"Part-time Programmes Manager: Mental Health Research Incubator"

Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Headington, OX3 7JX

The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence. Our research plays a key role in tackling many global challenges, from reducing our carbon emissions to developing vaccines during a pandemic. The Department of Psychiatry is based on the Warneford Hospital site in Oxford – a friendly, welcoming place of work with an international reputation for excellence. The Department has a substantial research programme, with major funding from Medical Research Council (MRC), Wellcome Trust and National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and provides highly rated medical training in psychiatry. The Head of Department is Professor Belinda Lennox.

The Mental Health Research Incubator was launched in 2020 with the aim of building capacity in mental health and addiction research. The Programmes Manager will report to Dr Kate Saunders and will have responsibility for managing and delivering a range of professional development programmes across the UK.

What We Offer

As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days annual leave
• A comprehensive range of childcare services
• Family leave schemes
• Cycle loan scheme
• Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs

About the Role

The post is funded to 31 March 2027 and is based in the Department of Psychiatry at the Warneford Hospital. The post is part-time (80% FTE) available on a flexible hybrid basis, minimum on site working 2 days.

You will independently scope, plan and manage the delivery of professional development programmes and activities, ensuring they meet their aims and objectives within agreed timelines and budgets. You will co‑lead the Incubator team day to day, providing direction, assigning responsibilities and ensuring effective resourcing, while also line managing a staff member through setting objectives, coaching, mentoring and performance reviews.

You will build and maintain effective relationships with internal stakeholders, third‑party suppliers and external partners, acting as a key contact for programme‑related matters, including senior stakeholders such as funders and national partners. You will ensure robust evaluation of programme activities and events, analysing feedback and insights to assess impact, document lessons learned and make recommendations for improvements.

You will manage the Incubator budgets, ensuring cost control and accurate tracking of expenditure in line with University and funder policies. You will plan, deliver and facilitate in‑person and virtual workshops, meetings and events, including residential events and conferences, and ensure effective and engaging promotion of opportunities. You will support the senior academic lead and steering group with reviewing impact, making future plans including work on equality, diversity and inclusion, and contributing to income generation through developing proposals and writing bids.

About You

You will be educated to degree level or bring equivalent experience, with high‑level facilitation and training skills and the ability to design and deliver engaging workshops and meetings. You will have proven project management experience through the full lifecycle, experience in budget monitoring and financial management, and strong analytical skills to assess complex data and generate meaningful insights.

With the ability to identify and resolve problems proactively, working independently and collaboratively as required, you will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, required to be able to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders. You will also bring strong organisational and decision‑making skills with a high level of attention to detail.

An interest in mental health and addiction research, experience planning and delivering events, and an understanding of the needs of early career researchers would be desirable.

Diversity

Committed to equality and valuing diversity

Our active Psychiatry People and Culture teams and initiatives including our values and behaviours framework, work to make the Department of Psychiatry as supportive, welcoming and inclusive as possible.

Application Process

You will be required to upload a covering letter/supporting statement, CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application see the University pages on the application process at <https://www.jobs.ox.ac.uk/application-process> The closing date for applications is 02 February 2026.