About Health Data Research UK

Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) is the national Institute for data science in health.  Our UK team of experts develop and apply cutting-edge data science approaches to clinical, biological, genomic and other multi-dimensional health data to address the most pressing health research challenges facing the public. 

Our mission is to make game-changing improvements in the health of patients and populations through data science research and innovation.

For the first time we are bringing together our unique nationwide data assets and specialists across academia, research and healthcare to unlock knowledge and deliver new insights from molecule to man.  By undertaking research at scale, across a population of up to 65 million people, we have an unrivalled opportunity to use data to the highest ethical standards to drive breakthroughs in medical research.  This unleashes the potential to improve the way we are able to prevent, detect and diagnose diseases such as cancer, heart disease and asthma.

At Health Data Research UK, we employ talented individuals who bring their own unique skills and experience to support the vision and benefit the whole team.

Purpose of the Post

Our success means we are growing rapidly. As we do so, we want to increase our capacity to support our current UK Health Data Research Alliance members, as well as growing the membership.  This role would involve working directly with Alliance members as well as connecting the Alliance’s activities with the other HDR UK developments.  Supporting the Alliance Delivery Manager, this role would:

 1.       Manage the engagement and onboarding of new Alliance members, as well as building a pipeline of potential members. 

 2.       Work with the Gateway team to onboard Alliance members to the full suite of services offered as they are built out. The Health Data Research Innovation Gateway is the UK’s first platform and access point for researchers to discover health datasets all in one place.

a.      Improving dataset discoverability through high quality metadata;

b.       Harmonising data access request processes and enabling efficiencies through web-based workflows (this would be a particular focus);

c.       Promoting participation and collaboration through community functionality;

d.       Supporting analysis across multiple trusted research environments. 

 3.       Project manage Alliance working group ongoing tasks and activities in conjunction with the Alliance Delivery Manager and Alliance Executive Director.

 4.       Be responsible for organising key meetings and providing officer support to the Alliance Delivery Manager, sending agendas and papers to the various groups as required, providing note taking function in key Alliance meetings and updating working group teams on tasks and activities as required.

 5.       Coordinate with the Health Data Research Hub cross-cutting workstreams, currently focusing on Engagement, Curation, Commercial, and Data Standards.

 6.       Support reporting of Alliance progress and impact.

This is a new role within the UK Health Data Research Alliance.  It is an excellent opportunity for someone who is looking to use their skills and experience to improve access to health data for research and innovation that has the potential to transform lives. 

The successful candidate will share our values (transparency, optimism, respect, courage and humility), have strong collaboration skills, be comfortable with working at pace and have a passion for professional, high quality approaches to engagement.

 Planning and Organising

This post is part of a small team that is embedded within HDR UK to support the UK Health Data Research Alliance.  The post will plan and manage a diverse workload of complex, over-lapping tasks and will require high levels of organisational skill. The post-holder will need to effectively plan and deliver their work but also be able to respond to changing needs in a fast-paced organisation.

Decision Making

The post-holder will make all day-to-day operational decisions for their own workload and on behalf of the institute, where required.  With support from the Alliance Delivery Manager, they will identify, initiate and develop opportunities for streamlined and effective working with the members of the Uniting and Improving Data teams, Alliance members and wider HDR UK partners and organisations.

Problem Solving

The Alliance Development Officer will be expected to use problem solving skills to respond to diverse demands.   As part of a small team, the post holder will operate with significant independence. The post holder will require confidence and resilience in dealing with enquiries, problem solving and decision making. The post holder will be expected to make effective judgements on when to escalate issues to senior colleagues’ attention and with what urgency.

 Continuous improvement

HDR UK is dedicated to continuous improvement through our quality management system and has achieved ISO 9001 accreditation. The post-holder will review, analyse, identify and implement opportunities for quality improvement within their role and as part of the wider team through our strategy development and internal audit processes.

Key contacts/relationships

The post holder will build and maintain effective working relationships both within HDR UK, and our partner organisations, including the Alliance members and organisations within Health Data Research Hubs, industry partners, NHS trusts and with other key stakeholders. The Alliance Development Officer will have close working relationships with the Alliance Delivery Manager and all members of the Uniting and Improving Data teams, as well as other HDR UK teams including the Communications and Engagement and Finance and Operations teams.

Knowledge, skills, experience and values

Essential

Experience

• At least two years working in the health data sector.

• Broker relationships with stakeholders within and outside immediate role.

• Networking, negotiating and influencing people.

• Autonomous and small team working.

• Project and Programme roles and use of one or more project management methodologies.

• Use of risk assessment and management principles and processes.

• Providing operational support to the senior management team.

• Awareness of health data research landscape and how it affects the programme.

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively and confidently with people at all levels.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to handle sensitive issues positively.

• Ability to explain concepts without technical jargon.

• Excellent relationship building and networking skills.

• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to work accurately with attention to detail.

• Ability to work as part of a team.

• Ability to work autonomously and make decisions without supervision.

• Ability to process complex information and present targeted messages to different audiences.

 Desirable

• Experience of data access processes and information governance requirements

• Experience of working in a fast-paced and evolving environment.

• Experience of multidisciplinary team working

• Experience in project/programme management and delivery across increasing complex projects.

 Dimensions

This is a full-time role, fixed term to 31 March 2023. Travel may be required to HDR UK locations and partner organisations. Note, all staff are currently home working whilst our offices are closed.

 Values

HDR UK’s values guide how we work together within HDR UK and with our partners and other stakeholders:

 1.       Transparency: we will share information, insights, and innovations so that we learn faster together.

2.       Optimism: we believe that we can make things better, that we can do things differently and that we can overcome challenges to create a new and thriving health data ecosystem that benefits patients and the public, the NHS, scientific discovery and industry.

3.       Respect: we deliver better results when we work in a truly interdisciplinary way. We listen, share, and respect a diversity of thought and opinion, perspective, and experience. We are inclusive - leveraging and fairly attributing the expertise and capabilities of others.

4.       Courage: we are leading the way and will be prepared to try new things, take risks, embrace ambiguity, and challenge the status quo. We will contribute opinions to shape the future of health data research.

5.       Humility: we have a lot to learn from others; and aim to be free from pride and arrogance.