Wellbeing and Nutrition Consultant - KTP Associate

University of Reading; Reading; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established university is seeking a dedicated associate to lead a strategic project at a premier spa destination. This role involves developing innovative wellness packages that blend spa therapies with scientific nutritional guidance, promoting mental and physical health. The associate will collaborate with academic experts and spa teams, becoming a subject matter expert in health psychology and food science. With a generous training budget and a commitment to diversity, this position offers a unique opportunity to impact wellness practices while enjoying a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Generous annual leave allowance

Training budget for personal development

Diverse workforce initiatives

Qualifications

• Good Masters degree or higher or equivalent work experience.
• Research skills to synthesize complex information into robust recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Design wellness packages integrating spa therapies and nutritional guidance.
• Conduct studies to assess the effectiveness of wellness programs.

Skills

Research skills

Designing wellness packages

Understanding of nutrition and polyphenols

Statistical analysis

Advanced Excel

Communication skills

Teamwork

Education

Masters degree or equivalent work experience

Job description

Closing date: 23:59 GMT on Sunday 1st June 2025

Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. However, non-UK candidates who do not already have permission to work in the UK should note that by reference to the applicable SOC code for this role, sponsorship will not be possible under the Skilled Worker Route. There is further information about this on the .

This position forms part of the (KTP) funded by Innovate UK. It is a 36-month fixed-term contract based primarily at Nirvana Spa, Mole Road, Sindlesham, Wokingham, Berkshire, RG41 5DJ. As some work will be based in the School of Psychology, the post holder will be required to visit the University of Reading on average 2 days per month. The project provides the opportunity to a post-holder to carry out a key strategic project involving the development of customised packages that integrate spa therapies, nutritional guidance, and educational programs, all grounded in scientific research.

The associate will work closely with the academic team and the wider Nirvana Spa teams to manage the project. Key objectives include designing wellness packages that promote mental and physical health, conducting studies to assess their effectiveness, and incorporating knowledge of behavioural change and nutritional science into the business. Additionally, the associate will become a key subject matter expert in integrating health psychology and food science into a spa setting, developing programs that can be used as tools to enhance wellness. They will provide valuable guidance and insights to inform business practices.

The post-holder will be employed by the University of Reading and working within the Marketing team at Nirvana Spa supported by the academic team at the University of Reading. They will be supervised by the Head of Marketing (Claire Prevost-Snell) at Nirvana Spa and Dr Daniel Lamport at the University of Reading.

The Knowledge Transfer Partnership Delivery Team Comprises

University of Reading: Dr Daniel Lamport (School of Psychology), Prof Jeremy Spencer (Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences) and Dr Katie Barfoot (School of Psychology).

Nirvana Spa: Claire Prevost-Snell (Head of Marketing), Jo Powel (Director of Finance)

Skill development through training

There is a £6,000 dedicated training budget tailored towards your own personal development in addition to residential management skills training.

About Nirvana Spa

Nirvana Spa & Leisure Limited is one of the UK’s premier destination for health, wellness and relaxation, offering an extensive range of spa facilities, some of which are unique e.g. the renowned Dead Sea Salt Therapy Pool (https://nirvanacollection.co.uk/).

You will have

A good Masters degree or higher, or equivalent work experience.

Essential Skills We Require As a Minimum

• Research skills to synthesise complex information into robust experimental design and business recommendations
• Clear understanding on designing wellness packages using behavioural and food science
• Clear understanding in how nutrition and specifically polyphenols can impact wellbeing and health
• Competency in Statistical analysis
• Advanced Excel user
• Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with a wide variety of audiences
• Ability to work individually and in a team
  
  

Benefits

We know that our team are essential to our success and as such we value our staff highly. There are several benefits to working with us:

Generous annual leave allowance: The University and Nirvana Spa believe that it is important for all employees to balance their work and personal lives. Nirvana Spa offer a generous entitlement of 20 days in addition to 8 bank holidays.

A diverse workforce: we know that we can only achieve our vision of being a world-class, forward-looking, confident, and ambitious university by recruiting, supporting, and developing staff from the widest variety of backgrounds. We have a proud history of diversity and inclusion and are working actively on several key initiatives to continue this:

More information on the benefits of working at the University of Reading can be found here:

Contact Name Dr Daniel Lamport

Contact Job Title Associate Professor

Contact Email address -

Alternative Contact Name Dr Katie Barfoot

Alternative Contact Job Title - Lecturer

Alternative Contact Email address -

Interviews will be held: Thursday 26th June 2025

The University is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce, supports the gender equality Athena SWAN Charter and the Race Equality Charter, and champions LGBT+ equality. We are a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2). Applications for job-share, part-time and flexible working arrangements are welcomed and will be considered in line with business needs.