Senior Manager, Directed Activities

Overview

Salary: £ 66,600

Closing date: Tuesday, 30 September 2025

Contract type: Permanent

Interview dates: w/c 20 October 2025

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 £16bn over the next ten years, funding new discoveries in life, health, and wellbeing, and taking on three global health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health. These challenges need bold science, but they won’t be solved by science alone.

We are looking for a Senior Manager to join our Research Funding team.

Where in Wellcome will I be working?

Research Funding is responsible for the operational management, governance, and support of all Wellcome’s grant funding activities. This role sits within the Directed Funding and Planning (DFP) section which is in Research Funding. The Directed Funding & Planning team are responsible for the coordinated central planning and implementation of Directed Funding at Wellcome, specifically Discretionary Awards and Funding Calls. We provide dedicated support to Wellcome’s Strategic Programmes, working collaboratively with Legal and Finance, to implement Directed Funding activities. We also manage and deliver the end-to-end grant application, review and award processes for applications in Mental Health, Climate & Health, Infectious Diseases, Equity and other teams across Wellcome.

You will report to the Associate Director of Directed Funding and Planning.

What will I be doing?

You will be responsible for delivering grant funding activities for Wellcome by leading and developing an expert team of four Funding Managers to execute all aspects of grant management within agreed deadlines and according to defined standards and controls.

You will provide expert business partner support to the Strategic Programmes and other colleagues at Wellcome, through the provision of expert advice and oversight of the management of all funding activities by your team.

As a Senior Manager, you will:

• Lead an integrated, flexible and expert team of Funding Managers, responsible for management of a portfolio of active grants and new applications for Wellcome funding, ensuring that all aspects of grant management are carried out effectively and efficiently, including due diligence, expert review, decision-making, feedback and award.
• Give sound expert advice in grant management processes, practices and governance, through open-mode or closed funding calls and discretionary directed funding, to internal and external stakeholders.
• Lead the implementation of grant funding activities and mechanisms, through your excellent stakeholder relationships with Strategic Partners, Finance and Legal and other business partners across Wellcome.
• Actively monitor the funding demands and flexibly manage resources across your team to balance workload and ensure effective management of the grant portfolio and support of grant holders and applicants.
• Use operational reports and dashboards to monitor performance of team members, ensuring grant processing is delivered according to deadlines and operational standards.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of grant schemes and funding processes, by identifying and implementing improvements in review and assessment processes and policies.

Is this job for me?

The ideal candidate should have very strong leadership skills and demonstrate the ability to lead and develop a high performing team. Their leadership is demonstrated through their ability to influence others in a positive and constructive way and through their expert knowledge of funding processes and policies. Their communication skills are outstanding, and they are comfortable working with people from a range of levels of seniority and funding experience. They are highly organised, able to manage a varied workload, are undaunted by complex tasks and bring a pro-active, positive attitude to the role.

To apply for this role please submit an updated CV and answer 2 application questions to demonstrate that you meet the minimum requirements for the role.

Minimum Criteria:

• Educated to at least degree level in a relevant science, humanities, social science, or public health subject
• Significant experience of delivering research funding mechanisms
• Strong leadership skills – proven ability to lead others and influence in a constructive manner
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills with the ability to employ diverse approaches to effectively communicate complex information with clarity and precision to people across the organisation.

You can view the full job description on our website

You can read more about the benefits we offer our employees on our website

Our Hybrid Way of Working

We understand that our colleagues have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to build a flexible working environment, in which people can perform at their best.

At Wellcome we have a hybrid way of working which is 3 days in our Euston Road offices (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) with the remaining 2 days working either remotely or in the office.

Diversity and Inclusion

Diversity and Inclusion is a priority at Wellcome. We are committed to cultivating a fair and inclusive environment, where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We are happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles. We work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone. This includes making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition. Please visit our website for more information on adjustments and accessibility, or contact us at jobs@wellcome.org.