Please note, this role is a secondment opportunity only.
Purpose of the post
Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) is seeking an influential, values-driven academic to serve as senior academic figurehead and strategic champion for its Black Internship Programme (BIP), a national initiative widening participation and creating meaningful career pathways for Black talent in health data research.
Working with HDR UK’s Talent and Training team, interns, alumni, hosts and partners, the Academic Lead will provide intellectual leadership and external advocacy; influence sector practice; and build the partnerships, funding and progression routes needed to grow the programme’s reach, sustainability and impact.
Main responsibilities
- Strategic leadership, advocacy and thought leadership
- Act as the senior academic figurehead and strategic champion for the Black Internship Programme, strengthening its profile, credibility and influence across the UK health data research and life sciences sectors.
- Articulate a compelling vision for the programme’s future, positioning it as a catalyst for systemic change in access to research careers and the development of a more inclusive and representative research workforce.
- Champion the importance of diversity, inclusion and representation in health data research, making the case for why these are essential to research excellence, innovation, public trust and equitable health outcomes.
- Develop and communicate thought leadership on barriers to entry, progression and retention for Black talent in research, and on effective approaches to creating inclusive career pathways.
- Represent HDR UK and the BIP at senior-level meetings, conferences, sector events, university forums and external stakeholder engagements.
- Build relationships with influential academic leaders, funders, policymakers, research organisations and industry partners to strengthen collective action and encourage institutional commitment to change.
- Identify opportunities to influence institutional policies, recruitment practices, research culture and workforce development approaches beyond the programme itself.
- Growth, funding and financial sustainability
- Lead, alongside HDR UK’s Talent and Training leadership, the development and implementation of an ambitious growth and sustainability strategy for the BIP.
- Identify, cultivate and secure new sources of funding, including research and philanthropic grants, charitable funding, corporate sponsorship, industry investment and strategic funding partnerships.
- Develop compelling funding propositions that demonstrate the programme’s value, outcomes and potential for national impact.
- Build relationships with prospective funders, sponsors and philanthropic partners, positioning the BIP as an investable, evidence-led programme with a clear social and research impact proposition.
- Work with HDR UK colleagues to identify relevant funding opportunities, shape grant applications and contribute to the development of successful bids.
- Secure and develop anchor partnerships with universities, research institutes, NHS organisations, life sciences companies and other employers willing to make sustained commitments to the programme.
- Champion multi-year funding and partnership models that provide greater financial stability, enable programme expansion and reduce reliance on short-term funding cycles.
- Explore opportunities to extend the programme’s reach through complementary initiatives, including alumni development, mentoring, career progression support and new pathways into postgraduate research and employment.
- Strategic partnerships and sector engagement
- Develop a network of high-value strategic partnerships that can support the programme’s growth, influence and long-term sustainability.
- Engage senior leaders across academia, industry, healthcare, government and the third sector to secure commitments to hosting interns, providing mentoring, funding activities and supporting career progression.
- Establish and nurture a core group of anchor partners willing to make multi-year commitments to internships, funding, expertise or other resources.
- Mobilise academic networks and institutional relationships to identify new host organisations, broaden geographical reach and increase opportunities across different areas of health data research.
- Encourage universities and research organisations to embed inclusive talent development within their wider workforce strategies and research cultures.
- Facilitate collaboration between partners to share effective practice, strengthen the intern experience and create clearer routes into research careers.
- Represent the programme in relevant national networks, advisory groups and strategic forums, ensuring its contribution is recognised within wider research workforce and skills agendas.
- Systemic change and inclusive research careers
- Champion practical approaches to addressing structural barriers that limit access to research opportunities and career progression for Black students and graduates.
- Promote the development of new, accessible and sustainable pathways into health data science, including opportunities spanning academia, the NHS, industry, clinical research and the wider life sciences ecosystem.
- Encourage host organisations to move beyond internship provision alone, developing meaningful progression opportunities, mentoring, professional networks and routes into employment or further study.
- Use evidence, programme evaluation, intern and alumni experiences, and wider research to inform recommendations for improving access, inclusion and retention across the sector.
- Work with HDR UK to communicate the programme’s impact and build an evidence base for effective interventions that can be adopted or adapted by other organisations.
- Advocate for a more representative health data research workforce, recognising the importance of diversity in the people who conduct research, the questions they ask and the communities whose health data inform research.
- Support the development of a strong and visible community of Black health data talent, connecting current interns, alumni, mentors, academic leaders and employers.
- Programme development, impact and external profile
- Work closely with HDR UK’s BIP delivery team to ensure strategic ambitions translate into realistic plans, measurable outcomes and sustainable growth.
- Provide strategic advice on programme priorities, future development, partnership opportunities and the evolution of the BIP offer.
- Support the development of an ambitious programme narrative that communicates its achievements, demonstrates its value and makes the case for continued investment.
- Contribute to impact reporting, case studies, publications, presentations and other outputs that demonstrate the programme’s contribution to individual careers, organisational practice and wider systemic change.
- Champion the voices and achievements of interns and alumni, ensuring their experiences inform programme development and are represented appropriately in external communications.
- Advise on opportunities to strengthen the programme’s governance, advisory arrangements and strategic relationships.
- Support the identification and development of complementary initiatives that increase the programme’s impact and help establish a sustainable, connected talent pipeline.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
