Policy Adviser, Infectious Disease

Salary: £51,600 - £64,500

Closing date: Sunday, 11 October 2026

Contract type: Permanent

Interview dates: 1st stage (26, 27and 30 November) online/Remote; 2nd stage: face to face

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 committed to spend £16bn in the ten years to 2032, funding new discoveries in life, health, and wellbeing, and taking on three global health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.

We are looking for a Policy Adviser to join our team, working initially in support of our Infectious Diseases policy work

Where in Wellcome will I be working?

This post will be based in the global health policy team, working on infectious diseases. This team works to maximise the impact of Wellcome's Infectious Disease strategy through policy development, advocacy and partnership-building. Working alongside Wellcome's Infectious Disease research teams, our work is focused on creating the right policy environment for research and development (R&D) into new vaccines and therapeutics for major infectious disease challenges, and for these to reach the communities in Africa and South and South East Asia that need them most. This will help ensure that the innovations Wellcome supports can deliver real-world health impact

What will I be doing?

• Lead and deliver policy projects that support Wellcome's strategic priorities, taking ownership of significant workstreams from planning through to delivery.
• Conduct analysis, develop evidence-based recommendations, and produce high-quality briefings, reports and policy products that help shape decision-making and influence change.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across Policy, Government Relations, Strategic Partnerships and Corporate Affairs to deliver effective advocacy, engagement and communications strategies.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external partners, policymakers and subject matter experts to strengthen collaboration and maximise the impact of Wellcome's work and funding.
• Represent Wellcome in internal and external forums, sharing expertise, influencing discussions and contributing to the organisation's reputation as a trusted voice in health and research policy.
• Contribute to a high-performing and inclusive team culture by supporting colleagues, managing risks and resources effectively, and helping deliver cross-team priorities in line with Wellcome's values, policies and objectives.

Is this job for me?

If you have experience influencing policy, building trusted relationships with stakeholders and developing evidence-based recommendations that support policy change, this could be an excellent opportunity. You'll be comfortable analysing complex information, working with technical and scientific experts as well as with policymakers, and translating insights into clear, impactful messages for a range of audiences.

We're looking for someone who is collaborative, organised and self-motivated, with strong communication and critical thinking skills. Experience in global health, public health, science or research policy would be advantageous, as would experience working across different countries, cultures and stakeholder groups.

Minimum Criteria:

• Experience of developing and influencing policy, including working with governments, multilateral organisations or other policy stakeholders to support policy change.
• Demonstrable experience of producing high-quality policy analysis, recommendations, briefings or other written outputs for senior decision-makers.
• Experience of building and influencing relationships with a range of policy stakeholders to achieve agreed outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex scientific, technical or policy information and translate it into clear, actionable messages.
• Experience working on policy issues relating to infectious disease, global health, public health, and/or R&D is highly desirable. Similarly, experience of working on these issues internationally - particularly in Africa and/or South/South-East Asia - would also be desirable.