Research Inclusion Manager

Are you passionate about embedding inclusion at the heart of health and social care research? Do you want to champion equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in a way that drives impactful change?

We are seeking a Research Inclusion Manager to join our team at the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Co-ordinating Centre in Southampton. In this vital role, you will lead and contribute to initiatives that ensure research is inclusive and reflective of the diverse communities it serves.

Who are we?

The NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth. We are also a major funder of applied health research in low- and middle-income countries. 

Further information on the NIHR can be found at: www.nihr.ac.uk. You are encouraged to review our operational priorities and to watch this introductory video. 

What will you be doing?

Acting as a visible champion for EDI, delivering on projects that implement the NIHR’s Research Inclusion Strategy. You will provide specialist expertise, guidance, and operational leadership, ensuring best practices are embedded across our culture, processes, and systems.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading projects to drive research inclusion aligned with NIHR’s strategic objectives and the University of Southampton’s EDI policies.
• Developing and implementing systems to monitor and evaluate inclusion efforts using quantitative and qualitative data.
• Building effective relationships with stakeholders across NETSCC, NIHR, and external organizations to promote inclusion practices.
• Supporting governance frameworks to ensure compliance with equality legislation and embedding sustainable change in NETSCC operations.
• Delivering inclusion-focused training, resources, and events to enhance awareness and best practices.

Who are we looking for?

An experienced professional with a strong background in EDI and project management you should be a confident advocate for inclusion.

Other key skills to be successful include:

• Proven experience in embedding EDI within a complex organization.
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to deliver work on time and anticipate future demands.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, able to present to diverse audiences and build positive working relationships.
• A proactive and solutions-focused approach to problem-solving, with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Confidence in navigating and driving change within matrix-style organizations.

Knowledge of the Equality Act 2010, familiarity with EDI challenges in research, and experience with monitoring and evaluation are desirable.

What can we offer you? 

We recognise that our staff are at the heart of what we do so we make sure we look after you! As well as a generous benefits package (full details - here), as an organisation we prioritise your wellbeing as reflected in  the Mind Workplace Wellbeing awards, where we have achieved Gold for the fifth year in a row! 

Our hybrid working approach helps you with your work life balance and offers you the chance to split your time between office and home working. We strive for cohesive and collaborative teams so our expectation is you spend around 20% of your time in the office. We also know that personal development is important and have a range of ways to support you. 

To learn more about working in our teams visit our website, or check out the video below:     

For further information/an informal discussion, please contact hei-peopleservices@soton.ac.uk

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