Job Title:                 Science and Research Manager

 Location:              London

Reports to:            Chief Scientist

Grade:                   4

About Us:       

We are The Royal College of Pharmacy, the professional leadership body for pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists. Our mission is to put pharmacy at the forefront of patient care.

As a Royal College, incorporated by Royal Charter, it is a registered charity with a public benefit purpose while remaining focused on supporting its members to deliver great patient care, develop their capability through education, assessment and credentialling and advancement in the science, research and practice of pharmacy.

Our mission is to put pharmacy at the forefront of patient care.

Our vision is to become the world leader in the safe and effective use of medicines.

We empower pharmacists and pharmaceutical scientists to deliver excellence in practice and the advancement of safe and effective medicines usage across Great Britain and beyond.

We work to develop professional standards, guidance, learning and credentialing to support pharmacists and the wider pharmacy team to deliver safe, effective and patient-centred care.

Our values:

At the core of our culture, our Values Focus, Agility, Quality, Collaboration and Respect describe the way we work to achieve our organisational goals.

 We believe people don’t need to be fixed to their desk to achieve great things, so we offer flexibility to our people in how they do their work wherever possible, to bring out the best in everyone and provide an inclusive working environment. 

Our governance and leadership:  

Our Trustee board and Senate provide overall governance and strategic direction for the College. Our three National Pharmacy Boards provide advocacy, support and strategic leadership for pharmacy practice and developments within England, Scotland and Wales. The Pharmaceutical Press (PhP) Board advises the Assembly on the direction and approach of Publishing, while our Executive Team look after every aspect of our operations.

Central Services:

We support the organisation to achieve its goals by providing people, technology, facilities and financial services.

The Role Profile:        

• As a member of the Science and Research Team, the role holder will manage, coordinate and deliver science and research services, support, guidance, and resources which enables the organisation to:  

• Increase the profile of science and research and innovation in pharmacy, engaging with members and stakeholders.  

• Develop and deliver high-quality science and research products and services.  

• Support and increase member engagement, and capacity and capability for research and evaluation, in pharmacy.  

• Build and promote science and research in pharmacy to support improvement and innovation.  

• Drive and build the evidence-base in the fields of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences.  

• The ideal candidate will bring strong science and research skills, a track record of delivering projects and an interest in pharmacy policy, practice, education and professional development.  

Specific Accountabilities:

• Support senior members of the science and research team, managing and coordinating the RPS science and research programme.   

• Manage the development and delivery of a range of relevant professional research products and services in accordance with the organisation's vision and priorities in order to develop research capacity and capability in pharmacy. This may include:  

• Managing the development and delivery of science and research webinars and face-to-face events, including the management of the abstract submission process.  

• Managing the promotion, marketing and effective communication of science and research activities, services, and resources, including website development and update.  

• Conducting literature searches or desk research to support enquiries (e.g., media enquiries, member support enquiries, etc.).  

• Develop and maintain strong and effective relationships with RPS members and stakeholders and support the development of collaborations, engaging with the sector infrastructure across the profession.  

• Manage and deliver research projects, from scoping through report writing, publication, communication and dissemination. This may include:  

• Acting as the science and research team representative in cross-directorate meetings and/or projects.  

• Conducting literature searches and developing evidence summaries on health, pharmacy, science, and other research-related topics.  

• Providing science and research input and expertise to support the development of evidence-based policy and keeping abreast of policy and campaign work to support these activities.  

• Provide science and research management expertise and support to RPS staff, divisions and crossdirectorate projects to support their research endeavours.  

• Engage with, and support pharmacists in developing successful research careers by promoting the critical appraisal of, involvement in, and undertaking of, research to further their careers.  

• Manage and coordinate the recruitment and engagement of researchers and senior researchers in mentoring, support, review and advice activities.  

• Work with members and key internal and external stakeholders (including patient representative groups) to identify new and emerging research priorities, taking into account policy, practice and academic advice.  

• Responsible, in collaboration with senior staff, for the training and line management of research sub-teams and supervision of volunteer workers as necessary to achieve project objectives.  

• Support sector specific programmes aimed at engaging pharmacy professionals in research, promoting multidisciplinary work, driving innovation, and building the evidence-base in the fields of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences.  

**This list is a summary of the main accountabilities of this role and is not exhaustive. The role holder may be required to undertake other reasonable duties from time to time.

Success Measures:

• Good internal and external working relationships developed, resulting in the effective delivery of communication plans and development of new collaborations/partnerships.  

• Evidence of effective teamworking and good working relationships with colleagues across the organisation.  Effective liaison with relevant stakeholders and RPS members.  

• Evidence of supporting and developing members' research knowledge and skills with the goal of improving patient outcomes.  

• Well communicated analysis and advice.  

• Well delivered and managed projects/services delivered on time and within budget.  

• Production and delivery of high quality, evidence-based reports that inform decision making for future research, events, professional workforce policies guidance and other resources, or workstreams.  

• Targeted and effective communication, dissemination, engagement and advocacy activities.  

Knowledge & Skills for this job

Essential:  

• A degree plus educated to post-graduate level, or experience commensurate with, preferably in the field of Pharmacy, Social Sciences or Health.  

• Understanding of the UK healthcare system, science and research infrastructure, relevant organisations and networks, research governance frameworks, regulation, and ethical aspects.  

• Proven experience of research (and research methodologies) in health or social care.  

• Proven experience of managing research or evaluation programmes and projects, as well as conducting research using a range of quantitative and qualitative methods.   

• Ability to collect, analyse and report/present data in creative and accessible ways, document information and maintain appropriate records.  

• Proactive, self-starter capable of working alone and able to work according to strategic direction.  

• Demonstrable ability to assimilate information, manage priorities in a fast-paced environment, work under pressure and deliver to deadlines.  

• Experience of project management, developing and delivering services and resources effectively.  

• Excellent proven written and oral communication skills for a range of audiences to ensure impact.  

• Experience of team working, and people management, including training and line management of research sub-teams and supervision of volunteer workers.  

• Excellent customer service skills, including a high level of interpersonal skills.   

Desirable:  

• A degree in pharmacy (MPharm) or equivalent science background.  

• Good knowledge of how health and social care are delivered throughout Great Britain.  

• Understanding of the current policy direction for health and research, in particular, pharmacy-related policy.    

• Relevant, up-to-date networks, with demonstrable experience of advocacy and engagement activities.  

• Ability to build relationships and engage stakeholders at a higher level.  

• Experience in developing research proposals, securing funding and managing budgets.  

• Experience of providing support, advice or training on research or evaluation.