of databases for project and sample data
• Monitor and manage actual progress against planned implementation and provide feedback in a timely fashion
• Write and finalise all reports by WS leaders for submission to the project steering committee PSC, the MRC, and the Oxford NIHR BRC as required.
2. To actively develop the consortium over time
• To pro-actively seek new industrial, scientific and academic collaborations/partners as the consortium and the program of work evolves over time.
• Broadly, to work with the consortium members to develop the strategic aims of the consortium
· Develop and maintain strong lines of communication between consortium members and work strand groups
· Act as a point of contact for all partners and MRC
3. Oversee financial management of the Consortium
• Manage incoming budgets, including forecasting, monitoring, authorising and reporting.
• Work with NDM to ensure smooth running of budgets
• Prepare financial reports in compliance with MRC and Oxford NIHR BRC requirements
4. Arrange scientific and organisational meetings including annual Consortium meeting, PSC meetings and subgroup / project planning meetings as needed
• Organise teleconferences and meetings according to schedule agreed by Consortium partners and in response to appropriate requests. Proactively arrange and initiate meetings between partners in light of project progress
• Travel to participating centres where required
• Coordinate travel activities
• Produce agendas and scientific programmes, and briefing notes for meetings – organise and fully participate in meetings
• Write and finalise records and minutes for all meetings
5. Manage Consortium communications
• Work with IT developers and Consortium partners to create and maintain a project website
• Take responsibility for development and maintenance of other publicly available material
• Participate in preparing manuscripts for publication in scientific journals (level of input with be recognised by acknowledgement / co-authorship as appropriate)
6. Assist with development and maintenance of organisational structure of the Consortium
• Finalise and implement policies for the PSC
• Finalise and implement standard operating procedures for the consortium
• Draft ethics and regulatory applications and maintain clinical trials authorisations through compliance with relevant regulatory agency policies
• Maintain database of samples and ensure compliance with relevant national data protection and ethical legislation and local regulations
7. Support for grant applications arising from the project
• Work with researchers preparing grant application and oversee applications, where appropriate
8. Establish new clinical studies within STOP-HCV
· Establish, manage and act as Study Coordinator for new clinical studies e.g. STOP-HCV Cirrhosis Study
9. Play an active role in the recruitment and management of STOP-HCV research staff
· Draft job descriptions/adverts, shortlist and interview candidates
· Undertake line management responsibilities for STOP-HCV associated staff, i.e. Administrative Assistant (day to day management, probation and personal development reviews)
10. Promote the activities of the Consortium through the development of public engagement initiatives.
· Develop and maintain Consortium presence on social media (e.g. Twitter)
· Develop and deliver new public engagement initiatives
11. Develop a strategic vision for the consortium, inputting into policy and strategy
· To enable this, maintain and develop scientific and clinical knowledge through personal reading and attendance at scientific meeting etc.
12. Operational responsibility for the coordination and integration of large datasets.
· Establish and manage appropriate mechanisms for data integration and management
13. Defining standards relating to the management of incidental heath findings through genomic analysis in patient volunteers.
14. Developing and recognising the need for appropriate governance agreements to facilitate the consortium aims
· Work closely with Research Services, and Consortium Partners, to coordinate and finalise legal agreements
Further responsibilities
Other duties as agreed with the Chief investigator and the PSC as appropriate.
Additional security pre-employment checks
This job includes the following duties which will require additional security pre-employment checks:
· A satisfactory Disclosure Scotland check.
Selection criteria
Essential
· Honours degree or equivalent qualification broadly within the Biological Sciences
· Substantial project management or coordination experience
· Excellent organisational skills
· Experience of preparing and managing substantial budgets
· Strong computing skills, appreciation of data management and capacity to acquire new skills as needed for the project
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills
· Ability to prioritise tasks and work to tight deadlines
· Ability to work independently and as a team
· Experience working with scientists and/or healthcare professionals at all levels and from a range of backgrounds
· Ability to work accurately and pay attention to detail
·
Desirable
· Experience consortium project management
· A higher degree or equivalent
· Experience of working with the industry sector
· Experience with clinical trials ethics and regulatory requirements
About the University of Oxford
Welcome to the University of Oxford. We aim to lead the world in research and education for the benefit of society both in the UK and globally. Oxford’s researchers engage with academic, commercial and cultural partners across the world to stimulate high-quality research and enable innovation through a broad range of social, policy and economic impacts.
We believe our strengths lie both in empowering individuals and teams to address fundamental questions of global significance, and in providing all of our staff with a welcoming and inclusive workplace that supports everyone to develop and do their best work. Recognising that diversity is a great strength, and vital for innovation and creativity, we aspire to build a truly diverse community which values and respects every individual’s unique contribution.
While we have long traditions of scholarship, we are also forward-looking, creative and cutting-edge. Oxford is one of Europe's most entrepreneurial universities. Income from external research contracts in 2014/15 exceeded £522.9m and ranked first in the UK for university spin-outs, with more than 130 spin-off companies created to date. We are also recognised as leaders in support for social enterprise.
Join us and you will find a unique, democratic and international community, a great range of staff benefits and access to a vibrant array of cultural activities in the beautiful city of Oxford.
For more information please visit www.ox.ac.uk/about/organisation
Medical Sciences
The Medical Sciences Division is an internationally recognized centre of excellence for biomedical and clinical research and teaching. We are the largest academic division in the University of Oxford
World-leading programmes, housed in state-of-the-art facilities, cover the full range of scientific endeavour from the molecule to the population. With our NHS partners we also foster the highest possible standards in patient care.
For more information please visit: www.medsci.ox.ac.uk
Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine (NDM)
The Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine (NDM) is one of the largest departments of the University of Oxford and is part of the Medical Sciences Division, with responsibility for a significant part of the teaching of clinical students within the Medical School. The Department also has a substantial research programme which requires high quality administrative management.
NDM has significant financial turnover and complexity, resulting from its diverse research portfolio, its geographical spread and its close links with NHS funding and strategic teams involved in the development and delivery of increasingly integrated clinical research platforms.
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For more information please visit: www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/home
The Nuffield Department of Medicine holds a Silver Athena SWAN award in recognition of its efforts to introduce organisational and cultural practices that promote gender equality in SET and create a better working environment for both men and women.
For more information please visit: www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/athena-swan
Experimental Medicine
Experimental Medicine is part of the Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine. We have staff based at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital, Peter Medawar and Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine sites.
Research within Experimental Medicine spans fundamental basic science to translational and experimental medicine approaches including clinical trials. We seek to understand the pathophysiology of disease and apply this knowledge to develop enhanced diagnostics and treatments for human disease.
Experimental Medicine's thematic research includes immunology, dermatology, stroke medicine, geratology, behavioural science, infectious diseases, gastroenterology, palliative care and respiratory medicine. The research is undertaken within different groups and research units and includes clinical trials.
For more information please visit: www.expmedndm.ox.ac.uk/home
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