JOB DESCRIPTION
Job title: Administrator (Lung Health Group)
Responsible to: Dr John Blakey
Team: Lung Health (Respiratory)
Department: Clinical Sciences
Background Information
The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine (LSTM) has an expanding Lung Health theme that covers the spectrum of the complex, often poverty driven, global problems around chronic lung diseases and respiratory infection. LSTM researchers aim to reduce infection, improve prevention and optimise treatments. This research is developed and delivered in collaboration with local NHS Trusts, and both local and overseas academic partners. Research is strengthened and developed with major project funding support (MRC, Gates, Wellcome), commercial partners (e.g. Grifols) and within consortia.
The Lung Health group has over 20 staff and has investigators working across 5 sites: LSTM Centre for Tropical Infectious Diseases (CTID) Royal Liverpool University Hospital University Hospital Aintree Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories in Blantyre, Malawi
The key themes of the Lung Health group are:
1) Vaccine Immunology and Translational Research 2) Household Air Pollution and Chronic Lung Disease in Sub-Saharan Africa 3) Airways Disease Research: UK and beyond
Clinical academics from LSTM provide leadership in respiratory research for Liverpool and the NIHR North West Coast Clinical Research Network. They are actively engaged in managing a large research portfolio and supervising students and trainees on all levels of the NIHR clinical academic training scheme.
The group is committed to Research Capacity building in developing countries, particularly in Africa. Professor Gordon is a founder of the Pan African Thoracic Society in conjunction with the American Thoracic Society. PATS now organises the Methods in Epidemiologic, Clinical and Operations Research (PATS-MECOR) course annually in Africa, attracting 50 students from around the continent. This work has been supported by grant income from the Nuffield Foundation, the Societies Pulmonologie Langue Francaise, the American Thoracic Society and the MRC. Summary of role:
The Lung Health Group Administrator will develop and effectively manage the administrative functions of the expanding Lung Health group that fall outside the remit of existing project-based administrative staff. It is envisaged the administrator will liaise closely with existing project administrators and the respiratory research admin team at UHA. This task will include the following:
Financial management. Undertake financial administration, including processing orders, invoices and expense claims, ensuring that appropriate records and evidence is maintained, ensuring that they are processed in accordance with the requirements of the funding. Track expenditure against budget through liaison with the Grants and Revenue Office and monitor and reconcile budgets. Allocate expenditure to team outputs, activities and budget lines. Use Excel and LSTM’s accounting system (Coda Dream) to review and interrogate cost data. Make general purchases for the team as necessary, e.g. stationery, equipment.
Development and maintenance of good working relations with research collaborators. To assist the investigators in coordinating meetings, disseminating information on study progress, and supporting their delivery of academic output through conferences and collaborative production of peer-reviewed papers. As part of this role it is expected that the administrator will be available to support Prof Stephen Gordon during his infrequent but regular visits to LSTM from MLW.
Development and maintenance of good working relations with the group partner institutions. Support regular interaction relating to research governance particularly the management of human tissue holdings, laboratory and clinical practice in compliance with GLP, GCP and HTA requirements. Provide assistance to partner institutions to prepare for MHRA and other regulatory authority inspections, assist with financial reviews (particularly of joint funding between RLUH, UHA and LSTM) and assist with the management of jointly appointed staff particularly those not on the LSTM payroll.
Support for research output reporting. Assist study clinicians, nurses and students in reporting subject accrual and research outputs correctly Attendance of weekly laboratory scientific meetings to develop competent understanding of project goals. Ensure that webpages for the group are reviewed regularly.
Support of senior academic staff in creating grant bids. Coordinating external meetings and telephone conference call arrangements to facilitate collaborative grant writing. Collate information for grant applications, formatting of documents and uploading of information on to grant application systems.
Management of student affairs. Keep accurate records of current students sponsored by LSTM, Crossley Barnes, Nuffield Foundation, Gates, Wellcome Trust, NIHR, the Commonwealth Foundation and others. Ensure student progress is tracked to monitor commitments and deadlines. Management of staff affairs. Assist the investigators with management of the team. Assist in the induction of new employees and coordinate arrangements with the HR team. Liaise with the necessary internal/ external stakeholders to organise research passports, honorary contracts, allocating desk space and other resources as required for new and current employees. Assist staff with travel arrangements and purchasing to ensure efficiency of the team.
General Maintain office and information systems to deal efficiently with project monitoring, supplies, travel, paper flow and develop solutions to any administration issues. Cooperate with the team and undertake any other duties of a reasonable administrative nature necessary for the administration of team projects. Participate in staff development and training sessions as required in order to enhance and update skills to maintain an efficient and effective services. Undertake any other duties of a reasonable nature for the efficient running of the office and projects.
Line Management
The Lung Health Administrator will report to Dr John D Blakey, Senior Clinical Lecturer with whom they will have brief weekly meetings. In addition to being the clinical lead on a major Health Foundation / Royal College of Physicians project related to health services delivery, Dr Blakey is also Clinical Chair of the North West Severe Asthma Operational Delivery Network, Respiratory SRG Lead for North West Coast CRN, and Technologies Group Lead for the Respiratory Effectiveness Group. Each of these roles has administrative support, and the new post holder would be expected to liaise with these individuals on an infrequent but regular basis. Other key researchers in the group are senior lecturers Dr Daniela Ferreira http://www.lstmed.ac.uk/about/people/dr-daniela-ferreira Dr Kevin Mortimer http://www.lstmed.ac.uk/about/people/dr-kevin-mortimer , and Dr Jamie Rylance http://www.lstmed.ac.uk/about/people/dr-jamie-rylance with a further Senior Lecturer soon to be appointed. PERSON SPECIFICATION Administrator, Lung Health Group (Clinical Research Group)
Essential Desirable
Education & training 3 GCSE’s at Grade C or above (or University degree in a equivalent) including Maths and relevant subject (or English and Language equivalent) NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent) in GCP training Business or Finance Experience Relevant experience of providing Experience of working administrative support for projects within the Health sector including financial accountability. or a Clinical Experience of organising large, environment meetings, preferably at international level Overseas working experience Experience of producing reports Experience of producing minutes Experience of research and/or research governance Skills, abilities and interests Proven administrative skills and the Logistics, including ability to effectively prioritise international shipping of workload biologic agents; Excellent IT and computer skills arranging travel and particularly internet based accommodation communication overseas Time Management & organisational skills Project management skills Empathy with people working to ambitious deadlines and high standards, particularly students Ability to develop working relationships with people at all levels over a wide range of disciplines and cultures Excellent written and oral skills