Barbara Jacobs (BSc, MSc, PGCert) has over 15 years' experience working across child and adult mental health services. Before joining King's, she held roles with Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Babs joined the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) in 2014 as Department Administrator and Executive Assistant to Professor Emily Simonoff in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. She subsequently worked as Research Coordinator for the NIHR-funded BeST? Services Trial, supporting a major multi-site study focused on improving outcomes for infants entering care. Alongside this role, she contributed to fundraising and development activities for the Pears Maudsley Centre for Children and Young People, helping secure £1 million in funding from the Wolfson Foundation and supporting plans for the Centre's Clinical Research Facility. She later joined the Centre for Research in Eating and Weight Disorders (CREW) as Office Manager, providing operational leadership and supporting world-leading researchers in eating disorders and psychological medicine.

In 2022, Babs undertook a secondment as Senior Communications Officer for the IoPPN, leading communications, stakeholder engagement, digital content, and high-profile campaigns, while contributing to Faculty Culture, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (CEDI) initiatives.

Since 2023, Babs has worked as Senior Research Operations Officer within the School of Academic Psychiatry, providing strategic, operational, financial, and grant management expertise across CAP and FANS research portfolios. She advises on research funding, compliance, contracts, procurement, and financial planning to support the effective delivery of major funded programmes.

In 2026, Babs was appointed Research Portfolio Manager, working with Dr Daniel Michelson to support UK and international research programmes focused on youth mental health. She provides programme management and operational leadership across studies aimed at developing, implementing, evaluating, and scaling innovative mental health interventions for children, young people, and families.

Babs is also a Faculty Confidential Advisor, providing informal and confidential support to staff and students who experience bullying or harassment. 

Research Interests

Supporting research excellence, science communication, creating inclusive research environments.