Quick facts

- Liverpool

Apply by: 2025-05-30

Professor in Applied Maternal and Newborn Health Research

Published 2025-03-31

We are looking for a passionate individual to enhance our current programmes of research, with a complementary portfolio of expertise, in areas such as (but not limited to) behaviour change, implementation/improvement science, perinatal epidemiology, perinatal mental health or health services research.

You will join the Department of International Public Health which hosts a vibrant applied health and systems research community, that has innovative research and equitable partnership at its core, with ethos of co-creation of research, ‘translation of knowledge into practice’ and ‘capacity strengthening’.

In this role, you will work alongside other researchers in maternal and newborn health to enable high-impact research, to inform global and national policies, support research capacity strengthening in low and middle-income settings and facilitate the uptake of innovations and new information – including the development and evaluation of complex interventions. You will also be working collaboratively with partners across the world to shape global thinking on maternal and newborn health by providing new insights, focuses and approaches.

Why LSTM?

LSTM’s Centre for Childbirth, Women’s, and Newborn Health, led by Prof Dame Tina Lavender, hosts a WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training jointly directed by Professor Charles Ameh. The Centre conducts applied global health research focusing on the health of women and newborns living in low-and middle-income countries, and on understanding systematic factors that shape health and are inherently global.

LSTM MNH researchers strive for a world where human rights that enable sexual and reproductive health are safeguarded, and where all people have access to quality and affordable sexual and reproductive health information and services.

Over the past three years, LSTM has re-evaluated its diverse partnership portfolio and has developed a forward-looking strategy for sustainable, impactful, equitable partnerships, particularly in low- & middle-income Countries, to deliver research, education, and knowledge exchange.

Ideally, you will bring experience in an obstetrics or midwifery discipline, but this is not an essential requirement and we are very open to hearing from candidates from all relevant disciplines.

Your role will include, but not be limited to:

Research:

I nitiate, develop, deliver, lead, and publish research, which is considered internationally excellent in maternal and newborn health

Work with and lead academics working in maternal and newborn health in LSTM and partner organizations in developing cutting edge capacity for global applied MNH research enabling the development of new knowledge and understanding MNH.

Develop multidisciplinary MNH research programmes, planning and coordinating a broad research activity/sustain an extensive track record of highly rated published research findings and maintain an expert reputation in specialist subject area to an international level

Formulate, communicate, and deliver a clear vision and strategy, aligned to the CWNH, for the development of MNH research that is internationally excellent, supporting the sustainability of the LSTM group and partners

Partnerships

Contribute to the development and implementation of LSTM’s Partnership Strategy

Liaise at high level with external bodies and participate effectively in complex negotiations, including leading and developing external partnerships and collaborations

Facilitate/lead or play a key role in inter-disciplinary collaborations in research, teaching and scholarship.

Ensure evidence of positive change resulting from engagement with beneficiaries of your research and/or professional, governmental and industry partners

External Representation and Income Generation

Advisory work for relevant external bodies/academic journals/grant funding bodies/societies etc.

Generate grant income/initiate opportunities for external funding, with a proven ability to attract significant high prestige funding

Sustained, significant contributions to successful competitive external funding, including substantial evidence of PI status as well as recognized contributions to team/consortium submissions

Liaise at high level with external bodies and participate effectively in complex negotiations, including participation in knowledge exchange activities in line with the UK’s Knowledge Exchange Framework

Leadership and Management

Articulate and deliver academic vision and leadership within individual area of expertise at international level

Take leadership role in policy dialogue at regional, national, and global levels that help effect change based on reliable research led evidence

Effectively lead, manage, and mentor a team of senior academic and business support staff, setting standards, monitoring progress & overseeing delegated areas of responsibility

The ideal candidate will demonstrate:

Ideally, you will bring experience in an obstetrics or midwifery discipline, but this is not an essential requirement and we are very open to hearing from candidates from all relevant disciplines.

PhD or equivalent in a subject area relevant to maternal and newborn heath (e.g., Obstetrics/Midwifery/Applied Health, Behavioural Science)

Extensive knowledge of subject area informed by substantial current research in the field

Demonstrable knowledge of the pedagogical and quality assurance principles underlying effective learning, teaching and assessment and their effective application in the widest sense

Evidence of working within the global health arena, related to maternal and newborn health.

Evidence of established international reputation in academic field that is shaping/challenging the discipline.

Strong record of successfully generating significant/high prestige external competitive funding (grants, contracts etc.) to support research projects

For a full list of essential criteria, please see job description attached.

Application process: to apply for this role, please submit your CV via the ‘apply’ link below. Due to the volume of applications we receive, we sometimes close our vacancies early. It is therefore advisable to apply as early as possible if you would like to be considered for a role.

Inclusion is central to our values at LSTM

We seek to attract and recruit people who reflect the diversity across our communities, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, nationality, faith or belief, social background, age and disability. LSTM selects candidates based on skills, qualifications, and experience.

We welcome conversations about flexible working; and applications from those returning to employment after a break from their careers.