Head of strategic research development

Head of strategic research development

Location: Contracted to our Peterborough office with the flexibility for hybrid working
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full time 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £50,000 - £55,000 depending on experience
Benefits: We want all our employees to feel valued and engaged and are committed to offering a positive working culture along with a good work-life balance. As well as ensuring we pay our employees fairly, we offer the following benefits: Flexible working, Generous annual leave, Private Medical Insurance, including dental and optical, Pension Scheme, Sick Pay, Death in Service, Employee Assistance Programme, Bike Loan Scheme, Cycle2Work Scheme, Eyecare, Discount Portal

Closing date: Wednesday 3 December 2025

Telephone interviews will be held week commencing 8 December 2025

Interviews will be held week commencing 15 December 2025

No agencies please

Be a part of an energetic and vibrant team who are driven by the desire to improve the lives of people living with kidney disease. Our vision is the day when everyone lives free from kidney disease.

Reporting into the director of research development and partnerships, the head of strategic research development leads the development and delivery of Kidney Research UK s research strategy in our priority and emerging research areas, working closely with our research and health system-facing teams.

The role is responsible for horizon scanning and translating strategic priorities into deliverable research funding initiatives, mobilising multi-partner collaborations that accelerate progress from concept to delivery.

The post-holder will also provide line management for the research programme managers, offering direction, guidance and professional development to ensure coherent delivery across research themes and initiatives.

As a senior member of the team, the post-holder will deputise for the director of research development and partnerships as required, representing the charity with senior stakeholders, making timely decisions, and ensuring strategic continuity across portfolios.

You will have experience in research strategy, development, funding or portfolio management within the health, biomedical or life sciences sector. You ll combine strategic insight into how research is funded and evaluated with the ability to lead and inspire others, fostering professional growth and wellbeing.

You will be a strategic thinker, confident and assertive, able to make sound decisions, delegate effectively and keep processes moving at pace. Strong communication skills (written, verbal and interpersonal) will enable you to work well across teams, build productive relationships with colleagues, and to influence and liaise effectively with external stakeholders.

If you are interested in the position, please complete the online application form and submit together with your CV.

We are committed to providing equal opportunities for everyone and encourage applications from all sections of the community.

About Kidney Research UK:

Kidney Research UK is the leading charity in the UK focused on funding research into the prevention, treatment and management of kidney disease. Our vision is the day when everyone lives free from kidney disease and for more than 60 years the research, we fund has been making an impact. But kidney disease is increasing as are the factors contributing to it, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity, making our work more essential than ever.

At Kidney Research UK we work with clinicians and scientists across the UK, funding and facilitating research into all areas of kidney disease. We collaborate with partners across the public, private and third sectors to prevent kidney disease and drive innovation to transform treatments.

Over the last ten years we have invested more than £71 million into research. We lobby governments and decision makers to change policy and practice to ensure that the estimated 7.2 million people living with all stages of kidney disease in the UK have access to the most effective care and treatment, and to make kidney disease a priority.

Most importantly, we also work closely with patients, ensuring their voice is heard and is at the centre of everything we do, from deciding which research to invest in to how we plan our priorities and our work across the charity.

Those patient contributions are vital, always helping us and our partners to understand what life is like with kidney disease, always ensuring we see the patient behind the treatment and always reminding us that behind every statistic and every number is a person the patients and the carers who inspire our mission and push us forward to make a difference and change the future of kidney disease.

You may also have experience in the following: Strategic Research Development, Research Strategy Lead, Health Research Leadership, Biomedical Research, Life Sciences Research, Research Portfolio Management, Research Funding Initiatives, Research Strategy Development, Multi-partner Collaboration, Project/Programme Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Decision-making & Strategic Planning, Funding Evaluation, Policy & Research Translation, Line Management, Team Leadership, Senior Stakeholder Liaison, Charity, Charities, Third Sector, Not for Profit, NFP, etc.

REF-