Senior Manager: Low Middle-Income Countries (LMICs)

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 the bold discovery research we support.

Our mission in Discovery Research, a strategic programme within the Discovery Department at Wellcome, is to generate new knowledge that has the potential to transform life, health and wellbeing in ways we can't always anticipate. We fund researchers, the UK and in LMICs, across disciplines and career stages, creating the conditions for ambitious and transformative research ideas to flourish. By investing in tools, technologies and research cultures, we aim to remove barriers and enable breakthroughs that improve health for everyone. We take a long-term view, supporting research that spans from fundamental biology to social sciences. Our approach includes regular funding opportunities for both investigator and team-led research programmes, major long-term investments and directed initiatives in critical fields to catalyse new research approaches. Diversity and interdisciplinary collaboration are at the heart of our vision, ensuring richer insights and more impactful discoveries.

We are looking for a Senior Manager: Low Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) to join our team. You will be working within the Discovery Research team - forming part of a sub-team that enables and supports programmes which crosscut the whole of Discovery Research strategic programme. Other programmes include: Clinical Research, Discovery Awards and Bioethics. Within this context, the Senior Manager for LMICs will play a pivotal role in advancing Wellcome's commitment to equitable and globally inclusive science by convening, funding and shaping initiatives that strengthen LMIC‑led discovery research.

The role will lead the development and delivery of the LMIC workstream, deepen relationships across diverse research ecosystems, identify strategic opportunities, and ensure that principles of equity, trust and partnership are embedded across all programmes and collaborations.

What will I be doing?

• Lead and oversee the LMIC‑led Discovery Research portfolio, shaping its evolution and delivering projects and initiatives that support Wellcome's strategic objectives.
• Develop effective engagement approaches for LMIC‑led applications, monitoring progress and ensuring learning and insight inform future funding and programme development.
• Build a deep understanding of LMIC research ecosystems and use these insights to shape new initiatives, partnerships and outreach across Discovery Research and Wellcome.
• Identify and cultivate new opportunities with funders, research institutes, industry and third‑sector partners to advance LMIC‑led discovery research.
• Drive strategic projects and programmes, from scoping and planning through to delivery, ensuring alignment with the Discovery Research Strategy.
• Embed equity, trust and collaboration across all LMIC‑focused programmes, working closely with teams across Wellcome to ensure joined‑up activities and organisational buy‑in.
• Represent Wellcome externally, providing leadership across key initiatives, managing risks and ensuring high‑quality outputs while contributing to an inclusive organisational culture.

Is this job for me?

This role is for you if you bring deep expertise in discovery research and LMIC research environments, alongside experience leading complex, high‑profile programmes in large organisations. You'll thrive here if you are an effective collaborator and influencer, confident navigating international research ecosystems and building partnerships that drive meaningful impact. If you're motivated by equity, evidence‑driven decision‑making and advancing global research through thoughtful leadership, this could be an excellent fit for you.

Minimum Criteria:

• Advanced degree in life or medical sciences with a breadth of research interests and expertise, related to discovery research.
• Proven significant experience of working for a research funder or another funding related role in Africa or SE Asia, or in the UK to support low-to-middle income country research.
• Experience of shaping and delivering programmes to support research in low-to-middle income country settings with multi-disciplinary teams at a variety of scales.
• Proven record of managing departmental or cross-departmental projects of varying size to a successful conclusion.
• The ability to demonstrate a breadth of research interests and expertise in a relevant field through relevant work experience in an academic, industrial, funding agency or charity setting.

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.

Application Questions:

• Using examples please provide evidence to demonstrate that you meet the minimum criteria for this role as outlined in the job description? (Up to 500 words)
• Using short summaries please provide specific details of up to two different initiatives or projects you have been directly involved in that are relevant to this role. For each initiative or project please use up to 250 words to describe your role (e.g. team leader, team member), the purpose of the activity (i.e. its aims), and the major contributions you personally made.

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.