Senior Research Grant Writer and Project Manager

About us:


King's College London (KCL) is a world-leading university delivering excellence in research and education and serves as the academic partner in the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre (BRC).


South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) is one of the UK's largest mental health providers, delivering specialist services and serving as the clinical partner in the BRC.


The NIHR Maudsley BRC ( ) is a major national research infrastructure partnership between KCL and SLaM. It brings together academic and clinical expertise to translate scientific discoveries in brain and mental health research into new treatments, diagnostics, and health technologies, supporting early-stage experimental medicine and the development, testing, and implementation of innovations to improve patient outcomes.


The 2026 NIHR BRC Competition ( ) represents a significant national funding opportunity to sustain and strengthen this partnership infrastructure.


About the role:


We are seeking a Senior Research Grant Writer and Project Manager for immediate appointment to support the development of a major, multi-disciplinary research funding application to secure renewal of NIHR Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) infrastructure funding from April 2028.


This is a strategic, delivery-focused role responsible for supporting and coordinating the end-to-end development of a high-quality, funder-compliant application. Working across a large partnership spanning King's College London, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and wider clinical collaborators, the postholder will act as a central coordination point for the integration of content across the submission.


The role combines editorial leadership, research integration and structured project management. The postholder will synthesise and integrate complex research proposals from multiple stakeholders across programmes and disciplines into a coherent, structured and compelling application aligned with NIHR priorities, assessment criteria and pathways to impact expectations.


In addition, the role will provide project management across the application, including developing and managing timelines, coordinating inputs, tracking progress and ensuring delivery to fixed submission deadlines in a fast-paced, time-critical environment.


Working closely with the BRC Director, Deputy Director, Core BRC management team and senior academic and clinical leaders, the postholder will ensure consistency, quality and alignment across all sections of the funding application.


The postholder will be employed by King's College London (KCL) within the NIHR Maudsley Biomedical Research Centre partnership.


This is a full-time post (35 hours per week) based at Denmark Hill with hybrid working. The role will require flexibility, including periods of intensified activity in the lead-up to submission deadlines. You will be offered a fixed term contract until the 31st March 2027, with the possibility of extension to a 12-month contract.

About you:


To be successful in this role, you will bring strong editorial expertise combined with experience of working in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.


You will have the ability to shape and refine large volumes of technical and scientific material into clear, structured and persuasive narrative tailored to an international scientific funding panel and NIHR reviewers, aligning content with assessment criteria, strategic priorities and impact expectations.


You will be experienced in working with multi-author content, ensuring accuracy, consistency and coherence across integrated outputs.


You will be highly organised and capable of managing competing priorities, coordinating inputs and delivering to tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.


You will also demonstrate the ability to engage effectively with senior academic, clinical and professional services stakeholders, working collaboratively to drive progress and maintain delivery momentum.


You will bring experience of ensuring quality, consistency and compliance across complex written outputs, alongside an understanding of how major research funding applications are structured and assessed.


Essential criteria

1. Degree in a relevant scientific discipline (e.g. biomedical/health sciences, social sciences or related field), or equivalent professional experience where clearly evidenced.
2. Significant professional experience in research funding, bid development, grant writing, research project/programme support, or development of complex multi-author academic or strategic documents.
3. Strong understanding of research funding environments, including competitive processes and funder expectations (e.g. NIHR or equivalent).
4. Experience supporting or leading complex, multi-author funding applications or strategic research documents.
5. Ability to edit, synthesise and structure complex scientific or technical material into clear, coherent and compelling narrative.
6. Strong project management and organisational skills, including planning, prioritisation and delivery to deadlines.
7. Experience working across multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder environments, with effective stakeholder engagement.
8. Experience implementing quality assurance processes and maintaining consistency, compliance and version control

Desirable criteria

1. Experience supporting NIHR or similar funding applications
2. Experience working in health, biomedical or translational research environments
3. Understanding of cross-disciplinary or translational research approaches
4. Experience supporting large-scale collaborative programmes or infrastructure bids
5. Experience working within academic-NHS partnerships or collaborative research environments

Downloading a copy of our Job Description


Full details of the role and the skills, knowledge and experience required can be found in the Job Description document, provided at the bottom of the page. This document will provide information of what criteria will be assessed at each stage of the recruitment process.


Further information:


At King's, we believe that the diversity of our community and a culture that is welcoming, open, inclusive and collaborative are great strengths of the university.


The Equality Act of 2010 protects the rights of our students and staff and provides a framework to fulfil our duties to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and in addition, to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between those who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. At times, this will include balancing rights and beliefs that can feel in tension.


We are committed to free speech and to academic freedom, believing that our foundational purpose as a university, is to create spaces where a wide range of ideas, including ideas that are controversial, can be discussed and debated, and where members of our community can express lawful views without fear of intimidation, harassment or discrimination.


When engaging in the robust exchange of ideas, we ask that our community is mindful of our Dignity at King's guidance.


We ask all candidates to submit a copy of their CV, and a supporting statement, detailing how they meet the essential criteria listed in the person specification section of the job description. If we receive a strong field of candidates, we may use the desirable criteria to choose our final shortlist, so please include your evidence against these where possible.


We reserve the right to close adverts early due to the volume of applications we receive. While the closing date may change, all adverts will close at 23:59 to allow sufficient time for applications to be submitted on that day.


We encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment as once we have closed a vacancy you will be unable to submit your application.


To find out how our managers will review your application, please take a look at our ' How we Recruit ' pages.


Interviews are due to be held in w/c 20th July 2026 or w/c 27th July 2026.