Job summary
This position is fixed term due to Funding for years
This is an exciting opportunity to join Sandwells new Health Determinants Research Collaboration (HDRC) Better Research for Better Health. Sandwell HDRC is a partnership between Sandwell MBC, the University of Birmingham, and the local voluntary & community sector. Our HDRC vision is to undertake evidence-informed, robustly evaluated activities that reflect the needs and values of our diverse local communities.
As one of a team of four HDRC Project Managers, you will:
1. Develop a detailed project plan for your designated HDRC workstream, working closely with HDRC colleagues and with partner organisations.
2. Lead and monitor project delivery within your workstream, co-ordinating specialist input from internal and external partners.
3. Work proactively and flexibly to identify opportunities for collaboration and development, both within and across workstreams.
4. Facilitate and contribute to related research activity through HDRC infrastructure and partnerships.
Main duties of the job
The candidate will have:
5. A degree level qualification in life or social sciences, and hold or be working towards a postgraduate level qualification - or equivalent relevant experience.
6. Significant project management knowledge and experience.
7. Knowledge of public sector policy, health-related research methods and asset-based community development.
8. Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders.
9. Excellent communication, report writing and presentation skills for a wide range of audiences.
10. PRINCE2 Practitioner or other relevant project management qualification or experience.
Interviews will be held the week commencing 10 June 2024.
For an informal discussion, please contact Dr Lina Martino on
Hours
37 hours per week
To apply, please download the application and return it to: H
About us
Sandwell is situated at the very heart of theWest Midlands, just a stone's throw from Birmingham. A large, diverse,metropolitan borough, Sandwell offers exciting opportunities for all in afriendly, supportive environment. Sandwell is made up of six towns - Oldbury,Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury and West Bromwich. The borough has1,200 hectares of parks, playing fields and local green space and more than 30miles of canals.
We offer something for everyone, with anincredibly wide range of career opportunities, at any stage of your career,from apprentices to senior managers.
We reserve the right to close vacancies prior to their advertised date if we receive a large number of applications. Therefore, you are strongly advised to complete and return your application as soon as possible. When completing your application please refer to the supporting documents attached.
If you have a disability and require assistance in making an application, or have experienced a problem whilst applying for a position, please contact the Resourcing Team on 0121 569 3300 or via e-mail to:
For more information about working for Sandwell Council, our recruitment process and our offer to you please visit
Click here to find out more about our One Team Framework: Values and Behaviours
Job description
Job responsibilities
The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is providing up to £5 million of funding to a number of local authorities to establish Health Determinants Research Collaborations (HDRCs) in their local areas. HDRCs aim to boost research capacity and capability within local government to embed a culture of always using evidence when making decisions. HDRCs use research findings to understand how decisions impact on health and health inequalities. They also carry out research where evidence isnt already available.
The Sandwell HDRC Better Research for Better Health is a partnership between SMBC, the University of Birmingham, and the voluntary & community sector. Our HDRC vision is to undertake evidence-informed, robustly evaluated activities that reflect the needs and values of our diverse local communities. The Sandwell HDRC will align with a borough-wide Levelling Up Programme to improve the wider determinants of health.
The HDRC aims to transform SMBCs research culture and infrastructure to:
Make the best use of empirical evidence to inform decision-making and investment
Robustly evaluate services to ensure quality, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness
Facilitate research activity with partner organisations and local residents
Effectively disseminate research outputs for wider influence
This will be achieved by:
Strengthening research and development capacity, resources and infrastructure
Embedding a strong research culture for evidence-informed decision-making
Developing robust systems and partnerships for cultural and knowledge exchange
Creating a community-led research culture
As one of four HDRC Project Managers, you will be responsible for developing and leading one of the above workstreams, co-ordinating specialist input from internal and external partners including Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), the voluntary and community sector, and SMBC Directorates. You will be expected to work closely with other HDRC Project Managers, the HDRC Co-ordinator and the HDRC Programme Manager, as well as with topic leads within the Public Health team, to ensure alignment across the four workstreams and with existing programmes to improve the wider determinants of health. You will be supported by a workstream Project Officer, who will provide administrative and operational support for workstream development and delivery.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
11. The post holder must be qualified to, or working towards, postgraduate
12. level or have equivalent relevant experience.
13. A first degree in life or social sciences, or similar.
14. PRINCE2 Practitioner or other relevant project management qualification or experience.
Experience
Essential
15. Significant management experience
16. including: project management, budget
17. management, people management,
18. performance management
19. Experience of working with a range of
20. stakeholders, such as Higher Education
21. Institutions, local government, the NHS,
22. local communities, community groups and
23. the voluntary sector
24. Experience of research systems and
25. processes
26. Experience of working in an area of
27. deprivation and diversity
28. Experience of leading multi-agency projects
29. or groups
30. Clear report writing and presentation skills
31. for a wide range of audiences
32. Experience of community engagement and
33. consulting with internal and external
34. stakeholders
35. Experience in the training and development
36. of others
37. Experience of developing systems for
38. collaborative working and information
39. sharing
40. Experience of working collaboratively to
41. develop bids/proposals
42. Organisational skills, ability to prioritise
43. workloads within timescales and meet
44. deadlines
45. Strong IT skills and the ability to develop
46. and implement output/outcome monitoring
47. and reporting systems