Job Description: Head of Services (Interim)

Reports to: Acting Director of Operations

Location:Head Office, Vauxhall

Hours:Full Time

Contract: 12 month contract (subject to review)

Salary: £42,000-£48,000 depending on experience

Pancreatic Cancer UK

We are the only national charity fighting pancreatic cancer on all fronts: support, information, campaigning, research. We are striving for a long and good life for everyone diagnosed with pancreatic cancer

We have a campaign goal to double pancreatic cancer survival rates within the next five years (helping to save the lives of up to 250 people each year) – and to move the experience of people affected by pancreatic cancer in the UK from being one of the worst to one of the best.

This is an exciting time for the Charity as we are expanding our services team to enable us to establish a regional presence across the UK. This role will be responsible for managing the regional pilot work we are currently undertaking to test out a regional structure.

Dedicated pancreatic cancer support and information services

The Charity has a growing range of services which it provides to people affected by pancreatic cancer.

  • We run a confidential Support Line for anyone affected by pancreatic cancer. Our Pancreatic Cancer Nurse Specialists provide individual specialist information about pancreatic cancer, treatment options and managing symptoms and side effects. They also listen to concerns and provide support.
  • We run online discussion forums for pancreatic cancer patients and carers and families to enable them to share experiences, information, inspiration and hope -
  • We provide easy access to the best and most up-to-date information on pancreatic cancer through our website and a growing range of printed materials –
  • This year we will be piloting new local ‘Patient Information Sessions’ to provide more support to newly diagnosed patients and families at a local level.

Nurse training programme and health professional network

  • We provide training for nurses who are involved in the care of pancreatic cancer patients through a national HPB study day and regional training events.
  • We have set up and our developing a health professional network for nurses and other health professionals working in pancreatic cancer care to provide support to each other and share new developments.

Involvement

  • We have a network of Pancreatic Cancer Voices. These are people with a personal experience of pancreatic cancer who get involved in our work through a variety of ways including – providing the patient or carer perspective at events and conferences, taking part in user research, reviewing our information, sharing their story with the media, helping us campaign locally and representing the charity at events.
  • We aid supporters to set up local support groups by providing a helping hand to get them started.

In addition the Charity:

  • Funds research and other projects of benefit to patients and their families
  • Raises awareness of pancreatic cancer, particularly among GPs, policy makers and politicians and the general public, providing a powerful campaigning voice for all people living with pancreatic cancer, and their families.

Purpose of Role

This is an exciting role at Pancreatic Cancer UK, and one which is critical to the charity’s vision and mission. The purpose of the role is to lead all of the services activities of the organisation. This includes managing, developing, monitoring and evaluating and promoting the charity’s support and information services to pancreatic cancer patients, and to anyone else affected by the disease (including families and friends).

The national services currently available are a telephone and email Support Line staffed by specialist nurses and an online discussion forum. This year we will be piloting local patient information days across the UK and testing new models of online chats. We also provide information standard accredited printed and online information on pancreatic cancer.

The services team is also developing a health professional network and provides national and regional training days to health professionals (in particular nurses) working with people affected by pancreatic cancer.

The services team also works closely with the Involvement Team who look after supporter engagement at the charity and are working to get more support groups set up across the UK. The Head of Services will not directly manage this team but will be expected to ensure the work of the services team and involvement team are well integrated and to deputise for the Director of Operations in managing this team.

The Services Team

The Services Team consists of seven posts – Head of Services, Pancreatic Cancer Nurse Manager, Information Manager, three Pancreatic Cancer Specialist Nurses and an Operations Administrator. The Nurse Manager and pancreatic cancer nurse specialists are all remote workers.

The Involvement Team includes an Involvement Manager and two Community Co-ordinators (All remote workers).

Duties and key responsibilities

  • Management of the charities services function and team including the Support Line and online services.
  • Strategic leadership of the Services Team including development and implementation of annual operating plans and budget.
  • Ensure infrastructure required to run servicesis in place and maintained (including phone system, IT systems and monitoring systems).
  • Ensure the development and implementation of services and information policy and procedures to ensure services meet good practice guidelines, adhere to good information and clinical governance and meet data protection requirements.(Working with the Services Managers).
  • Manage the development of new local services ensuring they meet the needs of pancreatic cancer patient and carers.
  • Monitoring and evaluation of existing services.
  • Development of strategies for marketing services to the NHS and public working closely with the communications and marketing team.
  • Management responsibility for the production of all health information produced for the public on pancreatic cancer.
  • Be responsible for ensuring compliance of all information products with the requirements of the Information Standard and the Pancreatic Cancer UK information production processes and policy.
  • Adhere to the processes for Information production set out within the Information Policy Statement and Information Production Manual.
  • Ensure information produced by the Charity is based on up to date, high quality and evidence based.
  • Maintain and develop the Medical Advisory Board to provide clinical expertise to the services team and wider charity.
  • Manage the development and maintenance of a health professional network
  • Manage the development and implementation of a training programme for nurses and other health professionals working within pancreatic cancer.
  • Ensure the work of the services team is integrated with the work of the involvement team.
  • Deputising for the Director of Operations in the management of the Involvement Team.
  • Represent the charity externally at conferences, meetings and undertaking media work.
  • Ensure that professional relationships already established are maintained and strengthened
  • Become aware of emerging leaders in the field of pancreatic cancer treatment and care
  • Contribute to the development of the Charity’s’ overall aims as part of the Charity’s Management Team
  • Any other reasonable duty as may be assigned that is consistent with the nature of the job and its level of responsibility

Working arrangements

  • At times the job requires flexible working hours (during evenings and weekends) to meet the needs and aims of the Charity
  • Travel across the UK will be required as part of the role.
  • The postholder may be able to work one day a week at home, but this will be subject to negotiation

This job description is not exhaustive and amendments and additions may be required in line with future changes in policy. Any changes will be made in consultation with the postholder.

Person Specification

Qualifications

  • Educated to degree level (Essential)

Experience

  • Experience of managing a services function within a Charity or the NHS (Essential)
  • Experience of writing and implementing good practice service polices and procedures (Essential)
  • Experience of maintaining quality and good governance in service provision (Essential)
  • Proven track record of increasing uptake of services (Essential).
  • Experience of managing a helpline or information line (Desirable)
  • Experience of managing online services and online community development (Desirable)
  • Experience of monitoring and evaluating services (Essential).
  • Experience responding to user experience and feedback to develop services and information (Essential).
  • Experience of managing services for people with a health condition (Essential)
  • Experience of managing service provision for people affected by a health condition with a poor prognosis (Desirable).
  • Experience of producing or managing the production of quality evidence based health information (Essential).
  • Experience of working to the information standard accreditation (Desirable).
  • Experience of managing user experience or volunteer function (Desirable).
  • Experience of managing and developing teams (Essential)
  • Planning and budgeting experience (Essential)
  • Proven track record of building and maintaining relationships with the NHS or other charities to develop service provision (Essential).
  • Experience of managing remote workers (Desirable).

Knowledge

  • Good working knowledge of information technology, particularly how health information is used on the internet (Essential)
  • Excellent understanding of NHS structures (Essential)
  • Good understanding of the challenges of a cancer diagnosis (Desirable)

Skills and Abilities

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills being able to communicate complex information and requirements to a wide range of audiences(Essential)
  • Ability to analyse complex health information (Essential)
  • Ability to have empathy with service users (Essential)
  • Excellent project management and time management skills (Essential)
  • Ability to set and achieve goals and deadlines for the team and own role (Essential)
  • A positive approach to work with excellent problem solving skills (Essential)

Attributes and Approach

  • Work with energy and enthusiasm (Essential)
  • Flexible and involving approach to team working (Essential)
  • Take a calm approach to varying workload and pressures from external and internal stakeholders (Essential)
  • A commitment to the vision and aims of the charity (Essential)
  • Professional confidence; the ability to represent the organisation and their sector expertise confidently with a range of contacts across the pancreatic cancer community (Essential)
  • High level of initiative, with a commitment to developing a high quality service (Essential)

Training, development and support will be provided for the successful candidate, as agreed.


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Please return to:
Anna Jewell
Acting Director of Operations
Pancreatic Cancer UK
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