Vacancy at MQ: Transforming mental health

Grants Manager

Salary £ 35k – £40k

Hybrid - London/Home

Details

We champion and fund world-class research to transform the lives of everyone affected by mental illness. By
connecting scientists with supporters, together we strive to understand mental health, improve treatments and
prevent mental illness.

connecting scientists with supporters, together we strive to understand mental health, improve treatments and

prevent mental illness.

We're now hiring a Grants Manager, who will play a key role in the delivery and development of MQ’s research funding programmes. Working under the direction of the Programme lead, you will take day-to-day ownership of capacity building initiatives and funding programmes, managing activity across the full grants lifecycle from funding call design through to award completion, learning, and reporting.

The role combines hands-on programme coordination with increasing responsibility for project planning, stakeholder engagement, decision-making support, and continuous improvement. The right person will be passionate about tackling mental health, and driven to ensure that all projects happen to the highest possible standards.

The role combines hands-on programme coordination with increasing responsibility for project planning, stakeholder engagement, decision-making support, and continuous improvement. The right person will be passionate about tackling mental health, and driven to ensure that all projects happen to the highest possible standards.

• Programme & Grant Management- Develop and maintain project and programme plans, including objectives, timelines, stakeholders, and monitoring. Coordinate the delivery of assigned funding programmes and projects across the full grants lifecycle.
• Partnership Management -Support new research initiatives, working with consortium partners to ensure high-quality execution and learning.
• Relationship Management- Act as a primary point of contact for applicants, awardees, and external collaborators. Support post-award grant management, including monitoring progress, reviewing reports, flagging risks, and preparing award letters and official communications to grant recipients.
• Impact Management & Reporting- Support impact tracking, monitoring, and reporting across funded programmes, including coordinating and reviewing Research.
• Grant Calls, Peer Review & Committees -Support the planning and delivery of funding calls, including documentation, timelines, and assessment processes.
• Financial, Systems & Process Support -Support award contracting and work with Finance to coordinate payments and monitor grant spend. Use and maintain the grants management system (FlexiGrant), ensuring accurate records and reporting.
• Engagement & Learning -Support the delivery of launch events, workshops, and conferences and engagement with lived experience experts across programmes. Also, prepare engagement letters and supporting materials for lived experience experts, ensuring expectations and commitments are clearly communicated.

We're looking for someone with:

• Experience in grants management, programme coordination, research funding, or a related role.
• Experience managing projects or programmes with multiple stakeholders and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and presenting to diverse audiences.
• Understanding of academic research processes and experience engaging with universities, research institutions, or research charities.
• Good organisational skills, with attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Financial awareness, with experience supporting budgets, invoices, or grant spend.
• Confidence using digital systems, databases, and grants management or CRM platforms (or ability to learn quickly).
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively and escalating issues appropriately.
• A proactive, collaborative approach and commitment to high-quality delivery.
• Interest in mental health research and inclusive engagement, including working with lived experience communities.

Plus, we offer lots of generous benefits and training opportunities.

We're a Sunday Times Top Company to work for.

Please submit your CV and covering letter by the deadline.

Please note, we typically start interviewing within two weeks of the job advert going live. We reserve the right to close the job before the deadline based on the volume of applications, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

We believe in equality and inclusion and we welcome job applications from everyone, provided you meet the criteria for the job.

Safer recruitment is important to us and the successful applicant will be asked to provide two references. They will also be required to complete a safeguarding self-declaration and undertake a DBS check.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Benefits

Flexible working: As a mental health charity, staff wellbeing is of paramount importance. We operate a core hours policy (10-4) to encourage flexible working and staff are mainly home based with the requirement to come into the office two days per week. A standard full-time working week is 35 hours, plus an hour for lunch breaks.

Holidays: Annual holiday entitlement of 31 days (inc. office closure between Xmas and New Year) plus bank holidays.

Wellbeing Allowance: MQ provides an allowance of up to £1200 per annum for each employee to spend on activities that increase their wellbeing. This is paid through payroll and is taxable.

Virtual GP & Other wellbeing services - Get quick GP appointments and support with cancer and caring responsibilities through our Zurich benefits scheme.

Cycle to work scheme: An interest-free loan is available to enable employees to purchase a bike and accessories, repaid via equal deductions from the employee’s salary over 12 months.

Employee Assistance Programme: All employees and their families have access to a 24-hour confidential advice and support line.

Counselling: Employees have access to a number of free face-to-face sessions, via the EAP scheme.

Pension: MQ makes contributions of 5% and employees make contributions of 3%.

Life Assurance - Up to 4 x your salary in the event of death in service.

Season Ticket Loan: An interest free season ticket loan is available, repaid via equal deductions from the employee’s salary over 12 months.

Personal Development: We value employee development and review individual training needs through our performance management system. HR also runs internal management development sessions for all staff.