Principal Scientific Programme Manager

Our reputable client in Manchester is seeking a Principal Scientific Programme Manager to join their growing team.

Are you passionate about improving the quality of healthcare? Do you have extensive experience in Genomics? 

Principal Scientific Programme Manager – Job overview:

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for a motivated and enthusiastic individual to join our internationally respected client as a Scientific Programme Manager.

We are seeking an appropriately qualified, self-motivated, and enthusiastic clinical scientist to join the scientific team. Flexibility, good communication, robust project management skills, practical laboratory experience and the ability to work to tight deadlines are essential attributes. 

Principal Scientific Programme Manager – Purpose:

To deliver high quality ISO17043 accredited genomics based External Quality Assessment (EQA) services. To ensure the efficient and effective logistical management of aspects of these services provided by the company. To contribute to other activities (for example, quality management), as deemed necessary to ensure that the business complies with all relevant legal and regulatory standards.

Principal Scientific Programme Manager – Key result areas:

Managerial:

• To lead a team of scientists delivering a specialist area of EQA provision e.g., genomic and Inherited disorders. To attend management and operational meetings, reporting back on project plans, and key performance indicators such as timelines, quality, customer satisfaction and complaints
• To provide line management for the staff within a team of Scientific Programme Managers.
• To prepare and review policies and procedures in connection with the specialised services
• To deputise for the Scientific Director.
• To assist in the recruitment and selection of staff according to the policies and procedures of the company. To assist the Scientific Director in the monitoring of persistent poor performance, referring specified laboratories to the SSAB for additional monitoring/advice.
• To assist the Operations and Scientific Directors to develop EQA scheme project management plans for new project proposals. These plans will consider logistics/resources, the tender process, costings, timelines, communications, contingencies, staffing, quality, and implementation.
• To assist in recruitment, selection, appointment, and competence assessment of volunteers who provide services which are essential to the delivery of ISO17043 accredited EQA schemes.

Scientific and Technical:

• To oversee the preparation of EQA specimens in accordance with specifications and policies and to undertake analytical procedures of an advanced or highly complex nature as appropriate, requiring special knowledge for their execution and involving handling of biological material (e.g., blood, plasma, DNA and/or unfixed/ fresh tissue samples) and noxious chemicals as required by the post.
• To undertake complex calculations, manipulations and interpretation of data requiring long periods at the computer and a high degree of accuracy, so as to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of all reports - annual and monthly (including expert commentaries and surveys of recent literature sent to all participants and written and verbal communications with individual participants) - prepared by the post holder and to keep records of these as required by UKAS, often working under considerable time pressure in order to meet essential deadlines.
• To be responsible for and carry out proactive surveillance of participants’ performance to assist the Scientific Director in providing regular reports to relevant regulatory authorities, reports which may result in clinical laboratories with unacceptable performance being required to stop performing tests.
• To assist the Scientific Director in identifying the need for and preparing reports on adverse method performance and other relevant clinical incidents relating to all analytes monitored by the company for the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as appropriate.

Laboratory Informatics:

• To comply with local and national policies for the safe, legal secure and confidential processing and storage of technical and other information provided by participants or elsewhere, in accord with local, national, and other policy and to use Databases according to authorised protocols and complaint with the rules of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).
• To be competent in the use of Microsoft office and Teams (or equivalent) including, spread sheets and processing of data for audit, research and other scientific information gathering, including preparation of complex graphs for Annual Reviews and other reports.

Clinical:

• To provide expert advice to multidisciplinary professional groups developing regional, national and international services relevant to diagnostic tests within the remit of the company.

Research and development:

• To undertake research and development (which may include the evaluation of new and improved procedures, instruments, and reagents) within the remit of EQA activities.
• To publish research work in peer reviewed journals, to present the work nationally and internationally (usually to audiences of 20 to 200 specialists and non-specialists) and to referee papers for scientific journals.

Qualification Attainments:

• First or second-class honours B.Sc. degree in Genetics, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Genomic Sciences, or allied subject.
• Appropriate publications in peer-reviewed journals.
• Significant experience in post as a Genomics Scientist in an appropriate role in laboratory medicine and/or EQA, with proven experience at a senior level of responsibility.
• Significant in-service experience and knowledge of the specialist theory and practice of EQA (including scheme design, data analysis and interpretation) as required for the provision of a comprehensive EQA service.
• Robust knowledge of genomic services in the UK and abroad.
• Comprehensive and proven up-to-date knowledge in genomics including all aspects of the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of diagnostic tests results.
• Practical experience of a wide range of techniques with evidence of experience in complex genomics techniques.

• Flexible working policy 
• A very generous contributory rate (10%) to your company pension. 
• All employees receive 27 days annual leave, plus bank holidays (pro rated for part time employees). This increases to 29 days (after 5 years service) and 33 days (after 10 years service). 
• Ongoing professional education is important to us and we will ensure you have the training needed to undertake your role. 
• Enhanced sickness pay.