The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is the largest cancer treatment centre of its kind in Europe, and an international leader in cancer research and development.  As well as housing the largest early-phase clinical trials unit in the UK and one of the largest in Europe, it is also the first UK centre to be officially accredited as a comprehensive cancer centre. Many clinical and scientific staff members have contributed to research, education and clinical developments, making The Christie proud to be responsible for having ‘world firsts’ and playing a crucial role in the advancement of cancer treatments and care for over 100 years.

The Christie School of Oncology is the UK’s first oncology education unit and a world class, state-of-the art teaching centre. It brings professional and pre-registration education for the whole cancer workforce together with a portfolio of professional development activities aimed at cancer specialists across the world.  We aspire to excellence across the integrated activities of cancer care, research, and education.  The School has been involved in a number of key developments, including the development of the new Christie Proton School, the launch of GatewayC, the primary care education tool nationally, and the delivery of the hugely successful Greater Manchester Cancer Conference. A core objective of The School is the development of the Christie workforce to maximise everyone’s potential and ensure that the Trust is responsive to the needs of our patients.

The Director of the Christie School of Oncology is one of the most senior and influential leaders in the organisation.  Responsible for the development, implementation, and delivery of a multi-disciplinary education strategy for the Trust, working closely with senior academic, clinical, and managerial leads to align educational opportunities with our areas of strength and ambition in the UK and across the world. By developing a new strategy for the School of Oncology, the Director will strengthen educational governance, transparency, and impact across both the Trust and the University of Manchester and be a visible champion within the Manchester health ecosystem for diversity and inclusion and widening access to education and services.  Importantly, the Director’s strategy will be  supported by the Manchester Cancer Research Centre’s (MCRC) non-clinical and clinical PhD doctoral programmes and education committee.

The new Director role comes at a time of steep trajectory for digital and virtual education builds in Manchester and medical education research programming within the Trust. Most recently, the Christie has invested in electronic patient outcomes (ePROMs) and is partnering with the MCRC to build a Digital Cancer Centre; this will allow for innovative health data science training through Health Education England on real-time electronic medical data. This affords a most exciting opportunity to create new medical sub-specialisation in clinical informatics and the medical education and research surrounding this ambition.  The Director will be supported by a Deputy Director, a Cancer Education and Professional Development Manager, and a number of clinical researchers who are involved in undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate training programmes (including the international Christie Fellowship programme).

The Director of the School of Oncology is a highly visible, senior leadership role, and requires someone who is visionary and ambitious. You will have personally led education programmes that have contributed to increased and diversified funding streams, improvements in patient outcomes and patient experience.  You will have built the international profile and impact of medical education within a university setting and have a track record in diversifying and growing talent.

For a confidential discussion, contact Richard Murphy, Robin Staveley, Tessa Harrison or Dr Melanie West of GatenbySanderson on 0203 854 2219.

Closing date: 9am Tuesday 1^st June 2021

Preliminary interviews: w/c 7^th June 2021

Final interview process: Monday 28^th June 2021