Background  

The White Rose University Consortium works collaboratively across the universities of Leeds, Sheffield, and York, to enable individuals from all backgrounds to thrive within our institutions.  As a strategic partnership, we actively engage with institutional, regional, and national partners to propel positive change and create sustained impact.  

The Consortium’s core principles are to add value, deliver practical solutions, and complement existing efforts across our institutions through: Empowering careers; strengthening communities; facilitating cultural shifts; amplifying our collective voice; and leading impactful change.   

We support professional services colleagues and researchers from our partner universities, from postgraduate researchers and postdocs to fellows and academics.  

Across our partner institutions, an average of 200 research staff take an extended period of parental leave each year. We are committed to ensuring these individuals feel supported and empowered as they transition back into their research roles. 

Recognising the challenges that can accompany this return, we are commissioning a research project to identify effective, no-cost strategies that support a smooth and successful return. This project will examine both the existing practices across our partners and broader approaches within the wider sector. 

The project will engage directly with research staff, who are returning or have recently returned from leave, to understand their experiences and needs. It will explore the types of resource-conscious initiatives that would best enable them to thrive in their careers, particularly in the context of ongoing financial and operational constraints. 

Project objectives  

The Consortium is commissioning a project to identify best practices and highlight examples of resource-conscious initiatives that could be developed collaboratively across the partners to support research staff returning from parental leave.  

 The objectives of this project are to:  

• Map current support practices across partner institutions, the wider research sector, and other relevant industries to identify effective, evidence-informed models for supporting returners. 

• Engage directly with returning research staff  to capture their lived experiences, surface unmet needs, and understand the challenges they face when re-entering research roles. 

• Identify common gaps and inconsistencies in existing support provision and propose scalable, practical solutions that address shared challenges across institutions. 

• Explore and recommend no or low-cost initiatives that can be adapted or implemented collaboratively at local or regional levels, with a focus on sustainability and inclusivity. 

• Develop evidence-based recommendations for future support measures, clearly outlining priority areas, addressing key gaps, and providing a strong rationale for each proposed intervention. 

Project remit  

We are seeking to appoint a consultant(s) to undertake this project. Their remit will include: 

1. Designing the study; choosing an appropriate methodology and research tools. 
2. Undertaking all research (interviews, focus groups, surveys etc.) and all admin associated with the research process. 
3. Analysing and evaluating data to identify recommendations in collaboration with research returners.  
4. Presenting project findings in a written report of no more than 8 A4 pages, and present this to the White Rose Partners.  

Approach  

This project is anticipated to be nominally qualitative and can be conducted on a full or part-time basis between November 2025 and March 2026. A budget of up to £10,000 is available for this project (including expenses and VAT). 

It is envisaged that the project will involve consultations across Leeds, Sheffield, and York with: 

• Research staff who have recently returned from a period of leave or are about to go on a period of leave.  

• Colleagues from HR 

• Managers who have supported colleagues to return  

• Colleagues who support the logistics of returning  

• Colleagues from resource/training providers 

 As well as colleagues from other HE institutions and industries.  

Reporting  

The research consultant(s) will report directly to the Head of the White Rose University Consortium. The successful bidder will be fully briefed at the initial project meeting but will be expected to provide their own administrative support and work autonomously to complete the project.  

The research consultant(s) will meet monthly with the Head of the White Rose University Consortium to report progress. 

Timescale  

Format and submission of proposals 

The White Rose University Consortium is commissioning this project and invites interested parties to submit a quote. To do so, please complete the online Microsoft Form, which asks you to address the following criteria (each with a 1500-character limit): 

Proposed methodology
Outline the methodology you propose to use to achieve the project objectives. Please explain why this approach is appropriate and how it will deliver meaningful results. 

Evidence-based recommendations
Provide evidence and/or examples of your experience in developing practical, evidence-based recommendations derived from research or evaluation findings. 

Work plan and timeline
Describe your proposed work plan, including key milestones and a realistic timeline for delivering the project. 

Budget and value for money
Indicate the anticipated cost of the project. Please specify how many project delivery days this represents, and include a brief justification of the resources required, demonstrating cost-effectiveness and value for money. 

Project delivery
Explain why you or your team are well-suited to deliver this project. Highlight relevant experience, expertise, and previous work that demonstrates your capability to meet the project’s requirements effectively. 

Applications close at 23.59 Sunday 9 November 2025

Evaluation of proposals  

The consortium will assess proposals based on the five criteria outlined above. Each criterion will be equally weighted and scored on a scale from 1 to 5, with a maximum total score of 25.  

Terms and conditions  

The White Rose University Consortium will appoint an external consultant, subject to the University of York’s Terms and Conditions of contract.  

This request for proposals has been issued in good faith; however, the White Rose University Consortium, a part of the University of York, does not commit itself to award a contract as a result of any particular Proposal received. 

Enquiries  

The point of contact regarding this project is: 

Dr Karen Hinxman
Head, White Rose University Consortium
Email: k.hinxman@whiterose.ac.uk  

Any requests for clarification or information should be sent to the email above.