The Academy’s core mission is to advance biomedical and health research and its translation into benefits for society. We are working to secure a future in which:
• UK and global health is improved by the best research
• The UK leads the world in biomedical and health research, and is renowned for the quality of its research outputs, talent and collaborations.
• Independent, high quality medical science advice informs the decisions that affect society.
• More people have a say in the future of health and research.
The Academy’s 1200 Fellows have been elected on the basis of outstanding contributions to a range of scientific fields, and are drawn from universities, hospitals, general practice, industry and the public service. Our Fellows are central to all we do. It is their talent and expertise that ensures we can bring authoritative opinion and practical guidance to complex issues in medical science and healthcare.
Established in 1998 as an expert body to deal with issues at the interface of medical science and healthcare, the Academy is part of the national academies group, alongside the Royal Society, British Academy, and the Royal Academy of Engineering. We are governed by a Council of 21 Fellows, including 6 Honorary Officers who provide strategic advice and oversight. Professor Sir Robert Lechler FMedSci is the current President.
The Academy is:
• An elected Fellowship of the UK’s best biomedical and health researchers
• An independent source of evidence-based and expert advice
• Connected to, and respected by, decision makers
• Focused on realising cross-disciplinary opportunities across academia, industry and healthcare.
• Committed to improving and celebrating diversity - in all its forms - in the biomedical and health research community
• Global in outlook, reach and influence
• Catalytic, inclusive and accessible in our approach
• Responsive to change and innovative in our solutions
• Adept at maximising our impact through partnership working
We seek to advance UK and global biomedical and health research through five strategic challenges (as set out in our 2017-22 strategy):
1. To harness our expertise and convening power to tackle the biggest scientific and health challenges and opportunities facing our society.
2. To lead innovation in the development of research talent through funding and careers support.
3. To achieve influence and impact beyond the UK to improve health and well-being.
4. To become the exemplar of a ‘modern scientific academy’ – diverse, trusted, dynamic, relevant and accessible.
5. To enhance the Academy’s delivery capability, making sure we have the Fellows, staff, partners, resources and influence to make an even greater contribution to the UK and beyond.
The Fellowship is served by a team of 43 staff.
Policy at the Academy
The Academy’s policy work addresses issues of biomedical science, healthcare and workforce including sustaining the pipeline of researchers equipped to deliver innovation and excellence. Areas of policy work originate from within the Academy Council and wider Fellowship, as well as in response to issues raised by Government, Parliament and other relevant bodies, including stakeholders such as industry, medical research charities, medical royal colleges and regulators.
The Academy’s policy work cuts across both our medical science policy team and biomedical grants, mentoring and careers policy team.
• The medical science policy team’s remit includes ensuring that the UK has a strong research base in academia, industry and the NHS and that the outcomes of research can be translated into health and wealth benefits. The Head of Policy oversees these activities. It is also responsible for our international policy activities, overseen by a Head of International. The team currently has a staff of 15 (including 2 interns) and a budget of ca £1m.
• The biomedical grants, mentoring and careers policy team’s work focuses on the training and career pathways for researchers across the spectrum of the medical sciences. Our policy work not only influences UK capacity and resource, but also informs our schemes and activities to support young researchers.
Policy is developed in consultation with Academy Fellows, in addition to external experts and stakeholders as appropriate. Projects often involve collaboration with other UK and international bodies (e.g. charities, research funders, industry), and can take many forms: major reports, shorter position papers, consultation responses, seminars and workshops, correspondence, representation on Government and external panels, evidence to Parliamentary committees, private meetings and roundtables with key decision makers. Wide consultation, comprehensive analysis of the evidence and robust peer review ensure the independence and authority of the Academy’s policy work
Salary: £44,064-£48,315
Position: Temporary November 2018 to March 2019; Full time or 0.8 FTE
The Head of Policy plays a key role at the Academy, responsible for developing and delivering a programme of activities to meet our strategic objective of ‘influencing research and policy’.
Reporting into the Director of Medical Science Policy, the postholder will manage a small team, with a brief that encompasses: leading and/or overseeing the initiation, delivery and follow up of major policy projects; progressing ongoing Academy policy priorities and responding to new opportunities in areas such as science base funding, use of data, regulation and governance of health research, and the use of animals in research; overseeing the FORUM, a membership network and independent platform for discussions across academia, industry, NHS and other stakeholders; fostering and developing excellent relationships with partners and key stakeholders; and maintaining strong networks with UK policy contacts. During this period the postholder’s team is launching its report on principles for the use of patient data-driven technologies; holding a symposium on the developing brain; delivering meetings on AI and healthcare, gene therapy and adaptive pathways for clinical trials; and developing major projects on enhancing the NHS-academia interface and circadian medicine.
The ‘influencing research and policy’ strand of Academy’s work includes developing the way in which the Academy identifies, undertakes, disseminates, follows up and evaluates its policy work. The postholder will work with the Director and other Academy policy staff to support the development of the cross-cutting ‘methodology’ aspects of the strategy.
a) Leading and/or overseeing the initiation and delivery of a range of policy activities, including major working group studies, shorter position papers, consultation responses, seminars and workshops, correspondence and briefings. It will involve: 1) working closely with Fellows and other experts to identify and analyse key policy issues, and gather data and expert opinion; 2) oversight and provision of advice and support for major projects delivered by policy managers and policy officers who may be project managed by others within the organisation.
b) Ensuring a healthy pipeline of projects by identifying and researching new areas of work and maintaining an excellent understanding of current issues in UK and international medical science policy.
c) Overseeing the FORUM: grow the number and breadth of members in this network, through delivery of a compelling annual programme of events and a prestigious annual lecture
d) Ensuring that our strategy and approach for project selection is informed and supported by Fellows. Assessing and agreeing the overall direction and prioritisation of our policy projects with the Director, Medical Science Policy, Head of International and Heads of other divisions within the Academy.
e) Contributing to the development and collation of outcome measures, including for our quarterly delivery reports to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
f) Collaborating with organisations from academia, industry, healthcare, regulatory and charity sectors; seeking and securing financial and other resource for policy activities as appropriate.
g) Maintaining and developing an effective network of contacts across the sector (including our Fellows) to inform the Academy’s work programme, and to increase the impact of our work.
h) Representing the Academy at external meetings and deputising for the Director or Executive Director as required.
i) Ensuring that the President, other Honorary Officers and Fellows meet regularly with key decision makers. Supporting these meetings through the production of briefings and meeting notes.
j) Drafting papers for meetings of the Council and Officers of the Academy.
k) Contributing to the evaluation of the wider policy team’s activities and the development of new ways of working that will be led by the Director.
l) Constructing and managing the Medical Science Policy budget. Advising the Director on allocation of funding in other areas.
m) Working with the team to maintain the relevant areas of the website; liaising with the Head of Communications to ensure internal and external engagement with the Academy’s policy work.
n) Managing three policy managers. Working to develop their skills and experience, identify training needs, anticipate problems, and encourage career development.
o) Supported by a policy officer, managing the Academy’s internship scheme for MRC PhD students.
Annual leave
29 days per annum, including Christmas closure dates, plus bank holidays
Pension
The Academy contributes 7.5% of gross salary to a Legal & General scheme, with an employee contribution of 3%.
Life assurance
3 x annual gross salary
Staff lunch
Free hot lunch available to staff on site Monday – Thursday
Season ticket travel loan interest free
Available to all staff after completion of probationary period
Family friendly benefits
A range of enhanced benefits
The deadline for all applications is midnight on 16/10/2018
Interviews will be 24/10/2018