Radiotherapy Network Programme Manager (XN08) in Leeds

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the Yorkshire and Humber Radiotherapy Network for a Programme Manager to join the team on a fixed term basis. This post has guaranteed funding until 31st March 2027. The network is well-established with a clear annual workplan designed to meet the aims of NHS England's Radiotherapy Transformation programme, enable collaborative working between NHS Provider organisations and ensure access to modern, safe and effective Radiotherapy treatment for the population of Yorkshire & Humberside.

The ideal candidate for this role is an experienced Project or Programme Manager with experience in managing change and transformation, managing diverse stakeholders and interpreting and implementing policy changes.

The Radiotherapy Network Programme Manager will be responsible for the delivery of the annual workplan, which has been designed to enable compliance of services with NHS England Service Specifications and the Radiotherapy Transformation Programme, as well as promoting collaboration between radiotherapy providers within the region. The key pillars of the workplan include Network Operations & Infrastructure, Workforce Sustainability, Technology & Innovation, and Quality and Patient Experience. The Programme Manager will manage each workstream and associated projects, identifying new opportunities for improvement concurrently with established pieces of work. The successful candidate will need to be comfortable managing multiple, competing priorities, working to tight deadlines, maintaining a high level of accountability and self-motivation to drive the workplan.

This post is hosted by The Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust and the principle base of the network is located here physically; however, the Programme Manager is equally accountable to Humber Health Partnership and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and will need to foster positive working relationships with all teams. Therefore, some travel is necessitated.

The Yorkshire and Humber Radiotherapy Network is one of 11 RT networks nationally and began in 2021. Since then, the network has developed and matured, creating a small but dedicated project team to deliver against the workplan. The key working relationships for the Network Programme Manager include the Network Projects and Data officer, the Heads of Radiotherapy and Heads of Radiotherapy Physics, Lead Clinicians Network Chair and Deputy Chair, the network Patient Representative, Specialised Commissioners and Cancer Alliance Representatives.

Radiotherapy is an exciting and rapidly developing part of the wider Oncology CSU, with ambitious plans to grow and develop services using state of the art technology and new treatments in alignment with the latest clinical trials.

To manage, on behalf of the Trust, a complex project which will deliver a radiotherapy service across the Yorkshire and the Humber Operational Delivery Network (ODN) compliant with the NHS England Radiotherapy service specification. The establishment of Radiotherapy Networks is designed to facilitate meaningful partnership working and enable the achievement of NHS England's ambition to provide modern radiotherapy services as set out within A Vision for Radiotherapy, 2014-2024 (NHS England, Cancer Research UK, 2014) at pace. The post holder will work closely with the network Chair to develop, and facilitate the delivery of, the work programme of the Hosted Network.

The Network manager will be based for the majority of their time at the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS trust. The post holder will work across organisational boundaries, working collaboratively with partners from across the Network and adjacent areas to ensure effective management of the work programme. The post holder will also take responsibility for building collaboration between the acute Trusts and other core stakeholders, in order to make services more resilient and sustainable.

• Developing relationships with staff, operational leads, and senior managers and executives in acute and commissioning organisations across the Network.
• Supporting the development of the work programme for the Hosted Network.
• Providing operational, strategic and programme management input to support development and implementation of the work programme, to deliver service transformation for patients.

The post holder will report directly to the Chair of the Hosted Network, and will work on a day to day basis with the Hosted Network Clinical Leads. They will work with professional, clinical and managerial colleagues across the Network and will direct and oversee the work of a data analyst who is supporting the network. The role will require travel across the patch as well as to some meetings nationally.

The post holder will be responsible for holding the Network to account for the delivery of an agreed annual Network work programme which will aim to:

• Improve access across the Network to modern, advanced and innovative radiotherapy techniques, enabling more Service Users to benefit from cutting-edge technology and treatments;
• Improve the experience of care by ensuring that Service Users will be managed by an experienced multi-professional tumour specific subspecialist team able to provide holistic care;
• Increase participation in formal research and clinical trials in England, aiding faster development of new treatments and help drive the development of clinical services;
• Reduce variation in quality by adopting standardised best practice protocols thereby improving Service User outcomes including reducing mortality and morbidity from adverse side effects;
• Reduce variation in equipment utilisation in England through changing operating arrangements, clinical practice and equipment replacement; an average 15% increase in equipment utilisation for England as a whole is expected over the next 3 year period aligned to the equipment modernisation programme.

It is expected that the Network will work closely with other relevant cancer services and networks to improve care pathways for service users. This includes Children and Young People Networks and Sarcoma Advisory Groups.

• The day to day supervision and training of staff such as the scientific computing team.
• Ensuring the design, delivery and evaluation of appropriate education and training to key target staff groups to ensure achievement of programme/project objectives.
• Formal minute taking of the Yorkshire and The Humber ODN meetings, and publication of minutes across the Network and the wider Cancer Alliances.
• Interpretation and implementation of national policy relating to Network programme.

The post holder will have the responsibility for developing, implementing and monitoring performance against key performance indicators and contracted activity, working with agreed policies, but as the leading specialist for the network organisational issues. They will assist in managing the strategic direction of the Network.

To take lead responsibility for developing a robust project management framework to support the delivery of Network work programme, including the preparation of a detailed project plan, key outcomes, deliverables and timescales and communication plan. This will involve the formulation and adjustment of a broad range of plans covering three radiotherapy centres.

Plan own day to day activity within context of the required programme, exhibiting a high degree of autonomy.

Participate in research activities, including seminars, research meetings and continuous professional development activities.

Contribute to the production of outputs, including reports, papers and other publications, undertake preparation for and presentation at relevant meetings and governance committees.

To ensure that the projects are delivered within the available resources and to the agreed timescales, providing regular highlight reports to the Network Oversight Group.

To act as a change agent, consulting with all involved parties, gaining agreement and approval for new ways of working. Ensure new patterns of work are monitored and evaluated.

Develop policies across the network radiotherapy group for implementation of specialist programmes.

• Commitment to team working with the ability to take personal responsibility for difficult decision making.
• Able to demonstrate adaptability to a changing environment.
• Awareness of strategic direction for Radiotherapy and NHSE service specification.
• Highly developed communication skills and willingness to network effectively, negotiate and influence others, taking into account multi-professional and organisational cultures.
• Working collaboratively with other Networks and Clinical Service Units.

• Demonstrates an understanding of both the NHS culture and of the cultures of the different health professional groups.
• Sound understanding of the NHSE & NHSI agendas to include priorities from the STP, CQC as well as, national, local and Trust targets.
• Work within the Trust's Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions and Clinical Governance arrangements.
• Good sound knowledge and understanding of writing comprehensive business cases.
• Understanding of Trust Policies and Procedures e.g. HR/Risk Management/Clinical Governance.
• Understanding of Commissioning, contracting and service agreements to include PBR and patient level costing.
• Understanding of management and operational arrangements in the Network.

• Experience of successful organisational change management and proven leadership skills in a complex environment.
• Strong knowledge and experience of project management techniques.
• Recent experience in a range of different NHS environments.

• Ability to analyse complex information requiring analysis of a range of options to support managerial decision making.
• Personal resilience and ability to prioritise work in a complex environment, often with conflicting and time pressured deadlines.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.