Research Inclusion Manager (NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium)

The NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium (NIHR MDC) is a £50 million, five‑year NIHR investment which brings together a diverse range of organisations with expertise in research, capacity development and working with people and communities to deliver a step change in maternity outcomes and to develop future research leaders in this area of need. Nine university‑led collaborations comprise the NIHR MDC. The NIHR MDC is co‑ordinated from Newcastle University (Research and Capacity Development) and the University of Birmingham (Research). The postholder will be based at Newcastle University and work closely with the Consortium team at the University of Birmingham. The University operates blended working, but it is expected you will spend the majority of your time on site.

The MDC research programme is structured around three themes, two workstreams and two core functions. The NIHR MDC’s research will help answer the most important questions facing policy makers, local authorities and service providers. Research Inclusion is a key aspect of the consortium’s work and the postholder will work closely with the Consortium co‑leads to ensure that inclusion is embedded throughout the entire research lifecycle of the theme, workstream, and core function work programmes, and that our capacity development plan broadens reach and inclusion – for example with under‑represented groups, regions, and disciplines.

The role is to work within the NIHR MDC to co‑develop and deliver the research inclusion strategy and related operational activity. Reporting to the Consortium Programme Manager (Newcastle), you will work collaboratively with Consortium co‑leads to support the consortium’s research inclusion activities and the capacity development plan to ensure that research inclusion is embedded across all MDC activities as a priority. This is a fixed‑term role until 31 July 2030. It is a part‑time role – 18.5 hours per week.

• Contribute to the development and delivery of the Consortium’s Research Inclusion strategy ensuring it aligns with the NIHR Research Inclusion Strategy.
• Provide specialist expertise, guidance, and operational leadership in research inclusion, ensuring best practices are embedded across the MDC.
• Proactively identify research inclusion opportunities to support the consortium’s work programme to enable delivery of outstanding research inclusion activity.
• Establish a programme of research inclusion training for staff to support learning and promote capacity development.
• Work closely with the Consortium’s co‑leads and theme/workstream leads to develop and implement systems to monitor and evaluate our research inclusion work using quantitative and qualitative data, and assess its impact for reporting purposes and oversee their implementation across the themes, workstreams and core functions.
• Responsible for the collation and management of information about our research inclusion activity and feedback through coordinating regular meetings with the NIHR Inclusion team.
• Responsible for liaising with and building strong relationships across the consortium, including acting as a point of contact, and with stakeholders across the NIHR and external organisations to promote inclusion practices.
• Take an active role in local, regional and national research inclusion networks to share learning from our activities and maintain up‑to‑date knowledge of best practice in research inclusion.
• Proactively identify research inclusion opportunities and lead the development and delivery of a programme of activities, with a focus on novel and innovative approaches that will promote awareness of inclusive approaches to maternity disparities.
• Provide guidance on the accessibility – for example of the website and written materials, working with the MDC’s Communications manager.
• Develop publicity materials and reports, website content and other written materials to ensure optimal external visibility of the consortium’s work.
• Manage the consortium’s research inclusion budget working with the Consortium’s Programme Manager (Newcastle) and provide effective financial management in support of research inclusion activity.
• Be aware of and comply with current data protection legislation, and ensure that all activity, data collection and management comply with these demands.
• Contribute to the delivery of wider NIHR MDC events to support inclusive practices are adopted.
• Any other relevant research inclusion activities required by the MDC co‑leads.

The Person

• Experience of developing, implementing and evaluating research inclusion strategies and methodologies, preferably in a research environment.
• Proven experience in embedding equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) within a complex organisation.
• A confident advocate for inclusion.
• Experience of project management, with the ability to work across multiple projects, meeting project milestones and producing high‑quality outputs.
• Experience of engaging with a range of stakeholders including community groups and voluntary sector organisations as well as research inclusion networks.
• An awareness of research inclusion best practice and NIHR priorities.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills relevant to interaction with, and dissemination of information to, diverse audiences (via verbal, written and other media).
• Ability to use initiative, prioritise and have a creative approach to problem solving.
• Ability to work flexibly and cooperatively with others as part of a multi‑professional team, but also able to deliver work independently.
• Experience of working with a range of stakeholders in developing processes and practices to achieve agreed objectives.
• Experience of research inclusion event organisation and management, including skilled at chairing meetings.
• The ability to maintain confidentiality and to handle difficult or sensitive situations.
• Knowledge of the Equality Act 2010, familiarity with EDI challenges in research.
• Experience of working in a healthcare or higher education research environment.
• Experience of maternity care research.

Attributes and Behaviour

• Planning and Organising: Manages time and resources by prioritising and organising effectively.
• Communicating: Uses clear, concise and accurate communication, tailoring the approach accordingly and encouraging a two‑way communication process.
• Delivering Services: Works continually towards achieving excellent service delivery through understanding and meeting / exceeding the expectations of stakeholders.
• Gathering Information: Gathers a broad range of relevant information from internal and external sources making this information widely available.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent, plus extensive relevant experience.

Benefits include a generous holiday package, opportunities to buy additional holidays, a great pension scheme and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you. Newcastle University is a global university where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution. We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity and celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams. We hold a Gold Athena‑Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education. We are Disability Confident and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme. We are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.