Funding Manager

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 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.

We are looking for a Funding Manager (senior level) to join our Directed Activities team for a fixed term ending in January 2028.

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.

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.

As a Funding Manager, you will:

• 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 co-ordinating 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…