Senior Translational Partnerships Officer in London

Salary: £44,340

Role duration: Permanent (37.5 hours per week)

Location: London, UK (Hybrid – 50% office attendance)

Purpose - what you will be achieving

Too much good science stalls before it reaches patients, and rarely for want of ambition. It stalls because the people and organisations needed to move promising research forward are not always aligned early enough: researchers, funders, the NHS, industry, regulators, investors and charities may each hold part of the solution, but not always a shared plan for delivery.

The Academy is well placed to change that. Its independence means partners trust it to act for patients rather than for any one institution. Its Fellowship reaches into every discipline and it can convene people who rarely share the same room.

The Translation Catalyst Programme is how the Academy turns that position into action, and this role leads it. It is about building the operating system around UK science -- the alignment and shared infrastructure that let research succeed -- and, over time, a national asset. It is a building role as much as a delivery one. The function is new, its scale is not fixed in advance, and much of the job is bringing in the partners and external funding -- from industry, venture capital, research councils, health charities and others -- that will decide how far and how fast it can go. Success here is measured by what changes in the system, not by what the Academy announces.

The Senior Translational Partnerships Officer will contribute expert analysis, coordination and delivery within a defined area of the Academy’s research translation work. Reporting to the Translational Partnerships Lead, this role supports agreed priorities through programme and project activity, and may lead discrete workstreams or specialist portfolios where coordinated action could help the UK build translational advantage. You will support evidence gathering, develop options, coordinate partner input, monitor delivery risks and issues, and provide clear, reliable advice and reporting to more senior colleagues.

You will work at the interface of biomedical science, policy, programme delivery and stakeholder engagement. The role requires well-developed knowledge and experience of the UK research and health system, strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills, and the ability to apply specialist expertise thoughtfully and accurately to practical organisational challenges.

The role combines specialist partnership support with practical delivery, ensuring that activity is well evidenced, well coordinated and aligned with agreed objectives, governance frameworks and wider Academy priorities.

About the role - what you will be doing

• Supporting and leading defined workstreams
• Support the delivery of a defined area of translational activity with research and health system partners, ensuring agreed outputs are delivered to required standards and timescales.
• Lead discrete workstreams or specialist project activity where appropriate, managing day-to-day progress, risks and issues within agreed objectives and escalating decisions to your line manager.
• Set and manage work priorities for yourself and, where relevant, provide day-to-day guidance to other colleagues.

• Convening the system to close translational gaps
• Support deep-dives, workshops and round tables into defined areas where the UK can build advantage, contributing to evidence gathering and structured analysis of translational barriers.
• Work with partners and Academy colleagues to develop options, actions and recommendations that respond to the evidence and can be monitored and reported.
• Contribute evidence and insight to discussions with funders, partners, collaborators, Fellows, industry, charities and the wider health system, including multi-organisation initiatives where appropriate.

• Bridging discovery to development
• Provide high-quality input to the design and development of Academy interventions that help promising science move from discovery towards development, including partnership propositions, pilot activity or programme models.
• Work closely with the Grants and Programmes team so that new schemes are deliverable, well governed and aligned with the Academy’s wider programme portfolio.
• Provide clear, reliable advice on translational pathways, stakeholder needs and delivery risks, supporting senior colleagues to make decisions based on robust analysis.

• Developing translational pathways in collaboration
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with partners across the health and research system, supporting opportunities where Academy convening and expertise can add value.
• Develop and support practical mechanisms for collaboration, such as workshops, roundtables or partnership propositions, working closely with Academy colleagues.
• Help shape projects that connect scientific opportunity with development, adoption or commercial pathways, drawing on Fellows and external expertise as appropriate.
• Synthesise evidence from a range of sources, develop options and identify practical implications, ensuring risks, benefits and governance considerations are clearly presented.
• Protect the Academy’s independence by ensuring partnerships are transparent, well governed and consistent with the Academy’s charitable purpose.

• Building partnerships and funding
• Support partnerships that bring in external capability and insight, including from industry, public funders, research charities, regulators and healthcare provider organisations.
• Support partner engagement with professionalism and care, helping to document realistic commitments and shared ownership within agreed objectives and governance.
• Provide regular reporting on progress, risks, issues and resources to the Translational Partnerships Lead, escalating where appropriate.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the Academy so that partnership work supports team, Directorate and wider organisational priorities.

Closing date for applications is 2 August 2026 at 12.00

Interviews will likely be held between 10 August 2026 and 21 August 2026

Requirements

• Well-developed experience in research translation
• Well-developed knowledge and experience in a relevant area such as biomedical science, research policy, programme delivery, grants management, stakeholder engagement, translational research or life sciences innovation. You will understand key stages in the movement of promising research towards development, adoption or commercial application, and common barriers that can affect progress.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving and communication skills
• The ability to synthesise evidence, interpret varied and sometimes novel issues, develop options and communicate clear, reliable advice. More senior colleagues will rely on the quality, accuracy and robustness of your analysis when making decisions.

• Credibility with external stakeholders
• Credibility with stakeholders in the UK research, science, health, policy or life sciences environment. You will be able to participate effectively in discussions with funders, partners, collaborators, Fellows, industry, charities or the wider health system, including multi-organisation or international initiatives where appropriate.

• Project and partnership delivery
• Experience supporting partnerships, projects or workstreams and helping to turn shared priorities into practical plans. You will be comfortable coordinating contributions, tracking actions, identifying risks and issues, and working within established frameworks, evidence and precedent.

• Delivery, standards and delegated responsibility
• Experience managing a defined area of work, project or specialist activity to required standards and timescales. You may have delegated responsibility specific areas of work.

• Defined autonomy, collaboration and organisational awareness
• The ability to operate with defined autonomy within clearly agreed objectives, priorities and governance frameworks. You will set and manage priorities for yourself and, where relevant, others; self-initiate work in support of team or Directorate objectives; understand the strategy for your area and how your role contributes to wider Academy priorities; and seek input from colleagues as needed.

Benefits

We offer a competitive and evolving benefits package designed to support your wellbeing, development and work–life balance, including:

• Competitive salary and pension
• 26 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Option to buy or sell annual leave
• Additional paid closure between Christmas and New Year
• Hybrid and flexible working
• Health, wellbeing and employee support programmes
• Cycle-to-work scheme and everyday benefits
• Structured learning and development
• Enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity leave
• Enhanced occupational sick pay.
• A range of enhanced benefits become available once you’ve completed your probation period