Breast Cancer Care

Job Description

Title: Head of Research and Evaluation (Maternity Cover)

Accountable To: Director of Policy & Research

Section: Policy and Research Department

Location: Southwark, London SE1

Salary: NJC Grade H, Point 45, £41,341 per annum

Contract: Fixed term Contract - 12 months

Hours: 35 hours per week, full-time, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

About Breast Cancer Care:

Breast Cancer Care is here for anyone affected by breast cancer. We bring people together,
provide information and support, and campaign for improved standards of care. We use our
understanding of people's experience of breast cancer and our clinical expertise in everything we
do.

Breast Cancer Care’s Vision and Mission:

We want every person affected by breast cancer to get the best treatment, information and
support.

About the Post:

Breast Cancer Care has a strong commitment to ensuring that its work is evidence based. The
Research & Evaluation Team therefore provide a key role within the organisation in managing and
delivering the organisations’ performance management information, and assisting the Services
Directorate and Policy and Campaigns Team to deliver evidence based services and campaigns.
Current plans include managing and delivering an innovative and challenging programme of
research and evaluation projects that examine the impact of Breast Cancer Care’s services on
people affected by breast cancer. This post will provide up to one year maternity cover for our
Head of Research & Evaluation.

This post holder will provide leadership to the team, manage a diverse portfolio of work, and help
to develop the research and evaluation function. The post includes developing the evidence base
for future service development; developing a portfolio of cutting edge psycho-social research which
also impacts upon the wider breast cancer arena; obtaining funding for our research programme;
and identifying and establishing partnership opportunities with external researchers/ institutions.

This post is responsible for the management of the organisations main research activity, and
raising Breast Cancer Care’s external profile within the research community through representation
and dissemination of research outputs. The post holder will ensure the research function is
integrated across the organisation and that the work of the team is directly informed by the views
and needs of people affected by breast cancer.

Flexibility:
In order to work effectively in a changing environment, flexibility is required from the post-holder.
Any other tasks that may be requested will be at the same level of responsibility and terms and
conditions of employment.

The post-holder must be prepared to travel throughout the UK and to work varying hours.
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Main Responsibilities

Research
• To support the Director of Policy and Research to lead on the strategic development of the
Research and Evaluation function at Breast Cancer Care.

• To raise the profile of Breast Cancer Care’s research and evaluation activities both internally
and externally, through effective networking and dissemination of research findings.

• To keep track of the changing environment, in order to inform strategic planning, and service
developments in breast cancer both within Breast Cancer Care and externally.

• To lead the process of horizon scanning for the organisation to identify opportunities for
research and/or service delivery.

• To implement and manage the organisation’s research governance processes and

procedures.

Monitoring and Evaluation

• To lead the team in developing and producing the organisation’s performance management
information, that includes the Quarterly Information Report (QIR) and Annual Information
Report (AIR).

• To lead the team in the development, implementation and management of service monitoring
and evaluation systems and processes.

Research & Evaluation Management

• To implement Breast Cancer Care’s research & evaluation plans for 2009/10 and 2010/11.

• To provide high quality overall managerial support and leadership to the team in research and
evaluation projects to ensure they have a clear plan, strategy, objectives and milestones
leading to high quality outputs.

• To be responsible for servicing the Research Committee, and effectively harness their
expertise in further developing and improving the quality of our research.

• To ensure people with breast cancer remain at the core of the teams work through overseeing
effective management of our Service User Research Partnership Group.

• To report to the Director of Policy & Research and SMT/Board about the impact of our
research and evaluation activity.

• To oversee and contribute to a number of research projects that Breast Cancer Care is
collaborating on with external research agencies/institutions.

• To commission and manage research from external agencies as required in order to maximise
Breast Cancer Care’s research and evaluation areas activities.

• To work closely with the Secondary Breast Cancer Research Nurse and the Trusts & Statutory
Fundraising team on obtaining research funding to maximise Breast Cancer Care’s research
portfolio in support of the organisation’s strategic priorities.

• To represent Breast Cancer Care on relevant research groups, advisory bodies, projects etc.

• To work closely and collaboratively with Services, the Clinical Nursing Team, Publications &
Library, and Fundraising Departments to ensure the work of the Research & Evaluation team
informs and is integrated across the organisation.

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• To manage the Research & Evaluation Team budget effectively and ensure effective use of
resources to achieve the research plans.

• To deputise for the Director of Policy & Research as required.

Internal and External Liaison

• To develop strategic relationships and partnerships with key organisations, networks and
individuals that could help the organisation achieve its policy and research aims. These
include other voluntary organisations, universities, government, the NHS and the media.

• To oversee the effective dissemination and communication of the research and evaluation
team’s work across the organisation and to monitor and ensure the organisation is engaged
with this work.

• To work with members of other teams to agree deliverable levels of support to all research and
evaluation activity, in particular liaising with the Communications and Marketing teams to
ensure they support our work and are in engaged with our projects.

• To ensure the Director of Policy & Research is kept informed of activities and issues within the
team.

• To work closely with the Director of Policy and Research, the Head of Policy and Campaigns
and the Head of Volunteering and User Involvement to ensure a co-ordinated approach to
policy, research, campaign and user involvement work.

• To represent the organisation to the media as required and at public events, interviews and
presentations as appropriate.

• To prepare and present information, reports, publications and briefings.

Team Leadership
• To provide high quality leadership to the Research & Evaluation team and to create a
developmental and learning environment whereby team members are motivated and
supported in their work.

• To set clear objectives with staff in line with the organisation’s strategic plan and Policy and
Research plan. To performance manage staff against the delivery of these objectives on a
regular basis.

• To conduct regular supervisions with direct line reports and to manage their twice yearly
appraisal process, and support personal development plans as part of Breast Cancer Care’s
Management Development Programme.

• To ensure regular team meetings are held and communications within the team are effective.

• To ensure the team take a pro-active role in the activities and development of the department
and organisation as a whole.

• To participate in the recruitment of staff, where appropriate, and ensure that an appropriate
induction is in place.

General
• To be an effective member of the team, presenting a positive impression of the team and the
service.

• To recognise, respect and promote the different roles and diversity of the individuals within the
team.

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• To attend, and lead when required at, internal and external meetings as required.

• To attend training as required.

• To adhere to the Health and Safety policy.

• To operate within the organisational equal opportunities policy framework and implement the
policy within this area of work.

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Breast Cancer Care

Person Specification – Head of Research & Evaluation (Maternity Cover)

Essential Criteria:

Knowledge and experience

• Post-graduate qualification with a research component.
• Experience working in a senior research role.
• Experience of working at management level, leading on a range of research and evaluation initiatives,
ideally within a voluntary organisation.
• Experience of designing and carrying out both quantitative and qualitative research, including data
processing, analysis and interpreting the data.
• Experience of conducting research to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of services that informs the
development of new and existing services
• Experience of leading on the development, implementation and management of monitoring and
evaluation systems and processes.
• Experience of developing successful relationships with academic institutions/ research agencies and
other key stakeholders to achieve research objectives.
• Experience of commissioning and managing research and evaluation projects with external agencies.
• Experience of team management and demonstrable ability to provide effective leadership.
• Ability to define and set challenging but achievable research and evaluation objectives.
• Experience of working with and involving users in the development of research and evaluation projects.
• The ability to represent an organisation in a senior capacity and network effectively.
• Experience of writing research and evaluation reports and briefings for both internal/external audiences.
• Ability to demonstrate experience of developing and using effective dissemination strategies for research
findings

Personal attributes and skills

• A pro-active and creative approach to research and evaluation work with an ability to identify/exploit
external opportunities, and a desire to succeed.
• The ability to motivate and lead a team to generate and implement new ideas, and achieve research
objectives.
• The ability to negotiate effectively with senior and influential people in a wide range of settings,
particularly among academic researchers, in the NHS and health departments.
• The ability to develop and maintain constructive working relationships with individuals and teams at all
levels across the organisation and with all current and potential partners.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate with and present to a
broad range of people.
• A willingness to take decisions and empower others to do so.
• Tact and diplomacy when dealing with sensitive and confidential issues.
• Working experience of using Microsoft Office and the ability to be self-servicing.
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritise work, handle conflicting demands and meet
tight deadlines.
• Proven skills in budgetary management including an ability to set and manage budgets.
• Commitment to and understanding of the issues relating to equality of opportunity and the ability to
implement change in this area.

Desirable Criteria:

Knowledge and experience

• Good understanding of the psycho-oncology research field, and/or the health service and health service
policy.
• A thorough understanding of psychosocial issues in relation to cancer.
• Experience of presenting research at conferences and writing papers for publication in
academic/professional journals.
• Experience of working within the voluntary sector (paid or unpaid).

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