Funding Manager, Directed Activities

Salary: £44,960 - £56,200

Closing date:  Sunday, 11 October

Contract type: Fixed Term Contract (End date: January 2028)

Interview dates: 1st stage (29th and 30th October online/Remote)

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. 

We are looking for a Funding Manager (senior level) to join our Directed Activities team for a fixed term ending in January 2028. 

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 & Planning section in Research Funding, reporting to the Senior Manager of Directed Activities.

Directed Funding & Planning works closely with Wellcome’s Strategic Programmes - Infectious Diseases, Mental Health, Climate & Health, Equity, as well as other teams across Wellcome, to implement and deliver directed funding. We deliver targeted funding calls, major investments and one-off applications for funding, working closely with colleagues in Finance, Legal and Strategic Programmes, ensuring good governance, clear processes and best practice for all Wellcome’s grant giving activities.

We are looking for a senior level Funding Manager to work in our team primarily supporting Infectious Disease and Equity, although you will work across all above subject areas.

What will I be doing? 

As a senior level Funding Manager, you will use your knowledge and experience of grant funding mechanisms and funding policies to pro-actively guide and advise teams at Wellcome, ensuring grant funding is implemented and delivered to a high standard. In this way, you are playing an integral part at Wellcome to ensure that world-class research happens.

Using your excellent communication and influencing skills, you will work collaboratively with colleagues across the organisation to ensure operational excellence and consistency of practice towards helping Wellcome achieve its strategic funding objectives.

You will manage a portfolio of grants from application through to award, ensuring robust implementation, review and support for funded grant-holders. You will also lead improvements to funding processes and policies, act as a trusted expert within the team, and contribute to the smooth delivery of the team’s work.

As a Funding Manager, you will: 

• Provide proactive and collaborative funding operations advice to Strategic Programmes, working closely with colleagues across Wellcome – including Legal and Finance – to guide and deliver Directed Funding processes such as Discretionary Awards and funding calls.
• Build strong, positive stakeholder relationships, communicating clearly and inclusively, and influencing colleagues at all levels to ensure effective programme and funding delivery to a high standard.
• Lead and coordinate funding schemes and calls, setting timelines and workflows, and co-ordinating plans and communications with the team. For funding calls that you are leading, you will manage all aspects of the advisory committees, acting as the Committee Manager, and enabling efficient, well‑governed decision‑making on applications for that call.
• Manage and deliver a diverse grant portfolio from application to award, ensuring robust due diligence and cost challenge, clear communication with applicants, high‑quality committee preparation, and smooth, timely implementation of funding decisions.
• Oversee high‑quality peer review and governance, selecting appropriate expert reviewers, ensuring timely and transparent assessments, and providing accessible guidance on funding policies, assessment processes and allowable costs.
• Ensure effective post‑award grant management and continuous improvement, resolving complex queries, assessing change requests, monitoring compliance, mentoring colleagues, and contributing to process enhancements that support inclusive, high‑quality funding operations. 

Is this job for me?

The ideal candidate should have excellent knowledge of grant funding processes and policies, and be educated to at least degree/equivalent level in a relevant life science subject.

You will have excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with an ability to adapt your approach to internal and external stakeholders at all levels of seniority.  You will use initiative and good judgement to know when processes need to be flexibly adapted, recognising when discussions need to be escalated and clearly communicated to Research Funding leadership.

You will demonstrate strong problem-solving skills, with the ability to identify and explore key considerations to produce well-rationalised recommendations for a senior audience. You will have excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to summarise complex information and tailor it for specific audiences.

Minimum Criteria: 

• Educated to at least degree/equivalent level in a life science subject. 
• Previous experience as a Funding Manager or equivalent role and experience of the academic research environment.
• Evidence of robust stakeholder management skills – ability to quickly build and pro-actively maintain the trust of internal and external stakeholders at all levels of seniority.
• Evidence of strong verbal and written communication and collaboration skills across a range of internal and external audiences.
• Evidence of excellent organisational skills, attention to detail, with the ability to prioritise and manage large workloads and work to deadlines. 

Applications 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.

You can view thefull job description on our website

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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 is at the heart of everything we do 

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 ourwebsite for more information on adjustments and accessibility, or contact us at jobs@wellcome.org. 

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