King's College London

The Better Health & Care Hub Researcher Development and Mentorship Lead is an unpaid role within the Better Health & Care Hub, and you will not be offered a King's employment contract for this role. The successful applicant will be expected to commit no more than one day a month to the role and will be provided a small budget for resource development as well as funding for expenses incurred in fulfilling the role.

The Researcher Development and Mentorship Lead will play a key role in leading and overseeing activities within the Better Health & Care Hub that will enable the next generation of research leaders.

The role will focus on guiding the development of initiatives including a Hub mentorship programme and action learning sets that enable collaborative learning. It will ensure that researchers and academics funded by the Hub have access to the support, networks, and opportunities they need to become future leaders in health and care research. The role will also have an important focus on identifying pathways that connect Hub researchers to institutional and broader opportunities.

The Researcher Development and Mentorship Lead will work with Better Health & Care team to co create resources, toolkits, and guidance materials to support effective developmental relationships across the Hub and facilitate group coaching sessions and workshops on topics such as research leadership and career navigation. They will represent and promote the work of the Hub in institutional forums related to researcher development and early/mid-career researcher support and engage with external partners, to expand development opportunities for Hub researchers. They will work with Hub, King’s College London and other relevant teams to foster an inclusive, supportive research culture that values continuous learning, collaboration, and professional growth. They will also identify and guide networking opportunities that build connections among researchers at different career stages.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications and Experience

• Doctoral qualification (PhD or equivalent) with significant postdoctoral research experience, preferably in health, care, or related fields
• Proven track record in researcher development, mentorship, or related leadership roles within academic or research settings
• Demonstrable experience of designing and delivering successful development programmes for researchers
• Evidence of working effectively with clinical and/or practice-based researchers

Knowledge and Skills

• Deep understanding of the academic career pathway and the specific challenges facing early and mid-career researchers
• Knowledge of the UK research funding landscape and institutional frameworks for researcher support
• Expertise in action learning methodologies and facilitation techniques
• Strong understanding of issues affecting clinical and practice researchers, including challenges of balancing research with clinical or practice responsibilities
• Recognised coaching and/or mentoring qualification (e.g., ILM, EMCC, ICF accredited) or equivalent experience

Competencies

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build trust and rapport with researchers at all career stages
• Strategic thinking with the ability to align development activities to organisational goals and opportunities
• Skilled facilitator capable of creating safe, productive learning environments for diverse groups
• Extensive programme management and project delivery capabilities
• Collaborative leadership style with the ability to influence and work across organisational boundaries
• Commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion in all aspects of researcher development

To apply for this role, please submit your expression of interest to NMPC-Admin@kcl.ac.uk. For any enquiries please email honor.2.morris@kcl.ac.uk.  Any applications submitted through our job portal will not be considered.