Head of Workplace Equity

wellcome; Greater London; On-site; GBP 84,000 - 89,000; Full time

Job summary

Wellcome Trust in London is seeking a Head of Workplace Equity to lead the strategic development and delivery of workplace equity priorities across the organisation.

You will build trusted relationships with senior leaders, drive evidence-informed interventions, champion inclusive practices, oversee a high-performing team, collaborate with Equity Research and MEL, and support external partnerships to promote inclusive environments.

Qualifications

• Experience leading workplace equity initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Leading the strategic development and delivery of workplace equity priorities.
• Building trusted relationships with senior leaders to drive change and embed inclusive practices.
• Overseeing evidence-informed equity interventions across policies, systems and culture.

Job description

Salary: £83,500- 88,500

Closing date: Monday 2 November 2026

Contract type: Permanent

Interview dates: 1st stage: w/c 16 November 2026 (online/remote); 2nd stage: w/c 23 November 2026 (face to face); 3rd Stage: w/c 30 November 2026 (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 have committed to spend more than £16 billion between 2022 and 2032. We fund discovery research and take on three global health challenges: mental health, infectious disease, and climate and health. We also work with researchers, governments, businesses and communities to help create the conditions for science to thrive and to turn evidence into better health.

Where in Wellcome will I be working?

You will join Wellcome's Equity Department at an important point in its development, as we bring together our workplace equity and equity research and evidence capabilities within an emerging Equity Evidence & Practice function. Our ambition is to strengthen how Wellcome generates, applies and learns from evidence to advance equity, ensuring that our organisational policies, practices and interventions are informed by evidence and contribute to meaningful and sustainable change.

What will I be doing?

As Head of Workplace Equity, you will lead the strategic development and delivery of workplace equity priorities, working with senior leaders across Wellcome to influence organisational and behavioural change, address structural inequities and embed equitable and inclusive approaches into organisational systems, policies, practices and everyday decisions. A central part of the role will be building trusted and influential relationships with senior leaders, providing constructive challenge, navigating competing priorities and securing commitment to meaningful and sustainable organisational change.

You will work collaboratively with colleagues across equity research, evidence and monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) to ensure workplace equity interventions are informed by the best available evidence, responsive to staff experience and evaluated appropriately. You will champion organisational learning, using insights to strengthen delivery and inform future policy and practice. You will lead and develop a high-performing team of workplace equity specialists, fostering an inclusive and collaborative culture and ensuring that strategic priorities are translated into coordinated delivery plans.

You will also oversee a portfolio of workplace equity initiatives, including diversity and inclusion development and training, digital accessibility, inclusive communications and engagement with staff diversity networks, working with organisational partners to manage sensitive issues and support effective implementation.

You will contribute specialist knowledge and practical learning to Wellcome's external partnerships, helping to influence inclusive institutional practice and strengthen our contribution to more equitable research environments.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the strategic development and delivery of workplace equity priorities, ensuring alignment with Wellcome's Equity Framework and organisational objectives.
• Driving organisational and behavioural change, influencing senior leaders to address structural inequities, challenge established practices and embed equitable and inclusive approaches across Wellcome's policies, systems and everyday decisions.
• Building trusted and influential relationships with senior leaders, particularly across People and Place, providing specialist advice, constructive challenge and practical support to strengthen leadership accountability and deliver meaningful organisational change.
• Leading the design, implementation and continuous improvement of evidence-informed workplace equity interventions, drawing on research, organisational data and s