Research Administrator

Pier Health has an exciting opportunity for a hardworking, enthusiastic, and innovative Research Administrator to join our friendly Primary Care Network.

The successful applicant will be focusing on both active participation in research studies and providing essential administrative support. This dual-role position is designed for an individual who can seamlessly balance hands-on involvement in research activities with the efficient management of administrative tasks. The ideal candidate will possess strong organisational and communication skills, along with a proactive approach to ensuring the smooth operation of research projects within our primary care research team.

Why Pier?

We're growing our clinical and non-clinical teams to wrap additional support around our GP practices. With mental health nurses/assistants, dietetics, social prescribing, frailty liaison and enhanced Care Home support, on-site pharmacy; paramedic homebound support, first contact physiotherapy and some brilliant community partners across our patch, we're excited to see that by reducing red tape and working in a truly multi-disciplinary way, we're reducing GP workload while improving outcomes for our patients.

We believe strongly that diversity of background, thought and experience across Pier Health leads to better outcomes for our patients and more positive employee experiences and we are actively working towards this., We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Research Administrator to join our collaborative team, focusing on both active participation in research studies and providing essential administrative support. This dual-role position is designed for an individual who can seamlessly balance hands-on involvement in research activities with the efficient management of administrative tasks. The ideal candidate will possess strong organisational and communication skills, along with a proactive approach to ensuring the smooth operation of research projects within our primary care research team.

Generic responsibilities

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

A good attitude and positive action towards ED&I creates an environment where all individuals are able to achieve their full potential. Creating such an environment is important for three reasons - it improves operational effectiveness, it is morally the right thing to do and it is required by law.

Patients and their families have the right to be treated fairly and be routinely involved in decisions about their treatment and care. They can expect to be treated with dignity and respect and will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Patients have a responsibility to treat other patients and our staff with dignity and respect.

Staff have the right to be treated fairly in recruitment and career progression. Staff can expect to work in an environment where diversity is valued and equality of opportunity is promoted. Staff will not be discriminated against on any grounds including age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. Staff have a responsibility to ensure that they treat our patients and their colleagues with dignity and respect.

Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF)

This PCN is committed to supporting and promoting opportunities for staff to maintain their health, well-being and safety.

The post holder is to manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients and monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines.

All personnel have a duty to take reasonable care of health and safety at work for themselves, their team and others and to cooperate with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements. All personnel are to comply with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1999 and other statutory legislation.

Confidentiality

The PCN and associated practices are committed to maintaining an outstanding confidential service. Patients entrust and permit us to collect and retain sensitive information relating to their health and other matters pertaining to their care. They do so in confidence and have a right to expect all staff will respect their privacy and maintain confidentiality at all times.

It is essential that, if the legal requirements are to be met and the trust of our patients is to be retained, all staff protect patient information and provide a confidential service.

Quality and Continuous Improvement (CI)

To preserve and improve the quality of PCN outputs, all personnel are required to think not only of what they do but how they achieve it. By continually re-examining our processes, we will be able to develop and improve the overall effectiveness of the way we work.

The responsibility for this rests with everyone working within the PCN and practices to look for opportunities to improve quality and share good practice and to discuss highlight and work with the team to create opportunities to improve patient care.

Pier Health Group continually strives to improve work processes which deliver healthcare with improved results across all areas of our service provision. We promote a culture of continuous improvement where everyone counts and staff are permitted to make suggestions and contributions to improve our service delivery and enhance patient care.

Staff should interpret national strategies and policies into local implementation strategies that are aligned to the values and culture of general practice.

All staff are to contribute to investigations and root cause analyses whilst participating in serious incident investigations and multidisciplinary case reviews.

Learning and development

The effective use of training and development is fundamental in ensuring that all staff are equipped with the appropriate skills, knowledge, attitude and competences to perform their role. All staff will be required to partake and complete mandatory training as directed by their manager. It is an expectation for this post holder to assess and discuss their own learning needs and once agreed undertake learning as appropriate

The post holder will disseminate learning and information gained to other team members in order to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments (e.g. courses and conferences).

Collaborative working

All staff are to recognise the significance of collaborative working and understand their own role and scope and identify how this may develop over time. Staff are to prioritise their own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded within the culture of the team.

Teamwork is essential in multidisciplinary environments and the post holder is to work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working. To work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery

Effective communication is essential and all staff must ensure they communicate in a manner which enables the sharing of information in an appropriate manner.

All staff should delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessment of competence.

Plans and outcomes by which to measure success should be agreed.

Managing information

All staff should use technology and appropriate software as an aid to management in the planning, implementation and monitoring of care and presenting and communicating information.

Service delivery

Staff will be given detailed information during the induction process regarding policy and procedure.

The post holder must adhere to the information contained within PCN and local practice policies and regional directives, ensuring protocols are adhered to at all times.

Security

The security of the practice is the responsibility of all personnel. The post holder must ensure they remain vigilant at all times and report any suspicious activity immediately to their line manager.

Under no circumstances are staff to share the codes for the door locks with anyone and are to ensure that restricted areas remain effectively secured. Likewise, password controls are to be maintained and are not to be shared.

Professional conduct

At Pier Health all our staff are required to be professional at all times.

Primary responsibilities

1. Research Involvement

• Collaborate and support research team members to ensure seamless execution of study protocols and delivery of delegated duties.


• Conduct population health searches and identify suitable cohorts of potential recruits for current studies.


• Actively contribute to research studies by providing engagement and support to participants, assisting in data collection, and study tasks under the guidance of the research team or as delegated by the Principal Investigator.


2. Administrative Support

• Provide comprehensive administrative support for research projects, including scheduling meetings and clinics, booking participants, managing calendars, and coordinating study timelines with the team.


• Maintain accurate and organised documentation of research activities, records and communications, archiving.


• Manage associated logistics for clinics and studies, including consumables.


• Documenting SOPs and Notes to Files as required.


3.Communication and Collaboration

• Be the key point of contact for study teams


• Facilitate effective communication between Participant, research team members, study teams, clinical research network, NIHR etc.,


• Support Clinical Research Associate visits on site, coordinating the site team to aid completion of data queries, adverse event reports, preparations for data locks and sign off.


• Engage with website, social media and Patient Representative Groups to share news of research studies.


• Participate in meetings to forge new collaborations and opportunities which will attract more research studies for the local population.


4. Compliance

• Monitor and maintain compliance by the team with study protocols and regulatory guidelines throughout the research process.


• Data Management


• Collaborate with team members to support data-related activities, including data collection, monitoring checks (e.g. temperature monitoring), policies, protocols to support study delivery.


• Ensure data integrity and security throughout the research process.
  
  Higher education achievement in health sciences, public health, business administration or equivalent experience.


Experience

Proven experience in academic and commercial research studies including administrative roles and active participation, preferably in a healthcare or research setting.

Skills

Excellent organisational and time-management skills.

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and other relevant software.

Ability to work independently and collaboratively.

Attributes

Attention to detail and accuracy.

Proactive and solution-oriented approach.

Ability to handle sensitive information with confidentiality.

Flexibility and adaptability in a fast-paced environment.

Interpersonal Skills

Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective working relationships.

Ability to communicate effectively with individuals from diverse backgrounds.