Senior Project ManagerNHS

Job summary

This advert is for 2 positions: 1 x permanent posts focusing on Early Diagnosis and 1 x Operational Performance and Quality Improvement.

An opportunity has arisen in the West Midlands Cancer Alliance for a Senior Project Manager to join this dynamic, high profile and busy teamon a permanent basis to provide professional expertise to lead and enable delivery of the West Midlands Cancer Alliance Delivery Plan; overseeing projects that contribute to operational performance and pathway improvement that result in improved outcomes for patients.

The role will focus on the priority cancer pathways therefore we are seeking individuals with a strong operational and service improvement background in the NHS and preferably cancer services.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities include:

• Manage projects aligned to the Cancer Alliance Delivery Plan, providing leadership to ensure delivery.
• Monitor progress and report within agreed timescales.
• Managing effective relationships with a range of stakeholders, with a particular focus on Providers.
• Engage with clinical and operational teams to understand the case for change, support the development and delivery of action plans to improve pathway performance and outcomes for patients.

This is a really exciting time to be joining an exceptional team with the ambition to be the best in the country. We are looking for applicants with passion, enthusiasm and drive to improve services for all of our population.

Job description

Key Functional Responsibilities Operational To oversee team members to deliver requirements listed above and engage and liaise with key stakeholders, in particular;

• To support the delivery of day-to-day activities, projects and programmes
• To manage team and drive delivery of a range of business initiatives and projects
• To operate in a highly political and sensitive environment
• Support the portfolio of initiatives in demonstrating value for money for the current spend
• To monitor, interpret and quality assure progress against deliverables to NHS England that often require adjustments specifically in relation to the complex corporate business agenda, strategic objectives and the business planning process
• To develop business plans and provide expert strategic and policy advice and guidance on all areas of the programme

Project Management

• Lead the team in the delivery of project plans, allocating tasks as appropriate, identifying risks, issues and dependencies, considering best practice and current options and ultimately making decisions in the best interest of the project.
• Pro-actively manage stakeholders, respond to and resolve conflict when this arises through facilitation or other appropriate mechanisms.
• Be responsible for a high standard of work supporting the delivery of projects on time, to quality standards and in a cost-effective manner.
• Maintain the project initiation document and associated plans with regular team meetings to monitor progress and resources.
• Demonstrate effective stakeholder management. Support other project managers as and when required.
• Consider the impact of any change the projects will have on delivery and oversee handover of any projects to ensure full ownership and buy-in within the programme.
• Advocate the projects at senior and executive levels and ensure active engagement and sponsorship within the NHS.
• Ensure that the projects maintain business focus, have clear authority and that the context, including risks, is actively managed in alignment with the strategic priorities of NHS.

Financial and Physical Resources

Act in a way that is compliant with Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions in the discharge of budget management responsibilities, monitor expenditure on a regular basis.

• Budget holder for assigned function/team, budget setting with the Head of Department. Responsible for ongoing monitoring of expenditure against budget and ensuring the appropriate documentation is available for scrutiny.
• Identify products, equipment, services and facilities for assigned activities, achieving stakeholder buy-in as required. Placing orders and signing invoices.
• Responsible for making recommendations, providing advice and able to prepare strategic reports/briefings for the Programme Manager, and relevant forums.

People Management

• Directly manages the team of staff, responsible for day-to-day work assigned to Team. Responsible for recruitment and selection.
• Responsible for undertaking appraisal and personal development and managing any employee relations issues.
• Forge close positive working relationships, in order to support an effective matrix approach to achieve NHS objectives. To support, motivate and develop people within the team.
• Managing third parties to ensure deliverables are met in a timely manner and within budget.

Information Management

• Drafting detailed reports summarising status on issues, appraising outcomes, and providing progress reports for the Senior Programme Manager
• Collate as required, a range of information and lead appropriate analysis to develop robust business cases and contribute to project 'products.
• Analyse, interpret and present data to highlight issues, risks and support decision making.

Policy and Service Development

• Responsible for proposing and drafting changes, implementation and interpretation to policies, guidelines and service level agreements (SLAs) which may impact service.
• Proposes changes to own function making recommendations for other service delivery.
• The post holder will need to maintain a good knowledge of emerging policies from government departments for example pensions, change management, constitution.

Research and Development

• Plan, develop and evaluate methods and processes for gathering, analysing, interpreting and presenting data and information
• Co-ordinating Research & Development initiatives, delegating as appropriate. Planning and Organisation
• Contribute to the strategic planning of team projects, identifying interdependencies across projects/functions, potential impacts on the wider organisation, resource requirements and building incontingency and adjustments as necessary.
• Contribute to short, medium- and long-term business plans, achieving quality outcomes.

Key Working Relationships

• Operate effectively in a flexible and demanding environment and proactively engage with key stakeholders.
• Work effectively with a variety of external stakeholders.
• Communicates and provides highly complex information to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. (verbal, written and numerical)
• Deal with resulting potentially difficult situations as required.
• Work and engage constructively with stakeholders on a range of business sensitive issues.
• Nurture key relationships and maintain networks internally and externally.
• Ensure close liaison with the Communications and Stakeholder team on public relations and marketing activities.
• Apply a structured change management approach and methodology in relation to change management.
• May deputise for other team members as required

About us

There are approximately 2 million people in the UK living with or affected by cancer, and there are over 360,000 new diagnoses every year. Are you a Senior Project Manager focussed on improving operational performance and quality on cancer pathways? Do you want to engage with teams working in Providers across the Midlands to improve outcomes and the lives of people with cancer? Working as part of the national NHS Cancer Programme, that's exactly what you'll do.

The West Midlands Cancer Alliance (WMCA) serves a population of 6.5 million, incorporates 15 Providers Trusts across a varied geography who work in partnership to achieve improve early and faster diagnosis and overall outcomes for those diagnosed and living with and beyond cancer, ensuring that we address inequalities, reduce variation and enhance patient access and experience.

The West Midlands Cancer Alliance team is hosted at Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust whilst working across the wider West Midlands footprint. This role requires regular travel visiting provider organisations across the Midlands and attending team corporate days in central Birmingham.

Ability to travel across the West Midlands is a key requirement of this job.