Research Engagement and Inclusion Senior Manager RRDN - Band 8a

Research Engagement and Inclusion Senior Manager RRDN - Band 8a

The Research, Engagement and Inclusion Senior Manager is responsible for leading, developing and coordinating Research Inclusion, public-focused stakeholder engagement, and public engagement programmes across the NIHR Regional Research Delivery Network (RRDN) region. This includes active contribution to national strategy development, data collection, assessment and reporting of under-served communities projects and financial reporting as required. This role is responsible for building trust with community based and public-led organisations, championing of the public voice and embedding research participation and inclusion initiatives across RRDN services.

This role will have responsibility for coordinating and delivering regional responses to key NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) strategies, ensuring regional engagement and inclusion opportunities are considered synergistically and optimised for delivery in collaboration with key stakeholders. This role will be pivotal in leading a consistent approach to the engagement of research participants and wider communities in line with the vision of the RDN and will provide intelligence to support the strategic development and continuous improvement of RDN services. This role will have the opportunity to support work at national and superregional level to ensure the function of a single RDN organisation.

Main duties of the job

This role will provide operational management of the Research Engagement & Inclusion function within the RRDN (i.e. stakeholder engagement, public engagement, digital engagement, and RI), which will work alongside the Public Engagement and the People and Inclusion functions within the RDN Coordinating Centre (RDNCC). This joint function will support the NIHR wide RI strategy at a national and regional level to make equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) central to the RDN and its entire people framework through an approach of active listening and learning from the communities served. This role will also have key relationships with the Strategic Development, Workforce and People, and Communications functions within the RRDN.

We are seeing a highly motivated and Senior Manager to lead the new RRDN regional participation and inclusion work-stream. The role is an exciting opportunity to lead at regional and national levels and to use your skills to lead on public engagement and research inclusion. You will be engaging, developing and maintaining productive, high-quality relationships with a number of stakeholders across the region to ensure that equality, diversity and inclusion is embedded as part of overall regional and national delivery. The role requires someone who has excellent communication, facilitation and engagement skills and has experience of working in community engagement and with underserved groups.

Job responsibilities

Please refer to the full Job description / person specification

The role is within the South East RRDN hosted by the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust and will require regional travel from an agreed base and some national travel. The contractual base can be either Guildford, Brighton or Canterbury.

Note : HCAS High Cost Area Supplement is applied to Guildford only, excludes Canterbury & Brighton.

Work with all relevant stakeholders to drive integration of public engagement and Research Inclusion initiatives across the region leading to an increase in involvement and participation in research amongst patients and the public across all settings and services

Work collaboratively within NIHR organisations and wider partner organisations across regions and nationally to deliver strategic aims related to public engagement and involvement

Act as a strategic lead for engagement and inclusion in the region, actively promoting an inclusive research culture and advocating for Research Inclusion and public engagement to be embedded across the RDN and its services

Support the development of the 3 year strategic plan for Research Inclusion and the 5-year Patient and Patient Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) Strategy for the RDN to inform the development and delivery of regional RDN strategic activities, aligned to national NIHR strategies

Support regional delivery of RDN and NIHR strategies for communication and reputation management

Provide strategic advice and leadership to RRDN level community engagement initiatives aimed at increasing participation in health and care research for under-served groups and lead regional strategies to support delivery across the RRDN region

Champion and support research teams to deliver the Participant in Research Experience Survey (PRES)

Work with the RDNCC and local business intelligence leads to populate the national PRES dashboard and report data to optimise improvements in research delivery and participation at both a national and local level

If you are passionate and want to make a difference to address inequalities and have the skills to deliver this within a research delivery context then please get in touch.

Person Specification Qualifications Knowledge and Experience

• Extensive / advanced theoretical and practical knowledge of specialist areas identified in the Job Description, acquired through experience or training
• Experience in objective setting; performance management and staff development at a regional and national level
• Experience of co - creating and implementing strategies across arange of priorities, connecting agendas, and influencing culture, system, and behaviour change
• Knowledge, skills and / orexperience around health and care research, deliver your research across various settings and the need for under - served communities in healthcare and research
• Understanding of the Equality Act 2010, UK Standards for Public Involvement and key equality, diversity and inclusion policies and their implementation requirements across the health and social care research landscape
• Excellent project management skills, expertise in using a wide range of consultation and facilitation methods, knowledge of public engagement methodology, inclusive management of members of the public and communities, including those classed as under - se rved by health and care research
• System - wide expertise and leadership for engagement and inclusion with demonstrable experience of leading projects requiring specialist advice, support, and guidance on arange of highly complex and sensitive issues
• Knowledge of regional health and care systems and processes, including the voluntary and charity sector, local government and Integrated Care Boards/Services
• Experience of leading programmes aimed at reducing health in equalities at the system and regional level, ideally in health and care research

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.

Head of Strategy, Research, Engagement and Incl

£57,888 to £64,880 a yearper annum including (HCAS) High Cost Area Supplement