The Academy of Medical Sciences is the independent, expert voice of biomedical and health research in the UK.

Our vision is good health for all supported by the best research and evidence.

Our mission is to help create an open and progressive research sector to improve the health of people everywhere.

· We support researchers with innovative funding and career development opportunities.

· We help create a more sustainable environment for delivering outstanding research.

· We help researchers to work with academia, the public, charities, policy makers, health and social care partners, and industry to make the greatest difference to health.

Our new strategy for 2022-2032 focusses on the following strategic priorities.

1. Influence policy and practice to improve the lives of patients, the public and communities

2. Support UK biomedical and health research to strengthen its global competitiveness and reputation

3. Support the next generation of researchers to reach their full potential

4. Work with our partners to increase the Academy’s impact on global health

5. Build our resources to ensure our long-term independence and effectiveness

You can read more about our strategy 2022-2032 here

Salary: starting from £57,349 + Benefits (possible to increase salary via incremental steps in the first 12 months).

Role duration: 12 month fixed-term contract, with possibility of extension

The Head of Grants Assurance will join a dynamic team overseeing a portfolio of innovative research grants and career development support programmes, informed by our policy work on research training and careers. This is an exciting period of potential growth in our activities both within the UK and internationally, enabling us to support a greater diversity of talented researchers.

The Head of Grants Assurance will be responsible for ensuring that all of the Academy’s processes and digital platforms that underpin our grant schemes are robust and ensure that our grant-making activities can be delivered to the standards expected, maintaining good practice and standardisation. They will also lead on the monitoring, internal and external reporting and evaluation of the Academy’s grants and career development support programmes, as well as being responsible for our grant assurance processes.

The role will oversee a range of systems, including the management of our grant management system (FlexiGrant) and our grant reporting system (ResearchFish). It will also present an opportunity to commission external providers, e.g. independent evaluators and lead on due diligence and contracting for these activities. Working with our Data Controller and legal advisors to ensure GDPR compliance will be key, as will working with our Finance Team on financial aspects of delivering the operational and assurance aspects of our grant making activities.

We’re looking for someone with the skills and knowledge to develop our grant processes and evaluation approach to enable the Academy to work more efficiently and effectively to ultimately make a real impact in improving the health of people everywhere.

This is a great opportunity to be at the heart of the Academy as it goes through a period of ambitious strategic transformation to implement our new 10-year strategic plan.

In this role you will need to establish a good working relationship with colleagues across the Academy and external delivery and funding partners and stakeholders, including charities, the other National Academies, government departments, research councils and others.

You will work closely with members of the wider Careers Team, this includes the Director of Biomedical Grants and Policy, the Assistant Director-Grants, Head of Grant Schemes and the Head of Programmes,. Other internal key colleagues will be the Head of Finance, the Data Controller and Senior Business Improvement Manager. You will also be part of the wider Leadership Team across the Academy, which includes Head and Director roles. In terms of line management responsibility, you will oversee the Grants Monitoring and Evaluation Manager. You will directly report to the Assistant Director-Grants.

Key tasks and responsibilities can be found in the JD which is attached at the bottom of this page.

Annual leave

29 days per annum; including Christmas closure dates, plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time staff)

Salary progression

We have recently introduced a new salary progression framework.

The framework offers opportunities for salary increases at 6 and 12 months. Further increments are available as staff progress through our role and competency framework. We are also committed to regular cost of living or benchmarking reviews.

Pension

The Academy contributes 7.5% of gross salary to a Legal & General salary sacrifice pension scheme, with an employee contribution of 3%.

Life assurance

3 x annual gross salary

Season ticket travel loan interest free

Available to all staff after completion of probationary period

Family friendly benefits

• We offer enhanced maternity and paternity leave and provide coaching for parents returning to work.

• We are a family friendly employer and support staff to be present for their families through our agile working policy.

• We support staff who have caring responsibilities

Agile working

We empower individuals and teams to identify work practices and patterns that enable the organisation to maximise its potential and the individual to achieve the best possible work/life balance.

Our agile working approach operates on the following principles:

1. Open

2. Timely

3. Experimental

4. Connected

5. Respectful

6. Empowered

These principles allow staff to determine how, when and where they work to do their job well and support their wellbeing.

Wellbeing and mental health

• Subscription to Headspace and Class pass.

• Regular individual, team and organisation wide wellbeing days.

• Seasonal staff connection days

• Employee assistance programme including access to free online counselling and CBT

• Cross organisation staff group dedicated to wellbeing that runs activities to support social connection, mental and physical health.

• Team of mental health first aiders

Equity, diversity and inclusion

• Regular EDI learning sessions and events connected to religious holidays, social awareness days and cultural celebrations.

• Access to EDI training and development sessions

• Opportunity to join a cross organisation staff EDI Forum, with leads for gender, LGBTQ+, Race and Disability and Neurodiversity

• EDI SharePoint with resources including current affairs, podcasts, campaigns, blogs and reports.

• We are also a member of EDIS (the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Science and Health Research Network), the Employers Network for Equality & Inclusion and the Proud Science Alliance, a collective of healthcare and life sciences sector LGBTQ+ networks.

Closing date for completed applications is 5:00 pm on Tuesday, 11 April 2023.

Interviews will be held 17-19 April 2023.