Job description

The School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences is seeking a highly organised, proactive individual with leadership and management skills to manage its Centre for Medical Engineering. The Centre Manager (CM) will be a senior position working closely with the Centre Director on strategy, planning and delivery of the Centre’s aims.
 

The post holder should have research project management, operations and service delivery experience. The post holder is required to deliver the day-to-day operations of the Centre; carry out staff recruitment, HR and financial reporting and work with the Centre’s Public Engagement Manager to drive the Centre’s Public Engagement strategy.

The post holder will provide high level administrative support and project management for the research activities of the Centre under the overall direction of the Centre Director and have oversight of the Centre’s work with the School and Kings Health Partners. The post holder will be highly motivated, approachable and will need to proactively liaise with a variety of professional figures within the Higher Education and NHS sectors to ensure that the Centre’s aims are achieved.
The post is based at St. Thomas’ Hospital. 

 

Centre Aims:

• Developing and maintaining Critical core infrastructure and facilities 

• Providing a vibrant Centre culture 

• Capacity building 

• Pump‐priming of inter‐disciplinary research 

• Supporting innovation and translation of research 

• Facilitating major new initiatives and recruitments 

The management structure aims to support researchers working across the clinical academic spectrum, minimising the barriers in delivering research and capitalising on the opportunities our hospital setting provides. The post holder should have experience of research project management to manage operations and delivery for the Centre.  

The CM will work closely with the Director and sit on the Centre Management Board to ensure efficiency in operational activities and will be the central point of contact for the Welcome Trust, the International Advisory Board and the Theme Leads. The CM will be embedded within the School management team and work closely with the School Manager. The Centre provides resources and infrastructure to support the research of the School. The CM will engage with teams across the university (e.g. Research Grants, IP/Licensing, HR) and sit on relevant Boards which concern operations (facilities, IT, Governance) that may impact the Centre. The CM and Centre Director will liaise with our partner Trusts and represent the Centre should projects require. These are established links, critical in delivering impact from research and as such, there is continual two-way interaction to allow access to patients, have clinicians participate in projects etc. 

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract until 27 April 2022 (with possible extension for a further 2 years) 

This is a full-time post

 

Key responsibilities

General  

• Deputise for the Centre Director where appropriate.  

• Liaise directly with internal and external colleagues in an independent manner.  

• Use initiative, discretion, knowledge and experience in planning, coordination, organisation and problem solving. 

• Manage any ad-hoc projects, as directed by the Director and/or School Manager which may arise with respect to the strategic and/or operational needs of the Centre.  

 

Centre Management  

• Managing all non-academic activities in order to support and maximize academic progress within the Centre. 

• To support the Centres commitment to the prosecution of internationally renowned research. 

• Manage and deliver effective operations support across the Centre. 

• Initiate and manage change successfully, as required. 

• To maintain records for each project, electronic wherever possible, in accordance with systems for scanning, storage, retrieval and disposal of records.  

 

Centre Strategy and Development

• Assist the Director in identifying and implementing short, medium and long term strategic objectives and priorities. 

• Ensure the alignment of the Centre's strategic goals with the provision of resources and supporting the Director and/or School Manager to improve performance and optimise use of resources. 

• Set the strategic objectives and operational plan for all Centre Professional services. 

• Co-ordinate, edit and where necessary draft strategic documents and business plans. 

• Develop a strong understanding of Open Access (OA) issues; check that newly published work is made Open Access and advise others on OA issues.  

 

Finance

• Manage all Centre financial resources, ensuring appropriate robust control and monitoring and that all financial transactions within the Centre comply with College financial regulations. 

• Provide regular, relevant financial management information to the Director and School Manager as requested. 

• Ensure that the Centre complies with funding bodies’ regulations and procedures and that research funding is managed appropriately and expended for the purpose for which it was intended. 

• Process financial paperwork e.g. invoices and expense claims, and providing advice and direction including issues around auditing requirements. 

• Maintain detailed administrative and financial databases on all projects. 

• Approve expenditure up to agreed limits. 

 

Administration

• Provide the Centre and individual members of staff with timely and efficient administration, responsive problem solving, and prioritisation/organisation. 

• Manage and develop the Centre professional services support team, ensuring the successful delivery of all support services. 

• Oversee all aspects of Centre recruitment and involvement in all professional service recruitment. 

• Have line management responsibility for professional services staff including their appointment, supervision, training & development and appraisals. 

• Ensure that members of the Centre comply with safety and security policies of the School and Faculty. 

• Plan and organise meetings, events and conferences including minute taking. 

• Maintain holiday and sickness records. 

 

Communication & Networking

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff within the Centre as well as in the College, Clinical Academic Group and across KHP. 

• Work with other staff as appropriate, to develop and maintain internal and external communications and public engagement strategy, promoting the Centre’s profile, including appropriate use of web and print media. 

• Regularly communicate information in a clear and precise way.  

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with relevant staff within the Personnel and Finance Departments. 

• Initiate, build or lead internal networks within the College or externally. 

 

Decision Making, Planning & Problem Solving

• Lead in decisions that have a significant impact on their own work, that of others and be party to collaborative decisions. 

• Manage own workload and resources and that of others, prioritising these in order to achieve their objectives. 

• Responsible for the planning and leading of significant projects or work streams ensuring the effective use of resources, setting standards and monitoring procedures.  

• Resolve problems where the optimal solution may not be immediately apparent and where there is a need to use judgement to resolve problems that are unpredictable and / or occur infrequently. 

• Plan in advance for heavy workload. 

• Use own initiative and creativity to solve problems relating to administrative and financial tasks. 

 

Service Delivery

• Provide a very high level of administrative and financial support independently and in a timely manner. 

• Review regularly the Centre’s operational administrative structure with a view to ensuring an efficient and effective service. 

• Demonstrate flexibility in providing support. 

• Work on own initiative and unsupervised. 

• Prioritise workload to ensure completion of work and to communicate to the Director and/or Divisional Manager any difficulties associated with carrying out work tasks. 

 

Analysis & Research

Collect, maintain and analyse relevant data and management information to inform the Director and School Manager of the impact of internal and external issues on the financial and operational strategy of the Centre, as appropriate. 

• Provide documentation and produce reports as required. 

• Produce and analyse financial information. 

• Use internet searches and College procedures to assist with gathering and interpreting information for daily tasks. 

• Monitor staff publications by the use of the PURE system (training will be provided), and to produce management information on publications as and when requested. 

 

Teamwork, Teaching & Development

Identify team workload and give direction, form and communicate a clear vision of what is to be achieved overall, setting goals for team and individuals.  

 

Pastoral Care

Team development will be an important and integral part of the job and will involve undertaking training or development activity according to the needs of an individual or group. 

• Work within a team on a day-to-day basis and provide mutual support. 

 

Knowledge, Experience & Skills

Develop an in depth understanding of the Centre’s research profile, its strengths/weaknesses, staff capabilities, facilities and opportunities for development. 

 

Physical Demands & Working Environment

• Use of computers and time spent at monitors 

• Occasional travelling within the UK  

 

This job description reflects the core activities of the role and as the College and the post-holder develop there will inevitably be changes in the emphasis of duties. It is expected that the post-holder recognise this and adopt a flexible approach to work and be willing to participate in training and to perform any other duties as may be requested from time to time commensurate with grade. 

The post-holder will also: 

• act in a manner that will promote a positive image of the College and the Hospitals at all times. 

• observe the College’s Equal Opportunities Policy. 

• be required to work irregular hours in accordance with the needs of the role. 

keep information of a confidential nature strictly confidential and never disclose it either inside or outside work. 

 

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria 

• Post graduate degree (MSc or PhD) in STEM subject OR relevant experience  

• Knowledge of Higher Education and/or NHS systems  

• Financially literate with sound knowledge of budgeting methodologies and resource management concepts 

• Good understanding of Human Resources administration 

• Ability to analyse problems and proactively identify solutions 

• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills (ranging from informal 1:1 discussions, formal presentations covering both oral and written skills), including the ability to liaise with staff at a range of levels internal and external to the organization 

• Experience in project or programme management 

• Strong administrative, organisational and time management skills 

• Proven track record in administration and management within a higher education environment 

• Experience of working to targets and deadlines 

• Ability to organise and prioritise a varied and demanding workload 

• Ability to work calmly under pressure 

• Proactive and able to drive new projects independently 

• Comfortable working independently   

• Sympathetic, approachable manner but strong and directional and able to exercise discretion in handling confidential matters 

• Positive and collaborative attitude towards working with colleagues at all levels across different functions and faculties to achieve shared objectives 

Desirable criteria 

• Management or Project management qualification (e.g. Prince 2) 

• Evidence of continuing professional development including regular attendance on internal and external study programmes 

• Commissioning, interpreting and presenting data 

• Recruiting, managing and developing individuals effectively 

• Managing individuals in a variety of functional roles, utilising matrix management to ensure adequate role-specific support 

• Influencing and persuasion skills 

• Ability to act on personal initiative and take responsibility for own work and ensuring projects are completed 

• Experience of successful change management projects 

• Experience of reporting large project / programme grants 

 
 

Further information

About the Faculty  http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lsm/index.aspx  About the Wellcome / EPSRC Centre for Medical Engineering

The Wellcome / EPSRC Centre for Medical Engineering is based at the St Thomas’ Hospital campus. By combining expertise in biomedical and clinical research with excellence in the underpinning sciences of imaging engineering and physics, computational and mathematical approaches and imaging chemistry, we will deliver impact that improves the understanding, diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric, oncological and cardiovascular diseases.

As a large multi-disciplinary research Centre, we foster a strong cooperative research culture. Our established links with industrial partners, access to cutting edge facilities, and the central location within a major hospital campus creates an exciting, synergistic environment where the most challenging questions can be addressed. In addition to producing world-leading outputs, the Centre infrastructure accelerates translation to clinical benefit and industrial uptake. The Centre acts as a focus for recruitment of leading international talent and training of the next generation of research leaders, enhancing excellence. An important component of the Centre’s activities is also to develop public and patient engagement in the Centre’s research, highlighting its impact and societal implications.

https://medicalengineering.org.uk/