Associate Director of Operations

Southampton Clinical Trials Unit

Location:  Southampton General Hospital
Salary:   £57,696 to £72,018 Per annum
Full Time Fixed Term (60 months)
Closing Date:  Wednesday 04 October 2023
Interview Date:   To be confirmed
Reference:  2422523CM

An exciting opportunity to join the Southampton Clinical Trials Unit (SCTU), within the University of Southampton, in a senior leadership role as the Associate Director of Operations.

SCTU is a leading UK academic CTU located within the state-of-the-art Centre for Cancer Immunology building at Southampton General Hospital. https://www.thinglink.com/mediacard/1575453151220203523

SCTU is a UKCRC registered CTU and is core-funded by Cancer Research UK (CRUK) together with funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) via the Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) and Research Support Service (RSS). 

SCTU has expertise in the design, conduct and publication of clinical trials and other well-designed studies from first-in-human phase I to practice changing phase III trials to large early diagnosis observational studies with rich translational data. Managing a growing portfolio (75% cancer, 25% non-cancer) that covers the complete spectrum of clinical practice, from primary care through to tertiary referral medicine, including pan-cancer experimental therapeutics, surgery, radiotherapy and early diagnosis. Undertaking multi-centre early and late phase clinical trials, we work nationally and internationally to create the evidence for patient benefit that will directly influence routine clinical practice in the NHS and overseas. 

As part of the CRUK and NIHR infrastructure we have close working relationships with our partners, including the Southampton Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, NIHR BRC & RSS, University Hospital Southampton, the Centre for Cancer Immunology discovery community and CRUK Centres and Institutes across the UK, with an increasing number of international collaborations. 

As a member of the SCTU Directorship Committee the Associate Director of Operations will have a senior leadership role within SCTU, providing strategic and operational support to the Director and managing the SCTU Heads of Groups (trial management, data management, quality assurance, statistics, translational and other financial, contractual and admin support staff). SCTU currently have just over 100 staff with the expectation of further growth over the next 5 years as research opportunities arise. 

This is a rare and exciting opportunity for someone to lead the operational delivery of the unit in close consultation with the SCTU Director and Associate (clinical) Directors. This includes ensuring the effective management of all relevant financial activities, including delivery of grant renewal processes and reporting with key funders. Also including staffing, business planning, building and maintaining positive working relationship with key stakeholders and continual consideration for more efficient ways of working as SCTU expands the breath of its research portfolio due to increased core funding. The post holder will also work with CRUK Head Office in strategic areas of development alongside sister UK CRUK CTUs.   

The appointed person must have proven strategic management and managing change experience, knowledge of clinical trial methodology and regulatory requirements. Having worked within a UKCRC CTU is desirable but not essential. 

This position is full time fixed term for 5 years (in the first instance as CTU core funding is on a 5 years basis with a future application for renewal). 

The employing organisation is the University of Southampton which offers a competitive salary, pension scheme, generous holiday entitlement and other benefits.  

For informal queries please contact Professor Simon Crabb, Associate Clinical Director of Southampton CTU: S.J.Crabb@southampton.ac.uk

Please include your CV and Cover Letter with your application.