Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Laboratory Manager, with good interpersonal skills and a strong commitment to team working to join the Cellular Pathology department, located at the Chelsea site of The Royal Marsden Hospital.

The major focus of the role will be responsibility for the service provision of a timely, cross-site, clinically critical laboratory service within the Histopathology department, primarily supporting the solid tumour pathway including genomic referrals and the cytology pathway.

The laboratory provides patients both at the Trust and at other hospitals across the UK, with an expert led diagnostic and second opinion service.

This is an exciting time to join the Cellular Pathology Team as we move forward with our programme of modernisation. As part of that the post holder will oversee the implementation of digital pathology technology and new workflows which will complete the digitization of the service following the recent Epic LIMS / EPR implementation.

Applicants must have a relevant higher degree or equivalent, HCPC registration, evidence of post-registration study and management skills training.

This is a full time post.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for the service provision of a timely, clinically critical laboratory service within the Histopathology department covering the Chelsea site.

Supporting clinical teams within the Trust, nationally and internationally, providing an expert diagnostic service for users of the solid tumour, Cytology and genomic referral pathways in conformance with the Cancer plan / waiting time targets.

The post holder will be responsible for the direction and operational management of the Cellular Pathology laboratory, Chelsea, including 30 staff and a budget of £ Ensuring appropriate and cost-effective purchasing arrangements for equipment and materials, effective staff recruitment and the delivery of training to BMS and other staff within the Department to ensure continuity of service, at all times.

About us

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer.

We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services.

We have two hospitals - one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey - as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best.

That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways.

There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance.

We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification .

• To ensure the laboratory has an innovative approach to service delivery, taking into account Trust and national strategies.
• To be responsible for, directly or by delegation, a wide range of managerial and administrative duties including staff rotas, work schedules, appraisals, absence monitoring, report writing and contribution to or writing of business cases.
• Responsibility for ensuring service level agreements and other formal agreements are in place to ensure service continuity at all times.
• Responsible for policy implementation and for discrete policy or service development for the Histopathology laboratory service to the Trust, region and beyond.
• To follow agreed protocols and policies seeking advice where appropriate from Departmental Clinical Lead, Director of Pathology, Directors of the Division and senior staff in other divisions within the Trust

Person Specification

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Advanced communication skills in all media including e-mail and phone
• Ability to lecture and facilitate learning meetings
• Ability to produce documents of publishable standard
• Ability to use in-house IT systems
• Competent in use of main Microsoft software applications
• Educational qualification in mathematics
• Ability to perform complex scientific calculations & data analysis
• Ability to perform statistical analysis of data & interpretation
• Able to deal with advanced trouble shooting in all laboratory areas

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Evidence of proven commitment to continued personal and professional development
• Enthusiasm for job and profession
• Specific career plan and educational aspirations
• Authoritative in dealing with staff
• Confident liaising with other areas
• Proven leadership skills
• Ability to motivate & influence laboratory staff
• Decision maker, can deal with unexpected situations
• Proactive, receptive to new ideas Ability to present concepts imaginatively and clearly
• Ability to formulate laboratory policies

Specific Experience

Essential

• BMS degree, HCPC registration
• Evidence of continuing post registration study
• Higher degree or equivalent
• Minimum 5 years post registration experience in relevant field(s)
• Evidence of leadership / supervisory skills
• Full understanding of Trust and National policies
• Knowledge of risk management and clinical governance issues
• Ability to organise rotas and work plans with a view to managing changing deadlines or situations
• Ability to plan for Trust targets
• Full understanding of departmental quality management, internal & external
• Full understanding of accreditation standards
• Ability to deal with incidents and plan follow up actions

Desirable

• Chartered Scientist status
• Qualification in specific area of laboratory service or expertise

Management experience

Essential

• Ability to direct the provision of a cross-site laboratory service
• Full understanding of relevant departmental and NHS Trust organisational and logistical issues
• Ability to manage a budget and identify / deliver CIP plans
• Full understanding of HR policies, issues and their management
• Ability to manage change
• Experience in staff recruitment and selection

Clinical responsibility

Essential

• Understanding of relationship between laboratory investigations and clinical practice
• Awareness of clinical significance of laboratory findings and implications for patients
• Ability to extrapolate from basic information to advise on additional investigations to perform
• Ability to review anomalous / unexpected findings and take further appropriate action
• Ability to provide technical and scientific advice for own discipline across Trust
• Ability to act as scientific lead for discipline across Trust

Last updated : 2024-04-28