Funding Manager, Directed Activities

Wellcome Trust; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

The Wellcome Trust is seeking a senior Funding Manager to lead directed funding activities in Infectious Disease and Equity. You will manage a portfolio from application to award, guiding funding processes and ensuring high standards of governance.

Using strong communication and influencing skills, you will collaborate across Legal, Finance, and Strategic Programmes to deliver funding calls and discretionary awards, while improving policies and procedures.

Qualifications

• Educated to at least degree/equivalent level in a life science subject.
• Experience as a Funding Manager or equivalent in academic research.
• Evidence of robust stakeholder management and communication across internal/external audiences.

Responsibilities

• Provide funding operations advice to Strategic Programmes and guide Directed Funding processes.
• Build strong stakeholder relationships across Wellcome, including Legal and Finance.
• Lead and coordinate funding schemes and calls, setting timelines and workflows.
• For funding calls you lead, manage advisory committees and enable effective decision-making.
• Manage and deliver a diverse grant portfolio from application to award with due diligence.
• Oversee high-quality peer review and governance with expert reviewers.
• Ensure effective post-award grant management and process improvements.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Verbal and written communication

Organisational skills

Education

Degree or equivalent in life science

Job description

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

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.

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.

Responsibilities

• 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 coordinating 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.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

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 our website for more information on adjustments and accessibility, or contact us at [e-mail].

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.

Career Information

We support researchers, we take on big health challenges, we campaign for better science, and we help everyone get involved with science and health research. Wellcome isn’t just a supporter of great ideas, it’s a great place to work. We offer excellent benefits and help our employees to develop in an open, respectful culture where differences are valued.

You can view the full job description on our website You can read more about the benefits we offer our employees on our website

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