Research Manager

Could you build the foundations of a research funding programme from the ground up?

Since 1988, Children with Cancer UK has raised more than £300 million and has funded over 200 research projects for children and young people with cancer.

We’re now embarking on a brand-new phase, transforming how we fund future research projects and measure and evidence the real-world impact of every pound we invest. Lived experience will be positioned at the heart of our decisions as we develop new funding initiatives, strengthen our relationships with the research community, and expand opportunities for collaboration

As Research Manager, you’ll lead the operational delivery of our research programme, shape our grant processes, oversee the portfolio and build our research impact monitoring systems from scratch across a programme of around £5 million a year and 50 active grants.

You will also line manage a Research Funding Officer and a Research Impact and Engagement Officer.

This highly impactful role is ideal for someone who is excited by the opportunity to strengthen and modernise how funding is delivered in an area of huge unmet need and enormous potential. You will have well-defined experience in research funding operations and delivery in the medical research charity sector, with the desire to take ownership of a growing and ambitious research portfolio and play a central role in supporting the programme’s continued development.

What you’ll build

New funding initiatives

Deliver the next phase of our research funding programme as we build on and diversify our open grant round and introduce 2-3 new, targeted funding mechanisms a year. You’ll work with the Head of Research to scope who each call targets and how it’s structured, then coordinate putting it into practice.

Impact monitoring from scratch

Lead and shape the development of the charity’s approach to research impact and evaluation, have it running within your first year, and support the Research Impact and Engagement Officer to deliver it.

Meaningful patient and public involvement

Grow the existing light-touch lay review process into PPI that shapes funding decisions.

Strong foundations

Lead the operational delivery of every grant round, from applications and peer review to panels and funding recommendations for our committees, while owning peer review and grant management procedures and deliver in line with AMRC best practice.

Your team

Reporting into a Head of Research, you will manage two new officers, a Research Funding Officer and a Research Impact and Engagement Officer, playing a part in their recruitment. You’ll also oversee how research works with the Marketing, Communications and Fundraising teams on case studies, lab visits and research news.

What your first year looks like

In your first three months, you’ll take ownership of the operational delivery of our existing funding programme, launch a new funding call and begin working with the Head of Research on the development of new funding initiatives.

Using your own judgement on day-to-day grant management and operations, you’ll design how rounds are run, how processes improve, and how new funding initiatives can be effectively delivered. Significant and strategic decisions sit with the Head of Research who sets strategy and holds the budget, and you’ll contribute your ideas and expertise to support the development of the strategy and the research programme, collaborating on shaping the charity’s next research strategy together.

By the end of your first year, you’ll have strengthened our research funding processes, established the foundations for effective impact monitoring, and have played a key role in shaping and delivering the next phase of our research programme.

About you

You’ve worked in research funding within a UK medical research charity, and you will have first-hand experience of peer review and grant management. You may be a Research or Grants Manager, or a senior officer ready to step up. Either way, you want a role with more scope than running an established process.

You’ll also bring:

• A degree in biology, biomedical science or a related field, with enough grounding to understand the scientific landscape and identify the right peer reviewers

• Experience of patient and public involvement in research, such as running lay review within funding rounds

• Confidence working with researchers, clinicians, committees and advisory panels

• Excellent organisation and judgement, and the initiative to take ownership of something new

• Line management experience

A PhD or MSc, research experience, FlexiGrant or other grant management software is desirable, but not essential.

If you have a passion for improving outcomes for children affected by cancer and can establish strong operational foundations, take ownership of grant funding delivery, and help grow this crucial programme, we would love to hear from me.

Please note this role is Hybrid with 3 days in our office based in Holborn, London.

How to apply

You must be eligible to work in the UK to apply for this vacancy, and sponsorship is not provided by the charity.

Please initially apply by submitting an up-to-date CV. All applications will be reviewed and considered by Louis Eastwell of Hire Purpose and all candidates will be notified. Cover letters will only be requested following a successful screening call with Louis.

The deadline to apply is 11:59 on Sunday 29th November.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)The charity recognises that candidates may use Artificial Intelligence tools to support aspects of the recruitment process. Candidates may use AI tools for research, preparation or to support written applications; however, all submitted work must accurately represent the candidate’s own skills, experience and suitability for the role.

Candidates should disclose if AI has been used in preparing application materials or completing any assessment activity. Failure to appropriately disclose significant use of AI-generated content may impact the recruitment process.

Hire Purpose champions inclusive recruitment.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and lived experiences. We uphold equal opportunity principles and challenge bias at every stage, partnering only with organisations that share our commitment to integrity, diversity, equity and inclusion.

Hire Purpose is also proud to be an active member of The TEAM Network, the UK’s largest recruitment community of independently owned recruitment businesses