Head of Equity Partnering, Infectious Disease

Overview

You'll be working in Wellcome's Equitable Research Practice, part of the Equity Department, which leads our efforts to embed equitable approaches across research, funding and policy portfolio. The team comprises Equity Partnering, Equitable Funding, Inclusive Research, and Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion functions. As part of a matrix working model, you will be a core member of the Infectious Disease Programme Senior Management Team that directs Wellcome's programme for one of the three health challenges Wellcome has committed to.

It is a multidisciplinary team focused on accelerating the discovery, development and delivery of new drugs, vaccines and interventions to deliver impact where they are needed most. We fund researchers and organisations globally with a focus on Africa and South, South-East Asia with an ambition to increase our engagement and impact in these geographies. You'll collaborate with colleagues across Equity and Infectious Disease, as well as external partners, to ensure our work is inclusive, evidence led and grounded in the needs of the communities most affected by infectious disease.

• Lead programmes that embed equity across the Infectious Disease strategy, funding and research, ensuring delivery aligns with Wellcome's Equity Framework.
• Contribute to shaping strategic direction as part of the Infectious Disease senior leadership team, co-developing portfolios across policy, engagement, influencing and investment.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with senior Infectious Disease colleagues, offering practical, evidence-led guidance—particularly in Global South contexts—to support equitable decision-making.
• Oversee a portfolio of equity-focused projects, coordinating matrix working and drawing on expertise from across the Equity Department to strengthen delivery.
• Develop and monitor equity-related targets and performance indicators, supporting organisational learning and promoting a collaborative, inclusive culture across Equity and Infectious Disease.
• Ensure all work is delivered in line with Wellcome's governance, values and behaviours, contributing to effective resource management and undertaking additional responsibilities as required.

• Senior, strategic experience with deep expertise in delivering equitable research or funding in the Global South, and a track record of turning equity principles into practical, system-level change across the research and funding value chain.
• Strong ability to partner, build productive relationships and influence senior stakeholders to deliver strategic, measurable impact, with a collaborative, relational style across multiple internal and external partners.
• Significant experience working in research/science in the Global South — ideally as a researcher or funder based in the Global South or a funder delivering a programme of scientific research conducted in the Global South — with a strong understanding of research and funding in Infectious Disease contexts.
• Proven ability to deliver excellent and equitable funding or research, practically embedding equity across the research and funding value chain to drive systemic change across Infectious Disease.
• Experience in delivering equitable global research/health partnerships across Infectious Disease.

The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation. We improve health for everyone by funding science, leading policy and advocacy campaigns, and building partnerships. We plan to spend £16bn over the next ten years, funding new discoveries in life, health, and wellbeing, and taking on three global health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health. Wellcome's Equity Department ensures we engage thoughtfully with the right people at the right time, enabling and investing in impactful research and influencing policy and practice so that new scientific advances, innovation and product development can be accessed with confidence by the people who need them most.

We work to ensure partners and communities are engaged equitably, their voices shape the work we support, research draws on the…