MBIO29 - NIHR Knowledge Mobilisation Programme Research and Operational Lead (12 months Fixed Term Contract)

The University of West London (UWL) is ranked as 41st in the UK in The Guardian University Guide 2026 and is the 1st London modern university in The Times/The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. We are also ranked 2nd in London, 6th in England and 8th in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2026.

The UWL community is a diverse body of students and staff who work together to create an environment of success and achievement. We celebrate the diversity of our staff and promote our values in practice through our commitment to inclusivity, progression, and success.

The School of Medicine and Biosciences at UWL is an interdisciplinary research-driven School, embedded within an area of West London with diverse populations and significant pockets of both deprivation and affluence. We work in partnership with policy makers and practitioners to improve the health of our communities and reduce inequalities, developing and delivering hyperlocal health and social care initiatives, which have the potential to scale up locally and nationally. We deliver research-led undergraduate and postgraduate taught courses in Biosciences and Dementia Care.

Our research themes include:

• Ageing and dementia
• Healthcare inequalities
• Public Health
• Gene-targeted cancer therapy
• Translational Medicine

The Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory is a flagship Institute based within the School of Medicine and Biosciences, delivering interdisciplinary applied research and education. Our focus is on delivering the evidence to inform high quality, cutting edge, health and social care to benefit people living with dementia, older people, and their care partners and families. At the heart of our mission is to ensure the most vulnerable populations of people living with dementia and older people have better experiences of health and social care and are supported in living well and living at home for longer.

All our research and education programmes are guided by an inclusive approach. We are an interdisciplinary team of over 20 academics, with expertise in psychology, social policy, epidemiology, nursing, sociology, and the arts, with our research drawing upon a wide range of methodologies. Our research funding incorporates NIHR and ESRC funding, funding from national and international charities, and philanthropic support. We have established a reputation for the rapid translation of our research into impact, which is informing public discourse, shaping the policy agenda, and translated into practice improvements.

Our postgraduate education programmes offer interdisciplinary, research focused, evidence-based teaching and supervision. Our postgraduate courses are designed to cultivate leaders in ageing and dementia care and improve practice across health and social care settings.

The Knowledge Mobilisation (KM) Research and Operations Lead will play a central role in the delivery, evaluation and ongoing development of the NIHR Knowledge Mobilisation programme. Working closely with the Knowledge Mobilisation Co-Lead (Professor Rowan Myron), the Deputy Director (Professor Laura Lennox), Knowledge Mobilisation Fellows, colleagues within the Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory (GIAM), and research networks across UWL, the postholder will provide operational leadership to ensure the successful coordination and delivery of programme activities.

The Research and Operations Lead will oversee programme planning, governance, reporting, stakeholder engagement and performance monitoring, ensuring delivery against agreed objectives, milestones and funder requirements. They will support the development of publications and impact outputs, coordinate engagement with regional and national partners, and contribute to the dissemination of learning from the programme. The postholder will also work closely with Knowledge Mobilisation Leads and Fellows across the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration (ARC) network in England, representing the programme at national meetings and collaborative events.

A significant component of the role will support the wider work of the Geller Institute of Ageing and Memory (GIAM). This will include leading the development and coordination of external grant applications, bringing together academic, clinical and community partners, developing competitive funding proposals, and supporting the strategic growth of GIAM's research, impact and knowledge mobilisation programmes.

The Person Requirements for the post holder include:

• A PhD in a relevant discipline or equivalent research experience.
• Experience of coordinating and delivering complex research, implementation, knowledge mobilisation or improvement programmes involving multiple stakeholders and workstreams.
• Strong programme and operational management skills, including planning, governance, performance monitoring, risk management and reporting.
• Experience of evaluating research, implementation or knowledge mobilisation initiatives and producing high-quality reports, publications and impact outputs.
• Proven experience of leading the development and submission of successful external grant applications, including coordinating collaborators and partners, drafting proposals and securing funding.
• Experience of working in partnership with NHS organisations, local authorities, voluntary and community organisations, and academic institutions.
• Ability to build effective relationships and foster collaboration with a wide range of stakeholders, including researchers, health and care professionals, patients and public contributors.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information for different audiences.
• Knowledge and understanding of knowledge mobilisation, implementation science, research impact and/or improvement methodologies.
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs to tight deadlines.
• Experience of contributing to or leading publications, dissemination activities and stakeholder engagement initiatives.

Interviews are expected to be held in the week commencing 7th September. We welcome applications from individuals who do not have a fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). Should you be successful and do not hold an HEA fellowship you will be asked to complete one within 2 years of appointment as a condition of your continued employment. Depending on eligibility this may take the form of an advanced Level 7 apprenticeship in teaching which means that you will spend 20% of your work in off-the-job study.

Our department/school is under-represented in terms of staff from minority ethnic backgrounds, of LGBT+ identities, and with disabilities. UWL is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter, and is a Disability Confident Employer. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, particularly those mentioned above to increase diversity in our workforce. Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.

Please be advised that it is expected that appointment within a grade will normally be at the minimum point. Applicants must hold a PhD in a relevant field with a demonstrable track record of research within the field. We will intermittently review the applications as part of this open advert, therefore if successful, you will be shortlisted and contacted at any time. The University of West London reserves the right to close the role prior to this date should a suitable applicant be found.