Policy Fellow, Equity by Evidence

Position Summary

• Reporting Relationship: Principal Investigators
• Location: Flexible; the position holder will be expected to work from the TGI London office 2 days per week and from the Race & Health Observatory London office approx. 1 day per week
• Employment Duration: 15 months
• Start Date: January 2026
• Type of Employment: Full-time, fixed-term
• Salary: £50,000-£55,000 per annum (dependent on experience)

Please note that the successful candidate must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.

The role

The Policy Fellow will be crucial to the success of the Equity by Evidence project, which is co-led by the NHS Race and Health Observatory (RHO) and The George Institute for Global Health, Imperial College London (TGI). The project is funded by NIHR, with RHO providing strategic direction and expertise and TGI leading delivery of the programme of work. The project aims to improve consideration of race & ethnicity in UK health and care research by improving policies, education, skills and awareness.

The Policy Fellow will contribute to the development of policy guidance for UK research stakeholders, with a particular focus on research funders. Activities will include organising Policy Lab events, engaging stakeholders across the research sector and conducting desk-based and qualitative research.

This is both an academic and policy position which will result in real-world changes to equity in UK health and care research. Our goal is that this work will improve clinical outcomes for patients and address health inequalities.

Relationships

The post holder will be based primarily at TGI, and will work 1 day per week with the team at the RHO. This is a hybrid role with an expectation of a minimum of 3 days of in-person work per week.

The Policy Fellow will report to the Principal Investigators for the project, Dr. Ngozi Kalu (RHO) and Dr. Kate Womersley (TGI).

The candidate will be supported by a Policy Fellow (Alice Witt, The George Institute) and an external consultant with expertise in race & ethnicity in health. They will work closely with a Project Coordinator.

Responsibilities

• Build and manage relationships with stakeholders across the UK research sector, including funders, regulators, academic publishers, patient & public groups and government officials.
• Deliver co-designed policy guidance through in-depth consultation with experts, sector stakeholders and international best practice.
• Lead design and delivery of project events (Policy Labs), including preparing briefing materials.
• Conduct and synthesise desk-based and qualitative or mixed methods research.
• Develop written outputs, including reports, articles, commentaries, and academic papers.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Master’s degree (or equivalent experience) in social sciences, public health, health policy, sociology or a related field.
• Interest and knowledge about current evidence, debates and ethics around consideration of race and ethnicity in medical research. Understanding of intersectionality concepts.
• Experience and ability conducting qualitative or mixed methods research, including evidence synthesis, conducting interviews and focus groups, and qualitative analysis. Experience need not be from academic research in a university setting.
• Experience managing external stakeholders, including research funders, regulators, policymakers, government, and patient & public groups.
• Experience and proven effectiveness in designing workshops or events – online and in-person – for diverse professional and public groups/individuals.
• Excellent communications skills, including the ability to write high-quality pieces for diverse audiences (academic, policy & public audiences) and translate complex ideas for non-technical audiences. Strong public speaking skills.
• Strong problem solving and analytical skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to work independently to manage multiple priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, and evidence of team collaboration and interdisciplinary working.

Desirable

• Knowledge of and skills in quantitative research design and analysis.
• Experience in policy design or knowledge translation.
• Knowledge of the research cycle, from funding to publication.
• Facilitation skills for running group events and meetings.

How to apply

Please apply via the 'Apply' button, attaching your CV and a cover letter, as well as answers to the 2 questions in a maximum 300 words each and email your application. Please also attach evidence of work written by you, as requested. (e: recruitment@georgeinstitute.org.uk)

The questions are:

1. Describe an example when you encountered complexities relating to race and ethnicity in the context of health research. What factors did you identify and how do you think these contributed to inequalities in health outcomes? How did considerations of intersectionality influence your thinking?
2. Provide an example of a time you built and/or managed relationships with external stakeholders — perhaps researchers, clinicians, or community partners. What was your role, and how did you manage differing perspectives or priorities to achieve project aims?

Written Work Guidance:

This might be a piece of published work which they can link to with a URL, or it might be an unpublished piece like a Masters dissertation

The application deadline is 10^th November 2025 at 11:59pm (GMT). If you have any questions, please contact recruitment@georgeinstitute.org.uk.

Our big and bold mission to improve the health of millions of people worldwide needs a diverse and innovative team to deliver it. So we foster a dynamic, inclusive and flexible workplace where each individual can bring their best selves to work.

Everyone is encouraged to apply, including people from ethnic minority backgrounds, culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, people with a disability, people of all gender identities and sexual orientations, and mature-aged adults.