Research Manager

This is an exciting time to join the Medical Research Foundation, as we prepare to launch our new five-year strategy. We are looking for an enthusiastic Research Manager who can manage research funding competitions to ensure that only the very best research and very best researchers receive our support.

The Foundation’s mission is to drive the life-changing advances of tomorrow, by laying the foundations for ground-breaking new discoveries today. We know that many health conditions are overlooked and underfunded, that new health threats will continue to arise, and that there will always be a need for high-quality, high impact medical research.

Reporting to our Senior Research Manager, you will help us deliver our Research Strategy by planning, co-ordinating and delivering bespoke funding competitions in areas of high need, such as the Impact of Climate Change on Health, or Mental Health. You will also be responsible for managing awarded grants. Your main responsibilities will be to:

• Plan, co-ordinate and deliver bespoke funding competitions.
• Convene grant funding committees and prepare review guidance.
• Oversee peer review and safeguard standards: manage conflicts of interest, minute the meetings, coordinate actions and draft feedback to applicants.
• Keep abreast of developments in best practice of research management and grant funding, and introduce improvements to processes.
• Horizon scan and carry out scoping exercises in research areas of interest to the Foundation.
• Assist in development and preparation of papers, reports, briefings and documents.
• Oversee the development and delivery of scientific workshops of invited experts to develop research funding priority areas and/or support funding calls.
• Line manage one Grants Officer and have responsibility for their day-to-day work.

Who you are

You may be a Research or Grants Manager, or an experienced Research or Grants Officer looking for the next step in their career.  Or, you may have a biomedical research background, with other experience of funding competitions. You will be educated in life sciences to degree level or equivalent experience, and you may have a Masters or a PhD in a relevant discipline.

We would like to hear from you if you can:

• demonstrate experience of funding competitions, peer review or grant management in a biomedical sciences research/funding environment
• communicate clearly in writing and verbally with colleagues, scientists and other stakeholders 
• demonstrate good research and analytical skills
• work in an organised and methodical manner with excellent attention to detail
• demonstrate strong planning, organising and time-management skills with the flexibility to respond to team priorities and unexpected changes
• find solutions to problems by reviewing best practice elsewhere
• demonstrate high level of IT skills, specifically excellent M/S Word, and good M/S Excel.
• work confidently in a team and be self-motivated to work alone
• provide excellent customer service

We will offer you

We will offer a salary of £45,000 to £47,000 depending on experience for a full-time 36-hour week (happy to consider part-time, min 0.8 FTE) and double-matched pension contributions up to 10% max employer contribution.  We offer 30 days of annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata) per year, excellent financial, health and social benefits and an opportunity to join a dedicated team making a difference to human health.  We value spending time working in-person to develop strong connections with each other and with our mission, therefore we work from our London office for part of the week with the option to work remotely for the remainder.