EASTERN ENGLAND SECURE DATA ENVIRONMENT OPERATIONAL LEAD
The Eastern England Secure DataEnvironment (SDE) is a regional NHS research data service enabling secureaccess to de-identified health data to support research, innovation, clinicaltrials and service improvement in line with national NHS England and Health DataResearch Service (HDRS) priorities.
Following the merger of the EastMidlands SDE into the East of England SDE, the Eastern England SDE now operatesacross an expanded regional footprint, working with NHS Trusts and partnersacross Eastern England to provide a scalable, federated research datainfrastructure.
Cambridge University HospitalsNHS Foundation Trust (CUH) is the lead accountable organisation and DataController for the SDE. Health Innovation East works in close partnership withCUH to lead programme delivery, service operations, platform development andthe SDE service desk, bringing together technical, operational, governance andengagement expertise.
The Eastern England SDEOperational Lead is a senior leadership role responsible for the operationalownership, performance, service maturity and growth of the Eastern England SDEas a live research service.
Strategic decision-making andformal governance remain with the Programme Director and established programmestructures. This role holds delegated responsibility for operational leadershipand service performance. The role also has both direct line management andmatrix management responsibilities.
Main duties of the job
Please see job description or full list of key responsibilities
Senior accountability for performance of the live SDE service; ownership of workflows, turnaround times, quality standards, continuous improvement, demand/capacity metrics and transition to a sustainable BAU model. Ensure compliance with information governance, security and audit requirements (with Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) and implement the SDE commercial model.
Act as senior integrator across platform, programme, governance and engagement; coordinate with Platform and Programme Delivery Leads to embed new capabilities into BAU and resolve cross-functional issues.
Lead growth and adoption; line manage Growth & Engagement and Public Involvement leads; oversee onboarding of NHS data providers; build strategic partnerships; embed PPIE, transparency and trust.
Provide senior operational leadership; deputise for the Programme Director; contribute to governance, reporting and stakeholder forums. Maintain effective relationships across NHS partners, academia, industry and national stakeholders including NHS England and Health Data Research Service.
Fulfil corporate duties including risk management, data protection, equality, health and safety, collaboration and organisational values.
About us
At Health Innovation East webelieve that great ideas only make a difference for our health when they areput into practice. Health Innovation East is the innovation arm of the NHS inthe East of England, and we are one of 15 regional Health Innovation Networksthat support the introduction of innovative technologies, devices and carepathways to transform health and care.
The postholder will be part of the Health Informatics team at Health Innovation East,which designs and delivers secure, impactful data solutions that helphealthcare, research, and life sciences organisations unlock the full potentialof health data for patient benefit. Our team solves complex data challengeswhile upholding the highest standards of security, ethics, and publicconfidence to enable data-driven research and improve patient outcomes.
This role is offered on a hybrid basis, with all teammembers expected to attend 23 in-office days per month. The postholder willalso need to be flexible to travel across the East of England and East Midlandsfor in-person meetings, as well as occasional national travel for conferencesand events, to build trusted relationships and support the growth of the SDE.
Job responsibilities
The Eastern England Secure Data Environment (SDE) is a regional NHS research data service enabling secure access to de-identified health data to support research, innovation, clinical trials and service improvement in line with national NHS England and Health Data Research Service (HDRS) priorities.
Following the merger of the East Midlands SDE into the East of England SDE, the Eastern England SDE now operates across an expanded regional footprint, working with NHS Trusts and partners across Eastern England to provide a scalable, federated research data infrastructure.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) is the lead accountable organisation and Data Controller for the SDE. Health Innovation East works in close partnership with CUH to lead programme delivery, service operations, platform development and the SDE service desk, bringing together technical, operational, governance and engagement expertise.
The Eastern England SDE Operational Lead is a senior leadership role responsible for the operational ownership, performance, service maturity and growth of the Eastern England SDE as a live research service.
As the SDE transitions from a programme-delivered initiative into a sustainable business-as-usual service model, this role provides single-point senior accountability for:
End-to-end SDE service performance, user experience and operational workflows across access, onboarding and governance coordination
SDE growth, engagement and adoption across researchers and data providers
Mobilisation of funded initiatives and new capabilities into sustainable BAU service delivery
Working in close partnership with the Director of Health Informatics & SDE Programme Director and alongside the Programme Delivery Lead and Platform Lead, the postholder will:
Deputise for the Programme Director on SDE operational matters as required
Own the live SDE service model and operational delivery
Lead SDE growth, engagement and service uptake
Ensure new capabilities are successfully transitioned into BAU
Strategic decision-making and formal governance remain with the Programme Director and established programme structures. This role holds delegated responsibility for operational leadership and service performance. The role also has both direct line management and matrix management responsibilities.
Key responsibilities:
SDE service ownership & performance
Hold senior accountability for the overall performance of the live SDE service
Own service workflows, turnaround times, quality standards and continuous improvement
Monitor service demand, capacity and performance metrics across operational functions
Drive service maturity from programme delivery into a sustainable BAU model
Ensure operational compliance with information governance, security standards and audit requirements in partnership with CUH
Own the operational implementation of the SDE commercial model, including researcher charging structures, service packages, and alignment with governance and service capacity
Operational coordination across functions
Act as the senior operational integrator across platform delivery, programme delivery, governance and engagement functions
Work closely with the Platform Lead on service performance, reliability and user experience
Coordinate with the Programme Delivery Lead to transition new capabilities into BAU
Ensure clear operational hand-offs between delivery, platform and service functions and resolve cross-functional issues impacting service performance
Lead the SDE growth and engagement function to expand service uptake and partnerships
Line manage the Senior Growth & Engagement ManagerOwn onboarding of NHS data providers and build strategic relationships with researchers, NHS partners, academia and industry to drive service adoptionShape and deliver SDE propositions for research, innovation and clinical trialsEnsure growth and engagement activity aligns with agreed commercial and sustainability models
Public involvement & trust
Line manage the Senior Public Involvement & Inclusion Manager
Ensure PPIE is embedded across SDE operations and service designMaintain transparency, trust and ethical practiceEnsure public insight informs service development and communications
Mobilisation into business as usual (BAU)
Lead operational readiness for funded initiatives and new SDE capabilitiesEmbed sustainable operating processes, support models and performance management for all new servicesProvide senior operational leadership across SDE functionsDeputise for the SDE Programme Director on operational mattersLead operational input into governance forums and funder reportingRepresent SDE operations at senior stakeholder meetingsSupport the organisation in creating an environment that values risk management and promotes the highest standards of health and safety for Health Innovation Easts employees, supported by policies and procedures as appropriateComply with current data protection laws and company data protection policy and proceduresSupport the organisation in developing a collaborative working environment and a culture of innovation and positive leadership, participating in the appraisal process, as requiredPromote Equal Opportunities and affirm that staff, colleagues, patients and others who encounter Health Innovation East are afforded equality of treatment and opportunitiesObserve Health Innovation Easts Equality and Diversity policy in every aspect of your work, avoiding any behaviour which discriminates against colleagues, potential employees, patients or clients on any groundsWork with others appropriately to achieve organisational goalsComply with the Health Innovation East values and behavioursUnderstanding and awareness of own personal development needsMaintenance of a compliant professional portfolio where required
Key relationships
Internal all Health Innovation East employees will be expected to form key relationships within the organisation relevant to the role.
External in addition, the successful appointee will need to develop and build relationships with external colleagues as relevant to the role. These may include, but are not limited to, relationships with colleagues within partner organisations such as:
Industry partners including SMEs and large corporates within the health arenaAcademic partners in Higher Education Institutes and Tech Transfer OfficesFunding/investment organisationsApplied Research Collaboration (ARC) East of England colleaguesNHS Trusts and NHS Foundation TrustsLocal GovernmentIntegrated Care System and Integrated Care BoardsThird Sector OrganisationsPatient Advisory Groups/Services
Health Innovation Easts employees are entitled to 27 days of annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for less than whole time equivalent) and are offered a company pension (employer contribution up to 10% of annual salary), life insurance (on completion of a probationary period) as well as a cycle to work scheme. In addition, all employees have unlimited access to the companys well-being programme which is externally provided and fully confidential. Team members on secondment will remain on their employers terms and conditions.
Person Specification
* High level of accountability and professionalism.
* Comfortable operating in complex, regulated environments.
* Proactive, resilient and solutions focused.
* Strong collaborator and relationship builder.
* Confident decision-maker within delegated authority.
* Able to manage competing operational, governance and growth priorities
Qualifications
* Degree or equivalent senior experience in health data, digital services, research infrastructure, governance, service delivery or related field
* Evidence of continued professional development in data governance, digital services, research operations or leadership
Skills
* Senior service ownership and operational leadership.
* Strong governance coordination and risk management capability.
* Service performance management and continuous improvement.
* Stakeholder management at senior and system level.
* Ability to balance governance rigour with service usability and pace.
* Commercial awareness and supplier relationship management.
* Excellent communication, influencing and presentation skills.
Experience
* Significant experience leading complex operational services in healthcare, research or regulated digital environments.
* In-depth understanding of Secure Data Environments / Trusted Research Environments and recognised best practice including the Five Safes framework.
* Strong working knowledge of information governance, data protection and confidentiality frameworks including UK GDPR, Data Protection Act, NHS IG standards and ethical research governance.
* Experience operating services subject to external audit, assurance or accreditation (e.g. SATRE, ISO27001, DSPT or equivalent).
* Experience coordinating multi-organisational governance processes including data access committees, ethics pathways and data controller relationships.
* Proven experience transitioning programmes or digital services into sustainable business-as-usual operations.
* Track record of building partnerships across NHS organisations, academia, industry and research communities.
* Experience managing senior staff and multi-disciplinary teams, via direct and matrix management.
* Experience working within Secure Data Environments, Trusted Research Environments or national research infrastructure programmes.
* Experience working with NHS research governance, REC/CAG processes or data controller environments.
* Experience supporting life sciences research or clinical trials data environments.
£69,520 to £86,039 a yeardependant on experience
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