Location (UK): London office hybrid* or Chesterfield office hybrid*
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
Travel: Weekly travel around the UK required
 

Through our diversity and inclusion strategy, we have made a commitment to increase the diversity of our charity and we welcome candidates from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences. We want our employees, volunteers and trustees to represent the broad diversity of the communities of which we are a part.

Versus Arthritis is committed to keeping children, young people and vulnerable adults safe from harm. During the recruitment process Versus Arthritis will undertake safer recruitment practices and relevant checks to help make sure applicants are suitable to work with children, young people and vulnerable adults.

Summary

We are looking for an innovative leader to join us as the Head of MSK Intelligence and Research Impact in the Research and Health Intelligence Directorate. We need someone with highly developed influencing skills, and a proven ability to initiate and maintain strong partnerships with the life sciences sector to improve the lives of people with arthritis.

About the role

This will be a pivotal role in the Directorate and will help us take an evidence-led, creative and proactive approach to seeking out and telling the story of our research and health intelligence through data.

You will lead two key functions within the Directorate and the wider organisation – Health Intelligence and Research Impact. Both are intricately connected and require complementary expertise. You will bring strong professional knowledge and experience in at least one area and demonstrable understanding of, and keen interest in the other, to successfully lead this portfolio.

Key requirements

• A degree or qualification in a scientific discipline (e.g. biomedical / life sciences / population health).
• Demonstrable experience and skills using statistical analysis tools with good qualitative and quantitative evaluation skills. Some knowledge of epidemiological research methodology and tools and/or experience of collating and evaluating large scale data sets from diverse sources (e.g. academic / research/ NHS / national and international datasets/ health and care records).
• Excellent numeracy, information technology, and good written and oral communication skills. Experience and evidence of synthesising and communicating complex information and data to non-specialist audiences to achieve cut-through and engagement in graphical, written and oral formats.
• Understanding of public health issues and appreciation of the value of research in addressing them. Passionate about the value of involvement of lived experience and some experience or understanding of how to incorporate it in project life cycles.
• Demonstrable experience of providing thought leadership in one or all of the areas relevant to this role, i.e. impact and evaluation and/or health analyses and intelligence.
• Experience of leading and managing complex projects from scoping to delivery, within budget and to time, ensuring transparent and timely reporting as required.
• Excellent financial management skills with experience of developing and delivering complex budgets, leading contract and procurement negotiations and ensuring timely delivery of any externally commissioned work.
• Highly interactive and able to operate confidently across a wide range of teams and individuals at all levels within the charity and externally. Self-sufficient, independent, resilient and able to cope with ambiguity.
• Demonstrable team and line management skills, including overseeing team workplans, learning and development, and performance reporting alongside overall team wellbeing.

*As a hybrid worker the expectation is that you will spend around 40% of your working time in our office spaces or working in community settings. As an inclusive employer we will consider home-based working for anyone where office-based hybrid working would be a barrier to being able to work for us, for example for someone living with a long-term health condition or disability.