Senior Manager HDRC North Yorkshire

Job summary

North Yorkshire Council has beensuccessful in their application for £5 million to tackle inequalities andimprove health outcomes across North Yorkshire through research. The fundinghas been awarded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)to createa pioneering Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) in NorthYorkshire.

This collaboration will undertakeground-breaking work with the Universities of Hull and York to develop theresearch culture of the Council and build partnerships to conduct and useresearch on the health and wellbeing issues that matter to communities, andwhich reduce inequalities.

The investment will embed aculture of evidence-based decision-making within local government and will helpto stimulate economic growth, particularly in some of the most deprived areas,and contribute to the Governments plans to take actions for the longer-termhealth and wealth of the country (see NIHR Award 158758

The HDRCs, spanning the lengthand breadth of the UK, follow a major drive for enabling research to addresswider determinants of population health and health inequalities. Workingin partnership with residents, including diverse and seldom heard communitiesand the voluntary sector, the HDRC North Yorkshire will focus on identifyinglocal solutions that address the most difficult challenges.

Main duties of the job

Your main duties will be to:

Lead and manage the operational delivery and inform the strategic management of the £5 million research investment over a five-year period. Ensure the collaborative achieves its ambition of developing a research culture across the council that will support the transformation and innovation of services to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities. Be operationally responsible for the HDRC NY Core Team working alongside academic partners ensuring the collaboration meets its delivery plan and complies with NIHR contractual arrangements. Work collaboratively with other local authority staff and partner agencies to influence an integrated and co-ordinated approach to identifying shared research priorities. Develop strong research partnerships across the regional and national research ecosystem (, NIHR, Universities, NHS, LAs VCSEs, HDRCs) to maximise the potential impact for joint working across a range of research initiatives, including external funding investment. Provide expert advice, support, and guidance across the HDRC through the management of five objectives: promoting a research culture, building research capacity and capability, developing research collaboration and co-production, embedding champions of research and effective research communication and knowledge exchange.

About us

This is an extremely excitingtime to join us as we move forward as the new North Yorkshire Council. In April2023 the eight councils that served North Yorkshire residents unified to creategeographically the largest council and third largest unitary within thecountry. North Yorkshire is renowned for being a forward-thinking, dynamic, andcreative authority and this is an exciting opportunity to work with dedicatedand supportive colleagues within the new Health Determinants ResearchCollaboration (HDRC) in North Yorkshire. The HDRC North Yorkshire will deliverthe ambition of the council to lead on research excellence. The HDRC willembed a strong council wide research culture that generates robust evidence toinform strategy and influence decision making, ensuring more efficient use ofresources to improve health outcomes and reduce health new high-profile role is integral to helping us achieve all of this. NorthYorkshire Council is a modern employer, and we positively encourage flexibleworking and operate in a hybrid way which means you will use technology to workfrom a variety of locations across the county including local area offices,head office and from home to meet the need of this programme of work. We prideourselves on being an employer of choice, offering an extensive range oftraining and development opportunities to support career development andprogression.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Context

The HDRC North Yorkshire is a collaboration with theUniversities of Hull and York that will develop the research culture of theCouncil and build Council-University partnerships to conduct and use researchon the health and wellbeing issues that matter to communities and which reduceinequalities (see Research Registry:

The HDRC NY has four work packages, each co-Lead by Council staffand University academics:

Development of research infrastructure and governance Development of research capacity and capability Dissemination and impact, and Learning and evaluation.

This role is pivotal toeffectively tackle health inequalities through building up an increasedsystem-wide understanding around the impact of the wider determinants of healthacross all council directorates. Be a passionate advocate for addressinghealth inequalities and will be aligned with our values of being: Inclusive,ambitious, creative, together (IACT).

Be responsible for ensuring the collaborative achieves its ambition ofdeveloping a research culture across the council that will support thetransformation and innovation of services to improve health outcomes and reduceinequalities.

Have operational responsibility for the HDRC NYs Core Team workingalongside academic partners ensuring the collaboration meets its delivery planand complies with NIHR contractual arrangements.

Provide expert advice, support, and guidance across theHDRC through the management of five objectives: promoting a research culture,building research capacity and capability, developing research collaborationand co-production, embedding champions of research and effective researchcommunication and knowledge exchange.

Have experience of conducting research and evaluation in the context ofimproving health and reducing health inequalities and have experience in grantwriting, monitoring, or evaluating proposals.

Be an outstanding people manager,able to lead, motivate and develop a multidisciplinary team, and an excellentcommunicator, able to build relationships with colleagues across the counciland externally.

Have some understanding of the strategic and operational challenges ofembedding a research culture and putting research into practice within a localauthority setting.

Possess excellent communication andinfluencing skills to enable collaborative working with key partners to delivermeaningful engagement with diverse communities, the voluntary sector and thosewith seldom heard voices.

Be able to demonstrate strong leadership and relationshipbuilding skills which will be required to manage the complexities involved inconsensus building, priority identification and motivating others within anemerging research ecosystem.

Operational Management

Lead thedevelopment and delivery of the HDRC work programme ensuring milestones are metand workloads prioritised. Lead theproduction of performance reports and submit to relevant committees as required(, HDRC Strategic Steering Group which includes Assistant Directors andCouncillors Representatives). Chair theHDRC Operational Group. Developand monitor appropriate performance indicators/impact measures of the project. Manage therecruitment and training of staff and provide day-to-day management of relevantteam members and other staff working with the team. Be the named budget manager tooversee the monitoring and reporting of the HDRC budget (£5 million) and otheradditional grants as appropriate. Meet reporting requirements ofproject grant agreement/s. Ensure sharing perspectives, culture, and collaborativeworking across the HDRC Team, council, universities, and other partners. Coordinatea local authority research champion network toinfluence research strategic priorities and practice within directorates. Ensurethe project actively engages with local communities to listen to their views and involve them inappropriately shaping and undertaking research. Ensure theproject is informed and responsive to specialist expertise and the lived experience of independent experts(Independent Advisory Group). Oversight for the leadership and day-to-day coordination,financial and risk management and oversight, research quality andadministration functions.

Resource Management

Ensure grantfunding is spent and reported in line with NIHR requirements. Oversee the Partnershipand Collaboration agreements. Monitoringexpenditure and producing regular budget forecasts, taking action to managewithin grant limits where necessary. Provide support and supervise the HDRC delivery team. Develop, in collaboration with academic partners, a CPD programme for theHDRC delivery team that includes mentorship and peer supervision. Participate andcontribute to the HAS and wider Council programme of CPD (and academic partnerswhere appropriate). Ensure their behaviours and those of their managers comply with theexpectations of the Managers Pocket book.

Partnerships

Develop strongresearch partnerships across the regional and national research ecosystem(, NIHR, Universities, NHS, LAs VCSEs, HDRCs) to maximise the potentialimpact for joint working across a range of research initiatives, includingexternal funding investment. Deputise for thePublic Health Consultant (HDRC Director) as required and represent the HDRCNorth Yorkshire at research forums/meetings/networks as appropriate. Workcollaboratively with other local authority staff and partner agencies toinfluence an integrated and co-ordinated approach to identifying sharedresearch priorities. Lead and overseethe development and delivery of work to build community resilience and researchcapability, working with Elected Members, local communities and other localpartners while building on the skills, assets, and capabilities thatindividuals and communities have.

StrategicManagement

Lead thedevelopment and implementation of a range of strategies to support the HDRC andits objectives , North Yorkshire Council Research Strategy. Lead incollaboration with academic partners on thedevelopment and management of the councils research governance system whichincludes ethical processes. Lead thecreation of an environment which fosters the use of evidence in practice, thedevelopment of research questions, the involvement of the communities inresearch priority setting and the production of research evidence for uselocally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. Work withthe HDRC Director to ensure alignment of the work of the HDRC with thecouncils priorities/transformation agenda. Work withthe HDRC Director to brief Councillors and Elected Members/corporate managersand external partners as appropriate. Forgestrong links with other HDRCs and regional and national networks. Bestrategically responsible for the delivery of four Work Packages:Infrastructure and Governance, Capacity and Capability, Dissemination andImpact and Learning and Evaluation ensuring all are underpinned by excellentcommunity engagement and consultation. Provideexpert advice into the research ecosystem and drive innovation. Providestrategic oversight on the development and submission of research bids toexternal funding organisations through local, regional, and nationalpartnership working alongside local people from a range of differentbackgrounds. Maintainawareness of relevant national and local developments to identify opportunitiesfor development and continuous improvement, contributing to service andtransformation planning and the establishment and review of council policies,procedures, and guidance. Take alead role in building and embedding a strong research culture across the HDRCpartners and collaborators.

Communications

Write reports anddeliver presentations on complex research issues to a variety of audiences asrequired. Provideinformation, written and oral in an extensive range of formats to a range ofstakeholders. Support, contributeto and where appropriate co-author the production of academic research papers. Ensure and promoteeffective public/community involvement in the planning, development,implementation of research activities (HDRC Engagement Hub). Disseminate keyresearch learning across North Yorkshire as well as via appropriate regional,national, and international forums. Represent HDRC NYat appropriate inter and intra agency meetings, promoting, liaising,consulting, and engaging with managers and staff. Support theresponse to media enquiries relating to HDRC NY research work as requested bythe Public Health Consultant (HDRC Director). Oversight of andmanage the HDRC North Yorkshire website. Work with partnersin the Council, Universities, the NHS, and the corporate communications team toensure that effective communication processes, including social media, are usedto support the aims and objectives of the HDRC. Carry out duties inaccordance with NYC communications policies.

Systems andInformation

Carry out duties in accordance with NYC systems and information policies. Utilise theagreed business processes in relation to record keeping, financial monitoringand ICT. Present complexand sensitive research information to a range of different agencies requiringpersuasive and negotiating skills. Regularlymonitor outcomes/impact in relation to specific researchactivities/initiatives. Interpretcomplex research and information (quantitative and qualitative) to influencedecision making and drive the research agenda and culture with the Health andAdult Social Care (HAS) directorate and the wider Council. Formulate andutilise information management systems , computer software to collate andcompile records and to convey information. Person Specification

Occupational Skills

Essential

Ability to work at a senior level with demonstrable experience of working with senior managers in a range of organisations. Ability to lead, manage and motivate a team. Excellent inter-personal skills. Good IT skills and ability to use a range of IT packages, including Microsoft Word and Excel. Excellent analytical skills. Ability to influence others. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Able to handle and negotiate conflict effectively and understand different perspectives. Ability to work in a political environment, enabling Elected Members to both inform and challenge the programmes priorities and activities.

Qualifications

Essential

Degree or equivalent level of professional qualifications and/or experience. Educated to Masters level in an appropriate discipline and/or experience.

Experience

Essential

Understanding of the opportunities and challenges in developing a research active local authority. Understanding of respective role of Local Authorities, universities, and key stake holders within the local research ecosystem. Understanding of the importance of developing a strong research culture. Excellent understanding of the national and local research agenda and the scope and use of research within the content of a local authority to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities. Good understanding of current national, regional, and local policies/plans that can influence the delivery of a research agenda within a local authority setting. Understanding of data protection legislation and guidance. Knowledge of project management tools. Evidence of conducting research and evaluation in the context of improving health and reducing health inequalities. Experience of leading, developing and implementing multi-agency evidence-based programmes and policies. Experience of community engagement and involvement. Experience of project and performance management. Experience of financial management of complex budgets. Experience of working at a senior level working with a variety of organisations and of achieving successful collaboration and cooperation to meet objectives. Line management experience. Demonstrable experience of strategy development and implementation. Experience of change management.

Desirable

Knowledge of research funding systems and opportunities. Evidence of leading collaborative partnership working across complex research ecosystems. Experience in grant writing, monitoring, or evaluating proposals.

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