13 Researcher jobs in London, Greater London

Contract: Permanent, Full-Time (37.5 hours per week)

Salary: £37,221.19 - £39,500 per annum

Closing Date: Monday 28 September 2026

Interviews will be held w/c 12th October 2026

Please note, we may close this advert early if we receive a high volume of applications.

About us

Centrepoint, the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, is looking for a Senior Quantitative Policy and Research Officer to join our Policy and Research team based in London.

We help vulnerable young people by giving them the practical and emotional support they need to find a job and live independently. Centrepoint provides homeless young people with accommodation, health support and life skills in order to get them back into education, training and employment. We want to end youth homelessness by 2037.

Together with our partners, we support over 15,000 young people each year.

The Policy and Research team at Centrepoint provides the evidence base for the organisation’s policy and influencing work, using research, data and the experiences of young people to understand the causes and scale of youth homelessness and identify effective solutions. The team leads research across a range of policy areas, produces Centrepoint’s Youth Homelessness Databank, analyses national and local data, and translates findings into clear policy recommendations. It also supports external influencing, engaging with Government, Parliament, local authorities and other organisations to ensure evidence is used to shape policy and improve outcomes for young people.

Hybrid Working

Centrepoint operates a hybrid working model. The requirement is a minimum of 50% of your working week. For most full-time colleagues, this means attending the office for five days over a two-week period (e.g., two days one week and three days the next). For colleagues on different contracts (including part-time or compressed contracts) this will be adjusted accordingly.

About you

• Effective communicator with natural ability to facilitate open and honest conversations.
• Able decision maker with a can do attitude.
• Respectful and empathetic, always considering the impact on our young people.
• Flexible, always adapting to changing needs.
• Engaging, committed to self-development by engaging with training and continuous learning.
• Proactive, always looking for creative ways of working.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead on the development and delivery of research projects, with a particular focus on the quantitative data analysis required to create a robust evidence base needed for Centrepoint’s policy and research work. This includes managing the Youth Homelessness Databank project, ensuring it remains the most comprehensive source of youth homelessness data in the UK and continues to meet the strategic needs of the organisation.
• To work with Centrepoint staff and young people to shape Centrepoint’s policy messages and further Centrepoint’s mission to end youth homelessness.  To build strategic relationships with key policy makers and relevant voluntary organisations needed to influence government policy.

Why join Centrepoint?

In return for your efforts, you’ll receive a competitive salary, excellent training and development, and a host of staff benefits including:

• 25 days of annual leave per year, rising by one day per year to a maximum of 27 days
• Healthcare cash plan (Cover the costs of a wide range of medical treatment including Dental, Optical, Complementary and Alternative therapies).
• Private Medical insurance
• Income protection
• Employer pension contributions of 5%
• Access to Cycle 2 Work loan scheme
• An interest-free travel loan

At Centrepoint we challenge the discrimination within society that contributes to youth homelessness, and we are just as committed to fairness and equality within Centrepoint itself. We are passionate about ensuring all of our colleagues are made to feel included in the work we do and that we value the rich diversity within the organization.

We are an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications regardless of sex, gender, race, age, belief in any religion and none, gender identity, ethnic origin, class, sexuality, nationality, appearance, unrelated criminal activities, disability, responsibility for dependents, part time or shift workers, being HIV positive or living with AIDS, lived experience of homelessness or using young people’s services and any other matter which causes a person to be treated with injustice.

Centrepoint’s policy is to recruit, employ and promote people on the basis of their suitability for the work to be performed, and to this end, our aim is to ensure that all applicants, employees and volunteers receive equal treatment.

Our approach to applications

We recognise that candidates may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support their applications. While this is absolutely fine, all examples and statements included must be truthful, accurate and based on your own experience.

We’re keen to understand your individual skills, experience and motivations, so please ensure your application reflects your own voice.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to join our team as a Senior Quantitative Policy and Research Officer click ‘Apply’ now!

Do you have a passion for using your research skills to improve the lives of older people needing care? Join our team!

In this dynamic role, you will provide research support across our advice, policy and campaign work. Your research will be practice-based, with a focus on improving people’s lives and bringing about real change. This will include:

• helping our advisers to support older people and their families
• building and improving our knowledge of care law across the UK
• helping to create new information resources
• feeding into national conversations about care reform
• supporting our work to push for a better care system

You will be a vital part of a small charity having a big impact. Providing the national adviceline for older people needing care and pushing for improved care services, we are a leading voice in the sector.

The ideal candidate will be a positive, can-do person, with a passion for championing the rights of older people needing care, and an enthusiasm for using your research skills to affect change.

You will:

• work closely with colleagues to ensure our research aligns with our advice service, campaigns, policy, communications and fundraising
• join the charity during an exciting period of change, as we seek to diversify and increase our reach across the UK
• work alongside colleagues who are experts in their field, with dedicated time for co-learning and sharing knowledge and skills
• be welcomed into our friendly, dedicated team

Care Rights UK is the charity focused on promoting the rights of older people needing care. For over 30 years our national advice service has been a lifeline for older people and their families. This is an exciting opportunity to join our small team and make a real difference.

“Working at Care Rights UK has truly been the most rewarding job that I’ve done. The charity’s work is invaluable to people in urgent need of help, and it has been a real privilege to assist with this. My work as a researcher has been fulfilling, stimulating and challenging in equal measure; the team are a joy to work with and enormously supportive. I would strongly recommend this role to anyone who is considering applying.” George Hill, former Researcher at Care Rights UK

Even if you feel you don’t meet all the criteria outlined in the person specification, if you’re keen to learn and to apply your skills, we’d love to hear from you!

To develop policy goals and recommendations in line with Women for Refugee Women’s (WRW) overarching campaigns strategy to improve the lives of women seeking asylum in the UK; to develop and deliver policy interventions such as policy briefings, evidence for parliamentary committees, responses to inquiries and consultations; to plan and carry out research projects for influencing purposes, ensuring that these are informed by and co-delivered with women in WRW’s network.

We are part of the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative. The network supports inclusive recruitment of people with lived experience of the UK asylum or immigration system. If this is your experience, you can find useful resources on the Experts by Experience Employment Initiative website.

About the Role

We have an exciting opportunity to join our team in London as our Research, Evaluation and Insights Manager.

This role leads delivery of our research, evaluation and insights work across Help Musicians and Music Minds Matter, ensuring the charities generate high-quality evidence and insights around the need for our support and the impact that we have.

The postholder leads a portfolio of research projects - designing and delivering in-house research and evaluation including user research and testing to inform new services, as well as structured research projects to create new evidence, as well as managing research delivered by consultants, agencies and partners like universities. All with an aim of deepening our understanding of the communities we serve in music and what works when it comes to making a meaningful difference for musicians and people across music.

The role will generate a range of outputs that support an insights-led and user-centred culture across our charities, using our own service data as well as research to inform strategic and operational decision-making across our different functions.

The role also manages impact reporting across our charities, supporting our Director of Services and Research with maintaining an impact architecture which helps our people and our Board have access to timely and usable data and insights about our progress towards our strategic goals.

About You

We are looking for someone relentlessly curious, with an enthusiastic understanding of the importance good evidence, evaluation and insights can have on charitable impact. Essentially, you will possess:

1. Track record in personally designing and delivering credible research projects including surveys and qualitative research and producing reports for internal purposes e.g. service development as well as external publication

2. Experience in monitoring and evaluation- with an understanding of how to design and conduct evaluation that supports both internal learning and improvement, as well as fundraising and growth goals

3. Robust project management and collaboration skills, able to deliver through your team and also through partners such as research agencies, academic partners and project stakeholders

4. Experience using research and data analysis software such as Power BI

5. Curious and proactive, focused on what else we can learn and what we can do better with an openness to feedback and willingness to learn and adapt to improve impact

Our work has a direct impact on the lives of thousands of people every year. If you are passionate about creating a world where musicians can thrive, then this could be the place for you.

At Fawcett, we want to find out what is really happening to women’s financial equality. What is happening for women in workplaces? How are women making money online? How are emerging labour trends affecting and exposing women?  

We are looking for a bold and curious Senior Investigative Researcher who can uncover emerging trends, speak sensitively to women about their experiences, interrogate evidence and turn what they discover into compelling public stories.

This is not a traditional desk-based research role. You might come from journalism, research, campaigning or another investigative background; we care less about job titles and qualifications than your instinct to ask, “But is that actually true?”

Over 12 months, you will lead two major projects on women’s financial equality. We want this role to have significant freedom to follow emerging stories about how women make money and the trends and shifts that affect our financial equality. This could be content creator economics, extreme beauty trends, or the femosphere.

We are seeking x3 Place Impact Researchers: supporting North Essex, South Essex or South West Essex, as well as thematic Essex wide programmes. 

Active Essex Foundation is a successful and growing charity dedicated to creating the conditions for young people and communities across Essex to thrive. Our work focuses on three core areas: improving young people’s mental health, reducing vulnerabilities to youth crime and exploitation, and strengthening communities through trusted relationships and positive engagement. We collaborate with a network of over 100 community organisations and local partners to design and deliver programmes that use physical activity, mentoring and community support as tools to build resilience, improve wellbeing and reduce inequalities. Everything we do is shaped by the real experiences of the people we serve, ensuring our interventions are meaningful, accessible and rooted in what communities tell us they need.

These roles will be embedded within Active Essex.  Active Essex is the strategic partnership for physical activity and sport across Greater Essex, working with local authorities, health partners, voluntary sector organisations and communities to create the conditions for active lives. Through a place-based approach, Active Essex brings together insight, evidence and local collaboration to tackle inequalities and improve health and wellbeing outcomes.

The Place Impact Researcher will gather, analyse and apply insight, research and evaluation evidence to support programmes, partnerships and place-based activity. The postholder will work closely with delivery teams, communities, partners and funders to demonstrate impact and turn learning into action. The ideal candidate will bring strong relationship-building skills and experience of working collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders. They should demonstrate a track record of delivering impactful projects or initiatives at local or county level, applying a systems approach to complex community issues, and using strengths-based methods to build resilience and capacity within local organisations.

Place Impact Researchers will be professionally aligned to the Insight & Evaluation Team for methodology, quality assurance and development, whilst receiving operational direction from their specialist area. This approach ensures strong local integration whilst maintaining consistent research standards.

How will we pay for longer lives? Who gets to enjoy them? How do we shape an economy that works for all ages? The ILC is the leading global authority on the impact of longevity on society, and we are looking for a Research Analyst to help us deliver compelling thought leadership that captures the attention of senior policy-makers in the UK and abroad.

This is a role for someone who wants their analysis to improve how well society adapts to demographic change. You will design and deliver your own empirical research, work with quantitative datasets and our international health and prevention models, and undertake qualitative work including leading interviews and chairing expert discussion groups. You will use your findings to shape the agenda, drafting reports, writing blogs and articles, and presenting to policy, business and third sector stakeholders in the UK and abroad. One day you might be launching a new report with MPs in parliament, the next seeking to use our research and convenorship to influence the G20, EU or WHO.

We are looking for someone with advanced data analysis skills, who writes clearly and persuasively and is confident in telling a story with data. You will be a strong presenter, comfortable building relationships with senior external stakeholders, and well organised enough to run several projects at once and hit your deadlines. You should be happy working independently and equally happy pitching in with a small, collaborative team.

In return you will get real responsibility early, a team that shares its skills, and a genuine say in what we research next.

Elrha is a global organisation that finds solutions to complex humanitarian problems through research and innovation. 

We are looking to recruit a Research & Innovation Manager (Maternity Cover) to join our Programmes team on a fixed-term basis. Funding for the role is currently secured until 28 February 2027. While we anticipate the maternity cover requirement continuing until the end of November 2027, any extension beyond 28 February 2027 will be dependent on funding being confirmed. 

In this role, you will have the opportunity to lead and shape Elrha's Readiness to Scale Pipeline, supporting innovative humanitarian solutions as they progress towards wider adoption and real-world impact. You will work closely with promising scaling grantees and technical partners, providing strategic oversight, strengthening quality and learning, and helping to navigate risks and opportunities. As a key member of the team, you will play an important role in advancing and evolving Elrha's approach to scaling and adoption, contributing to the future of humanitarian innovation globally. 

Your application will need to demonstrate: 

• Experience of managing complex grants, programmes or projects, including monitoring performance and impact. 
• Experience designing and delivering applied learning and capacity building activities, including needs assessments, learning journeys and strategy development. 
• An understanding of how innovations can achieve scale, adoption and sustainable impact. 
• Excellent stakeholder management and collaboration skills, with the ability to engage diverse partners and build effective relationships. 
• Proven ability to coordinate delivery, manage risk and drive high-quality outcomes. 
• An interest in the humanitarian or development sectors, ideally demonstrated through academic qualifications and/or paid or voluntary work.

Experience of donor engagement, systems and design thinking methods, mentoring innovators or working within humanitarian innovation would also be an advantage. 

If you want to be part of an organisation that creates positive change in the humanitarian sector, then join us and we’ll give you every opportunity to succeed. 

We offer: 

• Remote working as standard – staff can access office bases in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Manchester if required/ appropriate. We expect staff to attend team meetings and away days in person as required. 
• As standard we work 35 hours per week. We are also happy to discuss flexible working patterns and many of our staff work non-standard working hours. 
• Our benefits include minimum 5% employer pension contribution (3% employee contribution), life cover, organisational sick pay, family friendly pay and leave schemes; 26-day basic annual leave entitlement with incremental increase depending on length of service, opportunities for learning and development, a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and retail discounts platform. 
• Please read through the Information for Candidates document for further information about working at Elrha including information about Our Values, Strategy, Benefits and Salaries. 

Note for applicants: 

• Candidates must have the independent right to work in UK, and be resident in the UK, at the time of appointment as we are unable to support visa sponsorship for this role. 
• This is a maternity cover position. Funding for the role is currently confirmed until 28 February 2027. Any extension beyond this date will be subject to the availability of funding and the ongoing requirements of the role. 
• Please read through the job description for a detailed list of requirements, and ensure you complete the personal statement to explain how you feel you meet the requirements of the role and why you feel this is next career move for you. Applications without this information will not be shortlisted. 
• Elrha is an independent subsidiary of SCUK and benefits from some SCUK systems and processes. 
• We reserve the right to close the advert early should we receive a very high volume of applications. 
• We do not use recruitment agencies.

Closing date: 20 September 2026 

Interview dates: w/c 5 October 2026 

Prospect Researcher

When registering to this job board you will be redirected to the online application form. Please ensure that this is completed in full in order that your application can be reviewed.

Prospect Researcher

Salary - £33,201.00 (ROE) £36,924.00 (LON)

Location: Nationwide

Full-time

Our offer to you 

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do. You will receive: 

• Competitive salary and pension scheme
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
• Hybrid, Flexible working
• Cycle to work scheme Electric Vehicle Scheme (subject to terms)
• Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping 

 About Us 

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a team of over 1,100 employees and over 20,000 volunteers, united by our goal of saving lives through essential first aid services, training and campaigning. As a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future. 

St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid. We do this through developing and providing effective community response and outreach services (e.g. Ambulance response) and using our longstanding expertise to empower people with vital clinical skills and the confidence to use them (e.g. our Volunteers and Community Advocates, and Young Responders programmes).

Job Summary 

At St John Ambulance, we're committed to saving lives through first aid, healthcare, and volunteering. To continue growing our impact, we're looking for an experienced Prospect Research Manager to lead and develop our prospect research function within the Philanthropy and Partnerships team. This is an exciting opportunity to shape the future of fundraising by identifying and qualifying high-value prospects, providing strategic insight, and ensuring our fundraising teams have the intelligence they need to build lasting relationships with donors, corporate partners, and trusts and foundations.

Working as part of the Fundraising, Brand and Communications Directorate, you'll develop a strategic roadmap for prospect research, oversee due diligence to help protect the charity's reputation, and work closely with colleagues across fundraising and data to maximise the potential of our Microsoft 365 CRM. Your expertise will help drive sustainable income growth while ensuring our data, processes, and practices meet the highest standards of quality, compliance, and data protection.

About You 

You'll be an experienced and strategic prospect research professional with a strong understanding of how insight, data, and relationship-building can support successful fundraising. You'll combine excellent research skills with a proactive approach, using your expertise to identify opportunities, provide valuable intelligence, and help shape fundraising decisions.

To be successful in this role, you'll bring:

·Significant experience of undertaking prospect research and due diligence within a charity, fundraising, or commercial environment, with the ability to identify and assess new opportunities.

·Strong research and analytical skills, with experience using a range of research tools, databases, and CRM systems to produce accurate, insightful reports and recommendations.

·The ability to develop and implement effective strategies, systems, and processes that improve ways of working and support organisational goals.

·Experience building strong relationships and collaborating with colleagues and stakeholders at all levels, including briefing and influencing senior leaders.

·Excellent communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly, produce high-quality written reports, and tailor messages for different audiences.

·A thorough understanding of data protection principles, fundraising compliance, and ethical approaches to prospect research and donor engagement.

·Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, work independently, and deliver high-quality work to deadlines.

·A proactive and opportunity-focused approach, with the ability to spot potential, contribute positively to a team environment, and demonstrate St John Ambulance's HEART values.

You will also have strong IT skills, including experience using Microsoft Office applications and CRM databases. A good standard of education, including GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths (Grade 4/C or above), is required.

About the Role 

·Lead the development and delivery of St John Ambulance's prospect research strategy, creating a roadmap that supports fundraising priorities across philanthropy, corporate partnerships, trusts, and foundations.

·Manage the prospect research function, identifying and qualifying high-value funding opportunities while providing strategic insight to help maximise fundraising income.

·Conduct high-quality prospect research, network mapping, and due diligence, ensuring all recommendations align with the charity's ethical fundraising policy and protect its reputation.

·Build and manage fundraising pipelines by identifying new prospects, tracking opportunities, and working closely with fundraising colleagues to move prospects successfully through the cultivation journey.

·Develop and embed effective processes for prospect referral, research, and data management, ensuring accurate CRM records, GDPR compliance, and the adoption of fundraising best practice.

·Collaborate with colleagues across St John Ambulance and The Order of St John, presenting research findings, sharing expertise, and helping to build prospect research capability across the fundraising team.

Please see the job description for more detail (this can be viewed on our website or once you click apply) 

If you are a current St John Ambulance employee, please apply here: Click here 

For all other candidates, or St John Ambulance volunteers wishing to apply: please apply below 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 

St John Ambulance are committed to increasing the diversity of our team and making sure we best reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.At St John, everyone is valued and supported to thrive, we have seven networks including The Armed Forces Network, The Disability & Accessibility Network, The Family & Carers Network, The Heritage & Ethnicity Equity Network, LGBTQIA + Equity, The Multifaith Network & The Women’s Network. We do nottolerate any form ofdiscriminationandengendera sense of belonging for all, by creating an environment of mutual respect, where we value unique differences and demonstrate authentic allyship.We believe passionately in equality, diversity and inclusion.

St John Ambulance is proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. We are committed to supporting current and former members of the Armed Forces, reservists, veterans, cadet force adult volunteers, and military families, ensuring they are treated fairly and are not disadvantaged in their recruitment or employment with us.

St John Ambulance is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks, including DBS Clearance, as part of the onboarding process, if applicable to the nature of the role'. 

Please note: St John does not accept speculative CVs and will only review CVs sent in application for an advertised vacancy. 

High Trees Community Development Trust is seeking an ambitious Head of Community Research & Impact to join our senior management team and lead one of our core service areas.

Community-led research sits at the heart of how High Trees works. Our approach aims to rebalance the role and power that communities have in deciding how research is informed, delivered and used to improve lives for Lambeth residents. Over recent years we have built a strong foundation for this work and developed two flagship community research partnerships — the Lambeth Peer Action Collective and the Lambeth Community Research Network. We are now looking for someone to significantly expand this work: building local evidence of community need, working with communities to identify solutions and appropriate responses to local challenges, and advocating for change to policy and practice where needed.

This is a broad and varied leadership role. Alongside our direct research programmes, you will lead the development of infrastructure around community-led research in Lambeth, so that voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations can access the training, resources and networks they need to design and deliver their own research. You will also lead our Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning and Communications functions, ensuring the impact of everything we do is understood, evidenced and communicated well.

As part of High Trees’ senior management team, the Head of Community Research & Impact will not only oversee delivery in their service area, but also help shape organisational strategy, grow partnerships and income, and ensure we work as one High Trees — keeping our practice responsive, collaborative and always led by community need.

About High Trees

Based in Tulse Hill, High Trees has been rooted in the local community for nearly 30 years. We deliver community action, employment, education, youth services and community research, working in partnership with local people and local organisations to build stronger communities and create meaningful change. We are recognised for our collaborative, long-term approach and our ability to adapt and respond to the issues that matter most to local people.

About the role

As Head of Community Research & Impact, you will:

• Lead and inspire our Research & Impact team to deliver high-quality, community-led research that drives change.
• Shape and deliver High Trees’ strategic vision for community-led research, championing collaborative research practice across Lambeth.
• Take the lead on designing new research programmes, support with sourcing the funding to run them, and ensuring projects are completed to a high standard with high-quality outputs.
• Grow the infrastructure for community-led research locally, including through the Lambeth Community Research Network and the Lambeth Peer Action Collective.
• Support VCS organisations with community research training, resources and capacity building support.
• Lead and embed Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) and Communications across High Trees and our partnership work.
• Contribute as a member of High Trees’ senior management team, ensuring a joined-up approach across all our services.

About you

We are looking for someone who brings:

• Significant professional experience in research and/or community settings, with a track record of leading research projects.
• Experience of qualitative and mixed methods research and a working knowledge of participatory research approaches.
• A proven track record of leading teams and managing multiple projects and programmes at once.
• The ability to build trust and long-lasting relationships across community, academic, public sector and voluntary sector organisations.
• A strategic mindset, balancing day-to-day delivery with long-term vision.
• A solid understanding of the context in which High Trees delivers its work

Why join us?

This is a rare opportunity to take a senior leadership role in a values-led organisation at a time of growth and ambition. You will help set the standard for community-led research and system change, creating tools, resources and practices that benefit the wider sector — and be part of a collaborative team dedicated to creating lasting change.

Ataxia UK Research Manager

This is a part-time 12 month fixed term maternity cover post 

Salary: £44,000 pa pro-rata 

Conditions: 25 days annual leave pa pro-rata (not including Bank Holidays)

5% employer contribution to a personal pension plan. 

Hours: 21 hours pw with provision for flexible working in line with Ataxia UK’s policy.  Some out of hours work may be required for which time off in lieu will be granted. 

Location: Hybrid working between home and office: Ataxia UK Office, 12 Broadbent Close, London N6 5JW.

Reporting to: Director of Research 

About Ataxia UK 

Ataxia is the umbrella term for a group of neurological conditions and Ataxia UK is the UK’s leading ataxia support and research charity. Ataxia UK collaborates with the global ataxia community through our Research team,  and we are on the board of the international non-profit association, Euro-ataxia. Our Services team focuses on helping people affected by ataxia across the UK live well with their condition. Our Helpline and Advocacy services provide information, and one-to-one support on a range of issues, while our Community Engagement services deliver activities, events and volunteering opportunities that bring the ataxia community together and help reduce isolation. 

Job Description 

Research:  

The post-holder is expected to gain an understanding of the ataxias, keep updated with developments in the ataxia research area, and liaise effectively with researchers and other stakeholders. 

Research Grants Programme:

• To support the Director of Research in implementing Ataxia UK’s research strategy 

• To manage the Research Communications Officer in implementing the peer review process (e.g. by identifying/ liaising with peer reviewers and keeping a database of potential peer reviewers) 

• To support the Scientific Advisory Committee by attending meetings, and manage the Research Communications Officer providing papers and writing minutes 

• To liaise with researchers funded by Ataxia UK

Global collaborations: 

• To represent Ataxia UK or stand in for the Director of Research on research projects (eg: representing the patient perspective) 

• To manage the meetings of the Pharma Strategy Advisory Group 

• To support the Director of Research in working with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to advance ataxia research 

• To assist the Director of Research in other research related-initiatives where required 

Research communication: 

• To manage the Research Communications officer in communications to people affected by ataxia (via Ataxia UK’s magazine, e-newsletter and website) 

• To represent Ataxia UK at ataxia meetings/conferences, write reports and do oral presentations 

• To assist in the organisation of Ataxia UK’s Research conferences 

• To make presentations to communicate research advances to people with ataxia and their families at Ataxia UK’s conferences

Support for people with ataxia: 

• To support Ataxia UK’s Helpline team to respond to research enquiries from people with ataxia 

• To manage Ataxia UK’s Internal Ethics Committee 

Improving healthcare:

• To coordinate annual reviews of current Ataxia Centres, and accreditation reviews of new Ataxia Centres 

• To coordinate the Ataxia Grand Rounds programme 

• To manage the updating of Ataxia UK’s Medical Guidelines and similar publications 

• To support the Director of Research in the development of new projects and policy work aimed at improving the healthcare of people with ataxia as required

Other: 

• Participate in supervision, and staff meetings as required 

• Undertake professional development and training 

• To manage the Research Communications Officer

• Comply with the data protection regulations, ensuring that information on clients, supporters, employees and volunteers remains confidential

• Implement Ataxia UK’s health and safety policy and procedures, ensuring that all practices and procedures are undertaken in accordance with a healthy and safe working environment and that all staff and volunteers for whom you may be responsible are aware of their responsibilities in respect of their role, monitoring data and recommending action as required 

• Administer and organise own work to ensure that it is accurate and meets quality targets, agreed deadlines and reporting requirements 

• Take responsibility for personal learning, training and development, and support the learning and development of others and the whole organisation 

• Work to embed a culture of inclusion and collaboration, within and beyond Ataxia UK 

Note: This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or the level of responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post. Ataxia UK reserves the right to update the Job Description from time to time to reflect these changes in or to the post after consultation about any proposed changes. 

Person specification 

Qualifications and experience 

• Degree and higher degree in a relevant biological science or in medicine (PhD desirable) 

• Experience of working in a research environment, in a hospital or for a medical research charity

Essential Skills  

• Ability to write clear, concise, accurate English

• Ability to communicate effectively with both researchers and lay people 

• Ability to do oral presentations to large audiences

• Ability to work independently

• Excellent organisational skills

• Ability to use Microsoft Office packages

• Ability to maintain databases and generate reports

Perspectives  

• Support for the ethical use of animals in medical research and human embryonic stem cell research 

• Commitment to diversity and inclusion and knowledge and understanding of the barriers faced by people with a disability 

Personal qualities 

• Flexible approach to work 

• Adaptable to changing working hours to support work with international partners

• Willing to travel nationally and internationally with overnight stays 

Benefits of working for us 

• 25 days annual leave pro rata (rising to 30 with a length of service) 

• Extra holiday day for your birthday 

• Access to a free Employee Assistance Programme & Employee Hotline 

• Flexible hybrid working 

• Pension scheme 

• Enhanced maternity and co-parental leave 

• Cycle to work scheme 

• Training and development opportunities 

Accredited Living Wage Employer

Research Programme Manager – Mental Health Advert

Contract: Fixed-term contract for 2 years (with the possibility of extension of up to a further 12 months)

Hours: 28 hours per week (FTE is 35 hours per week)

Location: London (hybrid), with occasional travel within the UK)

Salary: £52,467 (FTE £65,584)

Closing date: 23rdSeptember 2026

Interview Dates: Week Commencing 28th September (London Office)

Freedom from Torture has an exciting opportunity for a Research Programme Manager to join our team and play a central role in delivering an innovative international mental health research programme funded by a major UK research funder. The programme will explore whether artificial intelligence can safely and effectively support survivors of torture with managing distressing memories. Survivor co-design is central to the programme, ensuring that people with lived experience across diverse cultures, languages and backgrounds meaningfully shape innovation in mental health.

About us

Freedom from Torture is an established charity that has been supporting survivors of torture for over 35 years and has a dedicated donor base. We are committed to providing high-quality, evidence-based interventions for people who have survived torture. We provide therapies to improve physical and mental health, medically document torture, and offer legal and welfare support. Our clinical model has been co-designed with survivors of torture and includes a range of interventions, including trauma-focused therapy, psychotherapy, family and couple systemic psychotherapy, group work, pain management and health assessment.

In addition to our treatment services, we expose torture globally, campaign for the rights of survivors and work to hold torturing states to account. We use evidence from our services and survivor voices to influence national and international change, placing survivors at the centre of everything we do.

Our current strategy seeks to increase access to rehabilitation services for survivors of torture, strengthen our clinical excellence through research, and explore innovative models of service delivery that enable us to reach more people in need. This includes developing research partnerships and innovation opportunities that advance knowledge, improve practice and create meaningful impact for survivors. We undertake our work under our four core values of Hope, Compassion, Empowerment and Resolve. This is an exciting time to join Freedom from Torture and make a meaningful contribution to our future development.

We offer a competitive package, with a generous 30-day annual leave entitlement (pro rata), 6% employer pension contribution, and flexible and hybrid working arrangements.

About the role

This is a senior research programme management role supporting the delivery of a major externally funded health research programme involving multiple organisations, international collaborators and diverse stakeholder groups. The programme includes research involving human participants and brings together expertise from universities, charities, clinicians, researchers, technologists and people with lived experience.

A defining feature of this programme is its commitment to survivor leadership and co-design. Survivors of torture will play an active role in shaping, informing and governing the research throughout its lifecycle. The successful candidate will therefore work closely with survivor advisors, co-design groups and governance structures to support meaningful participation and ensure that lived experience perspectives are incorporated into programme decision-making, research development and delivery. This commitment to participation is central to the ethos, methodology and success of the programme.

Reporting to the Principal Investigator, the Research Programme Manager will act as the central coordination point across the consortium and will be responsible for leading programme planning, coordinating international partners, supporting governance structures, managing funder reporting and compliance, coordinating financial oversight, supporting research governance and ethics, monitoring programme risks and preparing high-quality reports and briefings for funders, governance bodies and senior stakeholders.

The successful candidate will work closely with Freedom Fron Torture colleagues across clinical services, survivor leadership and empowerment, fundraising, finance, research partners and organisational leadership to ensure successful delivery of programme objectives. This role offers a rare opportunity to work at the intersection of health research, innovation, survivor involvement and international collaboration.

About you

You will be an experienced programme or project management professional with a track record of delivering complex health research programmes. You will have experience of managing externally funded research programmes, working with major research funders, coordinating activity across multiple organisations, supporting governance structures, managing risk and assurance processes, and contributing to financial monitoring and reporting.

You will understand the importance of meaningful involvement of people with lived experience in research and service development. You will have experience of supporting inclusive engagement, co-design, consultation or participation activities and be committed to ensuring that diverse voices influence decision-making, governance and programme delivery.

You will bring excellent communication and relationship-management skills, with the ability to work confidently with academics, clinicians, funders, people with lived experience, senior organisational leaders and colleagues across different professional backgrounds. You will be organised, proactive and able to exercise sound judgement in a complex and fast-moving programme environment.

This role would particularly suit candidates from university or health providers research management, major health research funders, and mental or physical health clinicians with substantial research management experience.

In Return

In return, we offer a competitive package, with a generous 30-day annual leave entitlement, and 6% employer pension contribution (minimum 1% employee contribution).

Freedom from Torture is committed to showing the salary for all advertised roles and not negotiating salaries for roles, in light of evidence that this contributes to structural inequality.

Our policy is that all appointments will be at the start of the salary range but successful candidates will have the opportunity to move up the scale over time. The progression up the salary range is reviewed on an annual basis and subject to affordability. For this role, the salary range is £52,467 per annum to £60,861 per annum (FTE £65,584 to 76,077).

To view the Job Description and Person Specification, please click here 

Freedom from Torture is dedicated to healing and protecting people who have survived torture. We provide therapies to improve physical and mental health, we medically document torture, and we provide legal and welfare help. We expose torture globally, we fight to hold torturing states to account and we campaign for fairer treatment of torture survivors in the UK.

We campaign for national and global change, using evidence from our services and survivor voices to protect and promote survivors' rights and hold torturing states to account. We are proud to play a significant role in the global anti-torture movement. Survivors, active and empowered, are at the centre of all of our work.

Freedom from Torture is committed to its responsibilities under safeguarding and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS/PVG disclosure, as well as a full employment history and up-to-date employment references.

Freedom from Torture is an equal opportunity employer. People with lived experience of torture or asylum, from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQIA+ individuals and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Please note that a CV and a cover letter addressing the Job Description and Person Specification are mandatory to be considered for this position.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications.

No agencies please.