Research Manager, Early Career & Career Development Researchers in City of Westminster

The Early Career and Career Development Researchers team within Discovery Research at Wellcome plays a pivotal role in supporting the next generation of researchers by funding, convening, and nurturing talent across disciplines. The team leads Wellcome's Early Career Researcher portfolio, shaping and delivering funding calls, fellowships, and developmental programmes – including support for PhD students, early career and career development awardees – to strengthen research culture and promote equitable opportunities across the global research landscape. This team’s work spans managing strategic initiatives, building relationships with internal and external partners, providing high‑quality scientific assessment, and ensuring funded researchers feel actively engaged with Wellcome’s mission. Through thoughtful coordination, expert guidance, and evidence‑driven insight, the team helps create an environment where emerging researchers can thrive and contribute to life‑changing discovery science.

What will I be doing? In this role, you’ll help deliver Discovery Research’s early‑career priorities by coordinating and supporting key projects – from running funding calls and convening groups to drafting reports and working closely with internal and external partners. You’ll also build strong, collaborative relationships across the research community and lead on specific areas of activity, ensuring our work is cohesive, impactful and aligned with the team’s strategic objectives.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the effective delivery of Discovery Research activities – from convening groups and guiding funding decisions to preparing reports and reviews.
• Maintain a strong understanding of the breadth of Discovery Research and share knowledge to enable colleagues and cross‑organisational work.
• Build active, equitable relationships with applicants, funded researchers and internal teams to strengthen understanding of research progress, research culture and D&I across the portfolio.
• Establish and sustain effective partnerships with external stakeholders, clearly communicating Discovery Research’s work and funding initiatives.
• Lead projects through their full lifecycle, acting as a key contact, working across departments and applying matrix management where needed.
• Contribute to a diverse and inclusive culture across the organisation, collaborating with colleagues to uphold Wellcome's values while ensuring compliance, good risk management and high‑quality outputs.

To thrive here you should have a broad understanding of research gained in academia, industry, a funding agency or the charity sector, and enjoy working with a wide range of people and organisations. You will be skilled at communicating complex ideas clearly, managing a busy and varied workload, and building strong, credible relationships across different levels of seniority. It’s an excellent opportunity to develop your expertise in research funding and strategy while contributing to meaningful, sector‑wide impact.

Minimum Criteria

• Experience of a research environment, preferably as a post‑doctoral researcher.
• Experience of the funding and assessment process through work with a funder or through other relevant activities.

To apply for this role please submit an updated CV and answer two application questions to demonstrate that you meet the minimum requirements for the role. The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation. We improve health for everyone by funding science, leading policy and advocacy campaigns, and building partnerships. We plan to spend £16 bn over the next ten years, funding new discoveries in life, health and wellbeing and tackling three global health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.

At Wellcome we have a hybrid way of working: three days in our Euston Road offices (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and the remaining two days working either remotely or in the office. Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do – we are committed to cultivating a fair and inclusive environment, where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We’re happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles and work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone, including adjustments for people with a disability or long‑term condition.