Operational Manager - Data Connect
Listed on 2026-09-24
-
Management
Operations Management, Project & Program Management, Administrative Management, Healthcare Management
Job Title:
Operational Manager - Data Connect
Posting
Start Date:
22/09/2026
Job
School/Department:
School of Medicine & Population Health
Work Arrangement:
Full Time (Hybrid)
Contract Type:
Fixed-term
Closing Date: 07/10/2026
The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.
OverviewData Connect is a Centre of Excellence within the University of Sheffield, based in the School of Medicine and Population Health (Faculty of Health). We facilitate researcher access to vital health and social care data, directly contributing to research that enhances and saves lives.
We are seeking maternity cover for our Operational Lead to run the day-to-day delivery of a wide portfolio of complex health data assets. Working at the intersection of university research and healthcare innovation, you will collaborate closely with researchers across the University, data providers, and key stakeholders across the South Yorkshire region. You will act as the key liaison working across organisational boundaries to untangle complex data access workflows.
As Operational Lead, you will work within the multi-disciplinary Data Connect team to turn research needs into clear, practical development plans, break down technical and data governance requirements, and keep our data pipelines moving smoothly. Working alongside the Head of Data Connect, you will lead our delivery team, keep projects on track, and ensure our service stays efficient and sustainable.
Main duties and responsibilities- Oversee the complete Data Connect portfolio of work, tracking project progress and maintaining clear reporting up to the Head of Service on delivery milestones, risks, and blockers.
- Lead the project management function, providing overarching management of all active projects, data pipelines, and delivery schedules.
- Run agile ceremonies (daily stand-ups, sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives) to turn complex research needs into practical development plans and technical outputs.
- Coordinate the team to ensure project scoping and initial engagement run efficiently, continuously refining processes to improve the user experience for researchers and streamline effort for the team.
- Work with the Head of Service to track, monitor, and report annual KPIs, metrics, and overall service performance to governance boards and senior stakeholders.
- Lead overall team management and recruitment across the service, ensuring appropriate contracts are maintained and staff are onboarded or scaled based on project demand.
- Monitor team workloads and capacity, identifying skills gaps across core delivery staff and matrix-managed specialists.
- Foster a supportive, high-performing team culture, providing line management, professional development, and day-to-day guidance to direct reports.
- Ensure robust financial management across the service, overseeing multi-source project budgets, financial forecasting, and cost tracking to maintain sustainability in a complex funding environment.
- Support and guide the team in producing professional, up-to-date service communications that accurately reflect current activity and achievements across all channels.
- Work alongside the Head of Service to maintain a strong presence across the University, representing Data Connect at key internal meetings, committees, and Communities of Practice (CoP).
- Act as an operational link between Data Connect, the South Yorkshire ICB, and YH SDE, simplifying cross-organisational workflows and aligning dataset development with research needs.
Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and are respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the…
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