Assistant Cancer Data Manager

Job overview

The Improvement Manager role within the Continuous Improvement and Innovation department at King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is a senior position focused on leading and supporting quality improvement projects. Reporting to the Senior Improvement Manager, this role is responsible for driving service improvements, enhancing patient outcomes, and optimising operational processes.

Main duties of the job

The Improvement Manager plays a vital role in leading and supporting quality improvement initiatives within the Continuous Improvement and Innovation department.

Working for our organisation

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1.8 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King’s to another level.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Main Responsibilities
• Project Management
• Define, scope, and plan improvement projects to ensure successful delivery.
• Identify milestones, risks, and resources, ensuring projects align with strategic priorities.
• Track progress, maintain project documentation, and support cross-team collaboration.

Training & Coaching
• Deliver scheduled improvement training courses to staff, patients, and the public.
• Develop training materials to enhance learning methods and adapt to evolving needs.
• Coach teams on process improvement, equipping them with the skills and tools to drive change.

Stakeholder Engagement
• Work closely with clinical teams, executives, patients, and carers to embed QI initiatives.
• Build strong relationships across departments to secure buy-in and encourage participation.
• Ensure alignment with patient safety, governance, and operational goals.

Data Analysis & Performance Monitoring
• Use data insights to track improvement outcomes and inform decision-making.
• Ensure data accuracy and quality before using it for reporting and performance evaluations.

Financial & Resource Management
• Occasionally manage project budgets, ensuring cost-effective improvements.
• Support cost improvement targets and optimize resource allocation.

People & Team Leadership
• Mentor and support interns and placement students involved in improvement work.
• Provide consistent feedback and ensure team members develop the skills needed for success.
• Conduct annual appraisals, monitor compliance with training requirements, and address team performance.

Person specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Minimum of degree level or equivalent extensive experience relevant to Project Manager
• Project Management qualification (e.g. PRINCE II Practitioner, APM, PMI, other PM certification)
• Recognised qualification in service improvement methodologies e.g. Lean, Six Sigma, Continuous Improvement

Desirable criteria

• Data analysis training

Knowledge and Experiance

Essential criteria

• Previous role in service improvement or evidence of managing service change
• Evidence of using Quality Improvement in service improvement
• Experience of managing more than one project at a time, ensuring sucessful results
• Experience impacting and influencing change without management authority
• Experience in training teams

Desirable criteria

• Experience in an acute healthcare setting
• Experience of data analysis for projects and improvement work
• Experience in supporting Trust-level implementation and delivery of an improvement approach
• Understanding of King’s system-wide improvement framework (KIM)

Skills and Competencies

Essential criteria

• Ability to communicate with a wide range of stakeholders from senior management to frontline staff
• Positive “can do” work ethos
• Demonstrates values and behaviours that align with the Trust’s and CQIs values (Find a Way, Take Strength from Diversity, Patient is our Purpose, Empower Others and Care about each other)
• Resilient and able to accommodate and address ambiguity and different styles of working
• Ability to lead teams through the improvement cycle
• A strong sense of personal and team accountability
• Flexibility to work independently or in a team as required
• “Self-starter”, demonstrates motivation in setting up projects and driving to achieve successful outcomes
• Ability to create an environment that supports individual growth and the creation of high-performance teams

Desirable criteria

• Ability to present messages succinctly and clearly through a wide range of stakeholders

IMPORTANT

• Check your email account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you
• If you delete the job from any of your accounts, you may be prevented from accessing further communications
• To enquire about your application or inform us of any changes in your circumstances, please contact the named person on this advert
• Please provide email addresses for referees where possible
• Please review the documentation on our recruitment microsite, particularly the Trust’s criminal records checking policy
• All staff have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and for ensuring they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.
• Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasion, we might close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Annual Reports and Other Corporate Publications

King's Health Partners Academic Health Science Centre Website

King's College Hospital is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between King's College London, and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.