Data Manager (Global Surgery) – College of Medical and Dental Sciences – 103809 – Grade 4

Position Details

College of Medical and Dental Sciences

Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK

Full time starting salary is normally in the range £25,866 to £27,518, with potential progression once in post to £30,820

Grade: 4

Full Time, Fixed Term contract up to May 2026

Closing date: 16th June 2024

UK and International travel may be required for this role

Our offer to you

People are at the heart of what we are and do.

The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.

We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.

We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.

Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.

The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.

Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham

Background

The Research Programmes and Infrastructure team, part of the College of Medical & Dental Sciences Research Office, is a vibrant hub for Professional Service staff (~80 individuals) supporting high-value, strategically important projects and programmes. We work closely with both Professional Services colleagues and Academics across the University and partner organisations, to maximise the impact of funded research, and lead on the development of renewals for large infrastructure awards. 

The Data Manager role will be embedded within the Global Surgery Unit (GSU) and, more broadly, within the Surgical Innovation portfolio of research projects and programmes. The role will be located in the Institute for Translational Medicine – and benefit from established relationships with programme partners and key stakeholders including NHS Trusts, collaborating research institutions locally, nationally and globally, patient and public contributors, charities and funders. 

Role Summary

The post holder will join a team of Professional Services staff providing management and administrative support to the portfolio of projects including the NIHR Unit on Global Surgery, Wellcome LEAP SAVE programme, and NIHR programme on Green Surgery. While based in the Institute of Translational Medicine at the University of Birmingham, the post will support colleagues across our global network of Research Hubs.

The Global Surgery Unit (GSU) coordinates an international network of surgeons conducting innovative surgical research that directly improves the delivery of surgical care and outcomes for their patients. The Unit has established sustainable clinical research infrastructure in seven countries – Benin, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Mexico, Rwanda, South Africa but also works with over 20,000 clinicians from over 100 countries. 

Our ethos is inclusive and collaborative: we work across clinical disciplines with surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses, medical students, other healthcare professionals and non-clinicians including policy makers, epidemiologists and economists, as well as patients and community members. 

Our work is centred around four key pillars:

1. Research and Innovation
2. Capacity building; Education and Training
3. Patient and Community Engagement
4. Advocacy and Impact

The post holder will support the GSU Management Team to ensure our programme of work is are delivered in line with milestones set with our funders, working closely with a wide range of UK academic staff, as well as colleagues in the Birmingham Clinical Trials Unit (BCTU) and staff at the 7 GSU Hubs.

Main Duties

• Acting as a key communications point for research teams and other associated members, you will receive and resolve queries through to resolution.
• Proactively managing communications with, for example, clinical investigators, research support staff and others in external centres for data collection, ensuring everyone is kept up to date as appropriate.
• Ensuring confidentiality on all work at all times.
• Ensuring the smooth day-to day running of the study protocol and the data collection, flagging up any issues to your manager.
• Checking for any inconsistencies, identifying and resolving any missing, incomplete or contradictory data. This will be via REDCap software.
• Assisting with general data management and record keeping.
• Responsibility for accurately entering data into a variety of research and administrative databases, including non-routine or ad-hoc data (i.e. that requires more interpretation or development of new codes) under guidance.
• Performing regular, systematic checks to validate and verify information on the data base(s) in order to produce a clean, accurate and complete data set for analysis. Identifying and resolving any missing, incomplete or contradictory data. Producing reports and lists on both a regular and ad-hoc basis.
• Working with senior staff you will test data entry, validation and report generation applications, reporting errors and suggesting modifications. You may create and test simple ad-hoc data bases, forms, surveys and report generation on your own initiative.
• Providing administrative support as required. This may include maintaining stocks of supplies, assisting in organising meetings and travel, handling petty cash, and day to day distribution of materials to external centres.
• Developing and documenting standard operating procedures for the work of the post, for review by managers. Assisting with the supervision and training of less senior team members, checking the work done by others as appropriate.
• Developing skills and experience by taking part in training to develop advanced computing and broader trial/data management skills.
• Covering for managers within own area of expertise.
• Any other duties as may be required commensurate with the post.
• Supports equality and values diversity, moderates own behaviour to avoid unfair discriminatory impact or bias on others.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• GCSEs to a minimum of grade C/4 in English and Mathematics grade C/4 minimum (or equivalent level 2 qualification).
• Experience of medical data entry and data validation techniques. Able to query and maintain computer databases.
• Must demonstrate a critical and intelligent attention to detail including high standards of accuracy.
• Ability to work independently and prioritise own workload with minimum supervision to ensure tasks meet agreed deadlines.
• Ability to identify and break down potential problems using past experience and knowledge of good research practices.
• Ability to proactively suggest improvements to working procedures under supervision.
• Office experience with administrative skills that include computing and office automation skills (e.g. email, excellent word processing, good document layout etc).
• Experience of using videoconferencing systems and software.
• Aptitude for learning and applying new skills, and once trained have the ability to work independently to gather information or simply finding missing or inaccurate data.
• An interest in developing an understanding of the general underlying concepts of trial design, conduct and analysis.
• Ability to follow complex data management and administration procedures including the operation and maintenance of complex computer database and information systems.
• Flexible and willing attitude to being part of a multidisciplinary and multinational teams.
• Understands the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace.
• Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant policies and procedures.

Dimensions

You will not be required to line manage anyone in this role or manage a budget.

Planning and Organising

You will be responsible for the management of data and providing administrative support in a defined area. You will be responsible for managing your own workload and for planning and prioritising your work to ensure you meet agreed deadlines.

Problem Solving and decision making

You will be expected to solve most day to day data management and administrative queries without referring to your manager. You will, however, have access to guidance and support as required. You will need to consult others when dealing with complex queries.

Internal and External relationships

Internal staff and external contacts and suppliers.

Further particulars can be found here

Informal enquiries to Lucy Caton, email: [email protected] 

View our staff values and behaviours here 

We believe there is no such thing as a ‘typical’ member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website.