Thank you for your interest in the role of Director of the N8 Research Partnership.
This is a particularly exciting and important moment for the N8. For nearly two decades, our partnership of eight world-class research-intensive universities (Durham, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and York) has demonstrated the power of collaboration to deliver research excellence, innovation and impact across the North of England and beyond.
The N8’s founding purpose is to act as a northern powerhouse for research and innovation, this remains as relevant today as when it began. But the world has changed. The pace of technological advancement, the evolution of place-based funding, and the increasing influence of regional devolution all present fresh opportunities for collaboration and leadership. We have a renewed commitment to shaping how our collective research strengths address the grand challenges of our time: from health inequalities to climate resilience, from digital transformation and AI ethics to economic renewal.
As Chair, I and my fellow Vice-Chancellors are determined that the N8 will now enter a new phase, one that builds on its proven research heritage while strengthening its role as a strategic regional actor. We are seeking a Director who will bring vision, credibility and entrepreneurial energy to this task: a leader who can unite the partnership, forge relationships across policy and industry and advocate powerfully for the North’s research and innovation potential.
The successful candidate will join at a pivotal time. The N8 is well positioned to influence national strategy, attract major investment, and work hand in hand with civic and regional partners to deliver real and measurable outcomes. With the support of a highly engaged Board of Vice-Chancellors and a committed Executive Group, the new Director will have both the platform and the mandate to shape the next chapter of the N8’s success.
If you share our belief in the power of collaboration to transform research, innovation and society, we look forward to hearing from you.
The N8 Research Partnership is a collaboration between eight of the most research-intensive universities in the North of England: Durham University, Lancaster University, the University of Leeds, the University of Liverpool, the University of Manchester, Newcastle University, the University of Sheffield and the University of York.
Founded in 2006, the N8 is structured as a company limited by shares, with the member universities as shareholders.
N8’s purpose is to connect research expertise across its member institutions and build trusted relationships both within the partnership and with the wider innovation ecosystem. Its vision is to be “an exceptionally effective cluster of research, innovation and training excellence, delivering benefits to the economy and communities of the North of England and beyond.”
The partnership spans the North East, North West and Yorkshire & the Humber regions, capturing the full breadth of the North’s research base. N8’s central office in Manchester provides a focal point for collaboration and engagement with regional partners, while the University of Sheffield acts as the employing institution on behalf of all eight members. The three Yorkshire-based universities (Leeds, Sheffield and York) also collaborate through the White Rose University Consortium, creating further synergies within the N8 network.
The Board of Directors comprises the Vice-Chancellors of the eight member universities.
Operationally, the partnership is supported by a small central team based in Manchester, which coordinates collaborative programmes, manages governance and engages with stakeholders. This structure ensures that decisions reflect the collective interests of all members while enabling partnership-wide strategic action.
The N8 Research Partnership delivers large-scale research, innovation and infrastructure programmes that draw on the combined strength of eight research-intensive universities in the North of England. Its activities connect research excellence to societal and economic need, helping to drive inclusive growth and regional competitiveness.
A flagship initiative is Child of the North, a collaboration between the N8 Research Partnership and Health Equity North. The programme translates world-class research into evidence-based policy to improve outcomes for children across the North of England and beyond. Its work has informed national debate through the Child of the North All-Party Parliamentary Group, developed practical resources for schools and local authorities and highlighted the ways in which regional inequalities affect children’s health, education and life chances.
Another major collaborative programme is N8 Computationally Intensive Research (N8 CIR), which brings together expertise in advanced computing, data science and digital research methods. N8 CIR provides shared infrastructure, training and community development to accelerate data-intensive research across disciplines, from AI and machine learning to life sciences and climate modelling. The initiative supports researchers to harness large-scale computational resources and strengthens the North’s capacity for digital innovation and high-performance computing.
The N8 Policing Research Partnership (N8 PRP) is a unique collaboration between the N8 universities and 11 police forces in the North of England, who work together to champion, enable and support policing research and its impact. The partnership facilitates novel research, knowledge exchange and professional development across both operational challenges for police and broader questions of social justice.
Together, these and other previous initiatives, including partnerships in areas such as AgriFood, transport decarbonisation and shared research infrastructure, demonstrate N8’s ability to turn collaboration into impact.
By bringing together eight universities, N8 leverages scale, breadth and diversity across disciplines, geographies and institutional cultures, enabling research and innovation that no single institution could deliver alone.
N8 plays a vital role for the North: aligning university research strengths with place-based innovation systems and working with industry, civic leaders, Mayoral Combined Authorities and government to drive economic growth, create jobs and deliver public benefit.
The partnership also provides a collective voice of national influence, enabling the North’s research-intensive universities to speak with shared purpose on opportunities and challenges in research, innovation and regional development.
As N8 embarks on its next phase, the emphasis is on sharpening strategic focus, increasing visibility and influence, and delivering even greater collective impact for the North. The next Director will play a crucial role in leading this transition, shaping how N8’s capabilities connect to regional priorities, how governance and partnerships evolve and how the research and innovation agenda is mobilised at scale.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Post Title: Director, N8 Research Partnership
Reports to: Chair of the N8 Board (Vice-Chancellor of one of the member universities, currently Professor Tim Jones)
Location: The N8 Central Office in Manchester / Hybrid within the North of England
Employer: University of Sheffield
Contract: Full-time
Purpose of the Role
The Director of the N8 Research Partnership will provide strategic leadership to the UK’s leading collaboration of research-intensive universities in the North of England. They will champion a shared vision of research excellence, innovation and place-based impact – ensuring that the N8 is recognised nationally and internationally as a powerful voice for northern research and innovation.
Working closely with the Vice-Chancellors’ Board and the Strategic Executive Group of Pro-Vice-Chancellors for Research, the Director will translate strategic ambition into delivery. They will lead a small professional team to coordinate multi-institutional programmes, secure external investment and advocate for policies that unlock research and innovation potential across the region. The role requires an exceptional communicator, strategic thinker and collaborative leader, someone who can unite diverse institutions and influence policy and funding decisions to benefit the North of England.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Vision
Advocacy and External Engagement
Collaboration and Programme Development
Governance and Operational Management
Communications and Visibility
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
Desirable
Skills and Attributes
Personal Style and Values
The Director of the N8 Research Partnership will be employed by The University of Sheffield, on behalf of the eight member universities.
It is a full time, permanent appointment.
Salary is commensurate with the seniority of the position.
Pay progression is subject to an annual performance review overseen by the N8 Remuneration Committee. Based on performance, the Committee may recommend a base pay increase or bonus of £6,000 or £9,000.
The postholder will be employed by the University of Sheffield but will work closely with all eight N8 member institutions. The N8 Central Office is based in Manchester, and the successful candidate will be expected to spend regular time there, as well as across the wider region.
Annual leave entitlement is 30 days, in addition to bank holidays and three University closure days (the working days between Christmas and New Year).
The postholder will be eligible to participate in the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and will have access to a comprehensive range of staff benefits. Further details can be found here.
Performance will be reviewed annually by the N8 Remuneration Committee in consultation with the Chair of the N8 Board.
Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to N8 Research Partnership. An executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisement.
The closing date for applications is noon on Monday 1 December 2025.
Applications should consist of:
Should you wish to discuss the role in strict confidence, please contact Elyse Turner-Pearce on elyse.turner-pearce@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7808 648 559, or Ed Pritchard on ed.pritchard@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7980 817 927 .
| Closing date | Monday 1 December 2025 |
| Preliminary Interviews with Anderson Quigley | Mid-December (TBC) |
| Final interviews | January 2026 (TBC) |
www.n8research.org.uk 