Senior research advisor jobs in belfast

About The Role

We have an exciting opportunity available to join our successful Innovation team.
The mission of the Innovation team at Alzheimer’s Society is to become the leaders in developing and accelerating new solutions that will increase choices, improve quality of life, and revolutionise care and support for people living with dementia.  

This means getting new products to market, fostering a culture of innovation around dementia, and addressing major system challenges to help people living with dementia, keeping people with this lived experience at the centre of every aspect of our work.

The Innovation team works across a variety of exciting activity, including contributing to the delivery of the multi-million pound Longitude Prize on dementia and leading Alzheimer’s Society Launchpad and Accelerator Programmes, designed to boost new dementia products and innovations to market, delivering help and hope to people living with dementia.

In the role of Innovation Portfolio Advisor you will support the Innovation Impact Investment Manager with the ongoing management and development of our innovation product portfolio. You will cultivate and maintain relationships with current and former Accelerator partners, reviewing business plans, supporting with negotiations and exploring mechanisms for a return on investment, developing and monitoring collaboration agreements whilst tracking the impact of our investments. You will support with product development, helping identify routes for commercialisation and scale in order to maximise and monitor the impact of the most exciting new products for people living with dementia.

You will work alongside a team of Senior Innovators, each of whom will be accountable for their respective programmes of work.

About you

We are looking for a creative, passionate and solution-driven individual to support the management of our innovation product portfolio with ambition and experience of accelerating products to market for maximum impact and benefit to people affected by dementia.

Ideally you will:

- Be confident in communicating, influencing, negotiating and managing internal and external stakeholders.
- Have an attention for detail, be self-motivated, organised and have the ability to work collaboratively in a fast paced and high performing team.
- Be entrepreneurial and commercially minded with experience of working in an innovative environment.
- Have experience of maintaining a portfolio of products/programme of activity.
- Have experience of identifying routes to market for products and an understanding of the opportunities/challenges associated with product commercialisation and scaling.
- Have an understanding and experience of investment strategies and models for generating a return on investment.
- Have experience of reviewing progress of partnerships, managing project plans, budgets and monitoring of contractual requirements.
- Have experience of developing impact metrics and the ability to produce impact investment reports.

About Alzheimer's Society - who are we and what’s our mission?  

Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.  

At Alzheimer’s Society, we’re the UK’s leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding ground-breaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.  

Together with our supporters, we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives. Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for. 

Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging  

We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as part of a minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.     

Our hiring process 

We want you to bring your whole self to the process. Applications are anonymised until interview stage, and we’re happy to support any adjustments. Share your feedback via our candidate survey when applying to help us improve. We may close early if we receive high interest (with 48 hours’ notice). Some roles may require a DBS check as part of our safer recruitment commitment. Thinking about using AI during the recruitment process? we know this can be helpful in many ways but remember to include your personal and authentic self too. Your voice and experience are what really set you apart. 

Giving back to you  

At Alzheimer’s Society, we value our people and take a total reward approach to pay and benefits. You’ll enjoy a generous double-matched pension scheme, 27 days’ annual leave (plus bank holidays and wellbeing days), and access to a free Health Shield Cash Plan, 24/7 EAP, Thrive mental wellbeing support, and virtual GP services. Our Society Plus platform offers exclusive discounts, wellbeing resources, and recognition schemes, while our flexible working, family-friendly policies, and life assurance provide peace of mind and work/life balance. We also offer a free Will-writing service and long service awards to recognise your ongoing commitment.

The Role

The Hummingbird Pollinator is a strategic and external-facing leader who combines vision with agility, precision with creativity. They will guide Canopy’s Philanthropic Partnerships team in cultivating high-value relationships, securing transformational funding, and embedding a culture of philanthropy across the organization.

As part of Canopy’s leadership team, the Hummingbird Pollinator will serve as a trusted advisor on fundraising strategy, donor relations, and organizational sustainability — ensuring every partnership fuels our mission and amplifies Canopy’s impact on the world’s forests and climate.

The Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Philanthropic Vision

• Develop and execute Canopy’s 5-year philanthropic strategy, aligning major gifts, institutional partnerships, and stewardship with Canopy’s bold goals.
• Set and achieve ambitious revenue targets, ensuring forecasting and pipeline accuracy.
• Collaborate across teams to integrate storytelling, communications, and immersive engagement into all donor interactions.

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and mentor the Development Director and Donor Engagement Specialist.
• Foster a collaborative, innovative, and high-performing team culture.
• Partner with Grants, Research, and Analytics colleagues to ensure seamless execution and reporting.

Donor Engagement & Relationship Building

• Cultivate, solicit, and steward high-value donor and institutional partnerships.
• Lead high-impact donor experiences that inspire connection and long-term commitment.
• Represent Canopy externally as a trusted, strategic ambassador to our philanthropic partners.

Philanthropic Culture & Collaboration

• Champion a culture of philanthropy across Canopy — helping all teams understand and celebrate the power of donor partnerships.
• Equip colleagues with the tools and confidence to engage in meaningful donor storytelling.
• Work cross-functionally to ensure that philanthropic principles are integrated into all strategic planning and communications.

About Canopy

At Canopy, we partner with the world’s largest brands and innovators to protect the world’s forests, species, and climate. We’re a not-for-profit that makes the impossible happen — building market solutions to keep Ancient and Endangered Forests standing and scale Next Gen alternatives that change supply chains forever.

Why Join Canopy

This is a rare moment to join a movement on the rise. With a transformational foundation in place and a clear path toward long-term sustainability, the Hummingbird Pollinator will help shape the next era of Canopy’s philanthropic growth.

You’ll join a globally distributed team of innovators and advocates, united by the belief that bold collaboration can protect the planet’s most vital forests — and transform industries along the way.

About You

You are agile, curious, and creative. You see patterns others miss, forge connections that spark growth, and thrive in dynamic environments. You’re both strategic and relational, bringing energy, empathy, and excellence to every interaction.

You bring:

1. 10+ years of experience in fundraising, major gifts, or institutional philanthropy, including leadership experience.
2. A record of securing transformative gifts and managing complex donor portfolios.
3. Experience leading and mentoring collaborative, high-performing teams.
4. Strategic thinking paired with operational excellence.
5. Creativity, curiosity, and a “Yes AND…” mindset.
6. Excellent communication and relationship skills that inspire confidence.
7. Resilience, adaptability, and humour.
8. Passion for environmental impact, conservation, or systems change.

Role: Healthcare Partnerships Lead

Hours: 22.5hr hrs per week, (3 days, Tuesday and Friday core days)

Location: Homebased within the UK with a requirement to travel independently and support in person events, conferences and meetings

Reporting to: Director of Programmes and Partnerships

Benefits: Flexible working arrangements, 28 days of annual leave (FTE) + 1 day for your birthday, pension scheme

Key relationships: Managing external relationships with key healthcare professionals and partners and working closely with our Medical Advisor and Information and Research Manager

Salary: £35,000 per annum (FTE)

About the role

Do you have a proven track record of building impactful partnerships in the healthcare sector? Do you want to make a meaningful difference at the world’s leading multiple sclerosis healthy lifestyle charity?

We are seeking a dynamic Healthcare Partnerships Lead, to drive forward our Healthcare Engagement Strategy, ensuring that more people understand the importance of healthy lifestyle in managing MS symptoms and progression. You will lead the development and delivery of initiatives that align with our strategic vision—ensuring that everyone affected by MS knows that hope and possibility exist beyond diagnosis.

Healthcare professionals play a pivotal role in the lives of people with MS. As the first point of contact, they are the primary source of trusted information and support. Given the lifelong nature of MS, these relationships can span decades, making it essential that we engage meaningfully with the healthcare community. By fostering strong partnerships, we can ensure that more professionals are equipped to share evidence-based lifestyle interventions and offer hope from the very beginning.

Why this role matters

Since 2012, Overcoming MS has been at the forefront of promoting an evidence-based approach to the self-management of MS using healthy lifestyle choices alongside medication. Although there is no cure for MS, we help people with MS to live well by making informed lifestyle choices.

Over the past 18 months, we have laid a strong foundation for this work:

· Identifying key barriers to supported self-management in MS.

· Co-developing educational resources to support healthcare professionals

· Piloting projects with healthcare professionals.

· Refining and presenting data to demonstrate the value of our approach.

Now, we are ready to build on that momentum—and we need you to take it further.

Key responsibilities

· Lead the successful delivery of the Healthcare Engagement strategy, identifying and promoting engagement with our key audiences and stakeholders, in accordance with the NHS 10-year plan.

· Raise awareness with healthcare professionals of the importance of healthy lifestyle in managing MS symptoms and disease progression, resulting in expanded access to supported self-management for people with MS.

· Lead the development and delivery of strategic projects that engage healthcare professionals.

· Raise the profile and credibility of Overcoming MS, our information, events and courses, positioning us as the go-to charity for lifestyle and living well with MS.

· Increase the impact of our HCP education module, through our existing partnership with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine, marketing the education widely, evaluating its benefit to HCPs and strategically reviewing the format, vehicle and content as appropriate.

· Work closely with our internal Evidence Gathering Group, our Medical Advisor, and Information and Research Manager to facilitate the development of the relationship, profile and reach between the charity and the health and social care sectors.

· Develop a wide network of key healthcare professionals to inform our strategy, provide expertise, expert review of materials, and content (podcasts, webinars, blogs)

· Co-produce posters, abstracts and academic articles to present at key conferences.

· Identify and attend key healthcare events and conferences, building networks, partnerships and other resources to increase knowledge and awareness.

Other responsibilities

· Create meaningful engagement with the MS community and healthcare professional partners, widening our reach to support more people with MS.

· Empower people affected by MS and their healthcare professionals to discuss lifestyle modification and the Overcoming MS Program with confidence, improving self-management and health outcomes.

· Identify opportunities for accessing funding streams, working with Fundraising colleagues to diversify our income base.

· Raise our profile within the healthcare environment so that they recommend the charity and will advocate on our behalf.

· As we are a small, busy charity, all staff help with the general running of the organisation in addition to their specific role activities.

What you will bring

· Proven experience in healthcare partnership development and stakeholder engagement.

·Strong understanding of the challenges facing people living with a lifelong condition such as MS, including the emotional, physical, and social impacts along with a strong understanding of the NHS, Public Health and the UK health care policy landscape.

· A proactive, independent professionalism with the ability to problem solve.

· Strategic thinking with a collaborative, hands-on approach

· Strong understanding of health inequalities and community-based health initiatives.

· Excellent communication, presentation and influencing skills.

· Confidence to attend meetings as sole representative of the charity and ability to get oneself there independently.

· Intellectual flexibility, with the ability to embrace and deal with complexity.

· Passion for improving lives through lifestyle and wellness interventions.

· Comfortable working remotely, attending events during evenings and weekends.

· Experience as a senior healthcare lead or similar role (Desirable).

· Experience and knowledge of neurological conditions (Desirable).

First stage interviews to be held online: Wednesday 3rd December and Thursday 4th December

Second stage interviews to be held online: Friday 12th December

Are you passionate about upholding the rights of other Disabled people? Would you like to bring your whole self to work? 

Inclusion Barnet is Barnet’s Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisation (DDPO), led by a board and senior management team of disabled people, and we’re passionate about using our lived experience of disability to work towards inclusive communities and greater social justice for all.

This role involves working with people across all of Barnet’s diverse communities. Therefore, we’re looking for people with a demonstrable commitment to the social model of disability and equality, with their own direct lived experience of disability, and an ambition to contribute to a fairer society for all.

The successful candidate will spend their time delivering a frontline welfare benefits triaging service with the support of a senior caseworker. 

To succeed, you will need experience of advice work which includes using a benefits calculator and signposting. The role also involves managing our telephone and email inbox into the advice service and obtaining feedback about the service from clients alongside initial advice giving. The role will include some casework including concessionary travel claims when capacity allows and with relevant training. 

You will need excellent communication skills and be unphased by people presenting with multiple issues, often in emotional distress. You’ll be excited by the challenge of learning new things and have a good knowledge of the services used by disabled people. 

In return, we offer a supportive and friendly workplace, with a focused but flexible culture, where you can bring your whole self to work. 

This is a home-based role, with some travel around Barnet needed, approx. 2 days a month. Most of the triaging work can be completed online or over the telephone, but there may be a need for some face-to-face client work from time to time. You will therefore need to live within a reasonable travelling distance of Barnet. Some travel to other venues in London may also be required, for example for staff away days or other meetings.

We encourage flexible working to suit your work/life balance preferences where possible; however, some working days might be determined by appointments. We also operate a Time Off In Lieu (TOIL) system.

To apply, please submit your CV with a brief covering letter clearly stating how you meet the person specification, and how you would use your lived experience of disability to inform your delivery of the role.

The successful candidate must be willing to undergo an enhanced DBS check and have the right to work in the UK. 

Interviews will be held remotely w/c 8th December and will include a pre-prepared scenario question which you will need to submit before the time of your interview.