Senior Research Manager - Mental Health Lived Experience

Salary: £56,640 - £65,200

Closing date:  Thursday, 12 November 2026

Contract type: Permanent  

Interview dates: W/C 30th November

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 committed to spend £16bn in the ten years to 2032, 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? 

We are looking to recruit a Senior Research Manager to join the Mental Health Lived Experience team, whose remit is to embed lived experience expertise in the day-to-day work, direction and decision-making of the Mental Health team and within all the work we fund.  This includes advancing practice in areas of mental health science where lived experience involvement is not well established and in complex programmes, as well as coordinating the work of a global team of lived experience advisors.

For this position, we are seeking individuals with significant experience and expertise relevant for mental health science and lived experience involvement in relevant areas.   

What will I be doing?  

As a Senior Research Manager, you will:

• Lead programmes of work to embed lived experience expertise in the Mental Health team’s day-to-day work, direction, decision-making and funding. This includes coordinating the work of a global team of Lived Experience advisors and consultants.
• Contribute to the leadership, development and delivery of the Mental Health strategy, ensuring strategic objectives are met. 
• Lead on scoping areas of interest, shaping and advancing internal research and development projects.
• Identify and manage larger projects independently, acting as the main point of contact, liaising with external stakeholders or partners for the ongoing management and conclusion of major initiatives. 
• Contribute to the effective delivery of funding decisions, providing critical scientific assessment of applications, participating in decision-making reviews and making clear recommendations to senior management. 
• Ensure a breadth and depth of knowledge of your area and the wider lived experience, research and funding landscape and apply this to the review and development of Mental Health Research Programme activities, identifying suitable routes for the development and delivery of new activities and sharing knowledge and expertise to contribute to the work Research Programmes and throughout Wellcome. 
• Use deep understanding of Mental Health stakeholders to identify establish and maintain key relationships, understanding needs and working in partnership. 
• Contribute to a diverse and inclusive culture across the organisation, collaborating across departments.    

How to apply:  

To apply for this role please submit an updated CV and answer 2 application questions to demonstrate that you meet the minimum requirements for the role. 

Minimum criteria:  

• Experience working in a field relevant for mental health, with a focus on lived experience involvement.
• Experience of shaping and delivering lived experience involvement in research or science related programmes of work 
• Ability to employ diverse approaches to effectively communicate complex information to individuals and groups from a range of different background and different seniority levels. 
• Excellent organisational skills with ability to manage a fluctuating, heavy, workload and competing priorities. 

You can view the full job description on our website

You can read more about the benefits we offer our employees on our website 

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 our website for more information on adjustments and accessibility, or contact us at [email protected]. 

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