Head of Colony Management Service (CMS)

Reports to: Deputy Director of the BRF

This is a full-time, permanent position on Crick terms and conditions of employment.

Summary

The Biological Research Facility supports all animal research at the Crick through our comprehensive animal care and use programme. The Biological Research Facility provides the Crick's laboratory animal resource and technical services. High quality multidisciplinary in-vivo and ex-vivo research support are at the heart of the BRF's philosophy and operations. The BRF is committed to improving animal welfare, scientific quality, care of staff and transparency for stakeholders. The BRF teams integrate husbandry of multiple species within a range of facilities, using state of the art technologies, via a talented and skilled team.

The Head of CMS will be responsible for overseeing and the delivery of high-quality colony management services. This role will provide leadership, management and development of the colony management team and service. The post holder will lead on collaboration and horizon scan to allow rapid uptake and implementation of policies and technologies relevant to the Crick’s science. As member of the BRF Senior Management Team, the post holder will work in collaboration with external and internal stakeholders to provide a comprehensive and adaptable service to the Crick.

Key responsibilities

These include but are not limited to:

• Leading and training a team of colony managers to efficiently, and effectively, manage the BRF’s & its users’ rodent & aquatic colonies. A multi-levelled approach will be required dependent on the user, and a good working relationship with the institute’s colony managers embedded within labs will be essential. The post holder will need to work closely with the BRF Head of Operations, Head of GeMS and GeMS Senior Manager Transgenic Services, to establish excellent working relationships and garner engagement, as well as engaging all GLs with colonies in the way colonies are managed at the Crick.
• Management & direction of the BRFs mouse database, maximising the benefits of the system to the science and increasing efficiencies for the BRF and the science users. Reporting on the BRFs productivity as well as developing tools to assist in management of the colonies & other BRF operations by the science users and BRF.
• Knowledge of and proven competence with other commonly used databases by the BRF.
• In close collaboration with the Head of BRF Education & Training, lead on the training of BRF staff and colony managers embedded within labs in colony management best practices, creating a culture of collaboration between the BRF & science users, encouraging engagement and joint working.
• Management of the BRF’s service Project Licence under A(SP)A, working with the NTCO and BRF teams to ensure supervision of personal licensees, compliance and that best practice is developed.
• To develop & lead a programme of work to track & manage the microbiota of the Crick’s mouse colonies and provide advice & support to the science users on the subject.
• To develop & manage a programme of genetic quality control for mouse strains to ensure that a consistent & reliable source of in-house bred mice is available to the science.
• Lead on BRF projects such as looking at external collaborations, and internal collaborations with STPs to maximise the service provided to the science as well as allowing a focus in the specialist services available in house.
• To oversee the shipment of animals, animal materials and germplasm, as well as human tissues to and from the institute, providing direction & support to the import/export team in the delivery of an excellent service.
• To collaborate with GeMS on uptake & expansion of colony management focused services, such as cryopreservation & rederivation.
• Develop a long-term strategy for the BRFs colony management to deliver an excellent, effective, and efficient service in line with science requirements and to science led deadlines.
• The post will contribute to the development of staff across the Institute and may engage in academic training in colony management theory and skills.
• Establish the Crick as an (inter)nationally recognised centre of excellence for colony management.

Key experience and competencies

The post holder should embody and demonstrate our core Crick values: bold, open, and collegial, in addition to the following:

Essential

Qualifications, experience, and competencies:

• A degree, or equivalent in a biological subject, in animal technology or a related     science or substantial experience in a relevant field.
• Proven managerial experience and responsibility for a team.
• A source of specialist expert guidance colony management with skills across the full breadth of services offered.
• Full knowledge of the current state of the art in technology and techniques relevant to colony management & microbiota services and maintains professional development to ensure state of the art provision of services.
• Knowledge and understanding of the requirements of the legislative framework, Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (Amended 2012).
• Detailed knowledge of Crick science, policies and procedures.
• Full understanding of health and safety legislation and requirements in relation to animal care and use.
• Conscious of resourcing constraints and acts to achieve value for money at all times.
• A commitment to a high standard of animal welfare and an ability to communicate this through the BRFs ‘culture of care’ programme.
• Knowledge of and proven competence with MCMS and other commonly used databases by the BRF.
• Evidence of and commitment to CPD.
• Good communication skills, both oral and written with the ability to relay straight forward and complex information to a broad range   of stakeholders.
• Good interpersonal skills enabling the post holder to influence and deliver at all levels.
• Strong planning skills, the ability to prioritize in the face of competing demands, proven success in delivering work personally (and through others) to tight deadlines.
• Strong decision-making skills with the ability to use initiative and improvise in a changing environment.
• An effective influencer able to build credibility through expertise and delivering results.

Desirable

• Experience of engagement in academic training (formal and/or informal)
• Further qualification in a related field is desirable (e.g. a relevant science, management and leadership etc.).
• Membership level of LASA and/ or IAT or equivalent.
• Experience with the provision of service in a core technology platform.
• Experience of holding a Project Licence under A(SP)A 1986 (amended 2012).