Associate Director – Research

Location: London (E20 1JQ) or Manchester (M1 3BN)

Interview Dates: 29th and 30th July 2025

Do you want to do meaningful work that truly makes a difference to society?

At the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), our mission is to improve health and wellbeing by placing science and evidence at the heart of decision making. By empowering our people, we create an environment where everyone can contribute to better outcomes in health and care.

We are looking for a visionary and experienced individual to take on the role of Associate Director – Research within our Science, Evidence and Analytics directorate. This is a unique opportunity to lead our exciting and growing portfolio of research projects, including the NICE HTA Innovation Laboratory ("HTA Lab"), and shape the future of evidence-based health and care.

About the Role

As Associate Director – Research, you will lead a team delivering a dynamic research portfolio, encompassing both national and international grant-funded projects and strategic research initiatives under the HTA Lab.

You will be responsible for:

• Leading the planning, development and delivery of NICE’s research agenda.
• Developing compelling proposals to secure future research funding.
• Advising the NICE Executive Team and Board on emerging challenges, including how the HTA Lab can help address them.
• Fostering collaboration with internal teams and external national and international research partners.
• Ensuring research findings are effectively disseminated and adopted within NICE’s guidance and methods.
• Contributing to NICE’s educational programmes, including leading the NICE Technical Forum and participating in the Internal Research Advisory Group (IRAG).

This role is ideal for someone passionate about driving methodological innovation, strengthening NICE’s research capability, and ensuring our policies and guidance remain robust and forward-thinking.

About You

We are looking for someone with significant experience in leading complex health research projects, particularly within the context of health technology assessment (HTA) or evidence-based policymaking. You should have a strong track record in securing research funding, building strategic partnerships, and translating research into real-world impact.

Excellent leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement skills are essential, as is the ability to work across organisational boundaries and lead multidisciplinary teams.

Why Join NICE?

You will be joining a purpose-driven organisation at the forefront of health and care innovation. The Science, Evidence and Analytics directorate underpins everything NICE does — from developing guidance to ensuring our methods remain world-leading. We work collaboratively across the UK and internationally to tackle the most pressing challenges in health and care.

We offer flexible working, opportunities for professional development, and the chance to make a real difference to people’s lives.

For further details or to arrange a conversation, please contact:

Jeanette Kusel, Programme Director: Jeanette.kusel@nice.org.uk

Please see the job description for full details of responsibilities and person specification.

Apply now (via the ‘Apply’ button above) and help shape the future of health and care through research-led innovation.

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