Research Support Jobs

Director of Research, from £70,000 dependent on experience, London and remote.

Are you a professional research manager ready to make the transition to leadership or already leading a team and ready to grow professionally and extend your reach?  If so, you could lead the Medical Research Foundation’s Research department as our Director of Research. 

This is an exciting time to join us. We recently launched our new five-year organisational strategy Giving hope through life-changing medical research  and you will be crucial in helping us to deliver on this and achieve our vision of a world where medical research improves health for everyone.

History has shown us, time and again, that the best way to achieve better human health is through medical research.  Over the past 100 years, we have witnessed monumental advances in medical research. We know that by investing in medical research now, we will see life-saving advances in the future.

While the last century has brought huge improvements in the quality and longevity of life, there are still many health conditions which impose a heavy burden on millions of people, in the UK and around the world. And in many areas of health there is a severe lack of research funding, which is holding back the scientific progress needed to change lives.  This is where we step in.

Our mission is to lay the foundations for ground-breaking new discoveries and life-changing advances.  We give hope to people whose health conditions are overlooked, by supporting research in areas that are underfunded.  We invest in the brightest and best researchers, ensuring the next generation of scientists can continue to solve the biggest challenges facing human health.

In the last five years alone, we have invested over £25 million into life-changing medical research, focusing on areas that have historically been overlooked and underfunded.  But there is still much more to do.

Looking ahead, we know that nine million people in England alone will be living with a major illness by 2040 – that’s 2.5 million more than in 2019, an increase of 37%.  We will use our unique position, as a broad funder of medical research, to respond to these challenges and fund research in ways that will have the biggest possible impact on people’s lives.

We are broad and ambitious medical research funder and we operate to the highest professional standards. You will lead a department that funds research across the whole research spectrum from discovery to translation, and in a diverse range of priority areas including children and young people’s health, neglected mental health conditions and the impact of climate change on health. Visit our website to find out about our strategy to 2029: Giving hope through life-changing medical research.

As Director of Research, you will work closely with our CEO and will be responsible for:

• horizon scanning and landscape reviews to deliver our research strategy and ensure its continued relevance.
• research funding competitions to deliver at least £5m new research per annum.
• ongoing grant management of a £30m grant portfolio.
• reviewing and creating funding schemes to address unmet need.
• our framework for impact evaluation.
• wider development of the charity through membership of our Executive Leadership Team.

We are looking for candidates with:

• significant experience working in a biomedical sciences research/funding environment.
• significant experience of research funding competitions, peer review, and grant management.
• experience of the evaluation of research outputs and impact.
• experience of motivating and managing a team. 
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to evidence relationship building with senior stakeholders and acting as an organisational representative.
• a PhD in biomedical sciences or a degree in biological sciences (or equivalent experience) with extensive experience working in a biomedical sciences funding environment.

Our offer

• from £70,000 for full-time 36 hour week; willing to consider part-time (min. 0.8 FTE)
• 30 days of annual leave per year plus bank holidays (some of which can be used flexibly)
• 10% maximum employer contribution
• Life insurance at four times salary
• Enhanced family-related leave and sickness leave
• Learning and development programmes and external training opportunities
• Generous additional benefits including regular team lunches, annual health assessments and optional social programme
• The opportunity to join a dedicated team making a difference to human health

Our team is proud to work for the Medical Research Foundation. We are ambitious for the organisation and for ourselves. We are approachable - providing advice to everyone and explaining our work. We are dedicated and committed to achieving the most for our donors and our researchers.  And we are involved – constantly looking for new ways to engage and improve. 

We value spending time working in-person to develop strong connections with each other and with our mission, and you will be based at our bright, plant-filled central London office for a minimum of three days a week, with the option to work remotely for the remainder.

Closing date: 09:00 Wednesday 11 December 2024

In person interviews: January 2025

Visit our website for further information and details of how to apply.

ShareAction is an independent charity and an expert on responsible investment. We work to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people. We set ambitious standards for how financial institutions, through their investment decisions, can protect our planet and its people and campaign for this approach to become the norm. We convene shareholders to collectively push companies to tackle the climate crisis, protect nature, improve workers’ rights and shape healthier societies. In the UK and EU, we advocate for financial regulation that has society’s best interests at its core.

ShareAction’s Financial Sector Research (FSR) team researches a variety of sectors’ performance and publishes regular rankings and analysis, as well as engaging with each surveyed institution and providing them with detailed recommendations for improvement. The FSR team also supports other campaign teams within ShareAction by providing relevant data and increasingly aims to share more data externally, too.

What you’ll do

The Senior Research Officer will contribute to this research, collecting information from institutions and databases, analysing quantitative and qualitative data, producing engaging content, and translating this analysis into actionable steps for institutions in our reports.

The focus of this role is to support the production and publication of our survey of the European banking sector. In this role, you will work closely with colleagues in both the Financial Sector Research and the Banking Standards teams to:

• Develop a methodology that is consistent with other financial sector benchmarks published by ShareAction, reflects recent market developments, draws on internal and external subject matter expertise, and reflects our campaign priorities.
• Collect, audit and analyse data regarding banks’ climate and sustainability strategies.
• Produce accurate and engaging written reports and data visualisations summarising the key findings of the research and drafting credible and persuasive recommendations.
• Support the presentation of the survey’s findings to banks, investors, funders, and the media.
• Contribute to responses to external consultations from regulators, policymakers, and other NGOs and support data sharing with external partners as appropriate.

The survey and benchmark of the European banking sector will be led by the Banking Programme team, with support from the Financial Sector Research team. This role will sit within the Financial Sector Research team, to benefit from the experience and processes already established for ShareAction’s asset management and insurance benchmarks. While you will focus on the survey of the European banking sector, there will be an opportunity to contribute to and learn about the other financial sector benchmarks as part of this role.

In this role, your responsibilities will include:

• Analysing quantitative and qualitative data and writing reports on banks’ responsible finance performance.
• Coordinating between the Financial Sector Research and Banking Standards teams to ensure consistency across ShareAction’s financial sector benchmarks.
• Conducting research across the themes covered by the benchmarks that draws on internal and external resources to inform survey development and data analysis.
• Using Excel and Python to analyse and organise large data sets (training will be provided for Python if needed).
• Participating in engagement calls with banks and answering technical questions relating to the research content.
• Presenting findings of our work to external and internal stakeholders through blogs, presentations, webinars, and roundtables and supporting the coordination of these events as appropriate.
• Organising and planning work with a high level of autonomy.
• Supporting the monitoring, evaluation and learning of our work.
• Contributing to funding bids and reporting on KPIs to funders where appropriate.
• Supporting the wider Financial Sector Research team to deliver other pieces of research, particularly the asset manager and insurance sector benchmarks.
• Keeping up to date on relevant news and information on the financial sector and the thematic areas covered by our work.

What you’ll bring to the team

This a very exciting time to be joining ShareAction as we seek to develop our benchmarks to increase their impact. In this rapidly evolving field, we are looking for a person with excellent research and communication skills and a passion to make a difference to join our team. We will ensure that you receive sufficient support and oversight to ensure you feel comfortable and knowledgeable in delivering this bold and challenging research.

We welcome anyone who shares our passion for environmental and social justice through the transformation of the financial sector. Please feel free to apply even if you’re not sure you tick every box.

Essential

• Excellent analytical skills, attention to detail, and a proven ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative research.
• A broad understanding of how the financial sector works and how financial institutions can have an impact on environmental and social issues.
• A keen interest in driving the finance sector (particularly asset managers and insurers) to better serve people and planet.
• Excellent organisational skills and a proven ability to manage competing demands while still meeting deadlines.
• Strong communication skills in written and spoken English.
• Competency with Microsoft Excel, including writing formulae and building charts.
• Strong team-working skills with the ability to work collaboratively.
• A passion for ShareAction’s vision, mission, and values.

Desirable

• Subject matter knowledge in climate change, biodiversity, or human/labour rights.
• Knowledge of/experience with the finance sector; an understanding of responsible investment and its implications for different types of financial institutions.
• Understanding of how private commercial banks operate and what products and services they offer to corporate and retail clients.
• Advanced data visualisation skills.
• Experience giving presentations.
• Any experience in programming, particularly an interest in learning Python for data processing.
• Experience managing relationships with external stakeholders.
• Experience with Microsoft Office 365, particularly SharePoint.
• Experience with CRM systems, ideally Salesforce.

We are currently formalising our hybrid working policy; however, the FSR team normally meets in the office on a weekly basis, with some flexibility possible.

What we will do for you

We are a fast-paced organisation that has grown substantially over the past few years. We recognise that our people work hard to advocate for responsible investment and drive meaningful engagement with those who have the power to create a brighter future. Every day, they bring their expertise, passion and persistence to build a world where the financial system serves our people and planet. We want to ensure we provide the right environment for our colleagues to thrive, and we are committed to improving our employee offer where possible.

Currently, we are pleased to offer:

• A commitment to flexible working: over 60% of our employees have some sort of flexible working arrangement in place.
• Hybrid working: we are committed to supporting our staff to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and meets the requirements of their role.
• Internal promotion and development opportunities: we offer a range of ways to improve your skills and focus on what you love, including promotion, secondment, or sideways development opportunities. For some levels of roles, we also offer direct progression.
• The opportunity to help make a difference: we tackle some of the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges. We offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience in a friendly, flexible and supportive working environment.
• A unionised work environment: our staff have the opportunity to join the union and are supported by our recognised union, Unite. We regularly consult and negotiate with our employees on workplace matters ranging from working conditions to pay.
• Regular in-person meetings, including all-staff away days, retreats and directorate strategy days to create connected teams.
• 8% non-contributory pension, invested with NEST and their green funds.
• Healthcare cash plan with Westfield that gives you money back on your healthcare costs.
• Employee assistance programme: advice and support, lifestyle discounts and short-term counselling.
• 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with length of service) plus office closure at the end of the year, ensuring everyone gets time to switch off together.
• Enhanced family leave pay: up to 18 weeks paid at 90% for either parent.
• Enhanced sick pay starting at 5 weeks’ full pay from day 1.
• Season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme.

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities, and we are working hard to provide an environment where all can bring their authentic selves to work. We know that some people won’t apply for a role unless they meet all the requirements listed in the job description. If this is the case for you, but you think you would excel in this role, we want to hear from you!

For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the Apply button.

Closing date: 9.00 am on Monday 9th December 2024.
First-round interviews: w/c 16th December 2024 (online).
Second-round interviews: w/c 6th January 2025. 

To be considered for this post, you must be legally eligible to work in the UK; unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.

Please be aware that when shortlisting we are really keen to get a sense of your unique voice and individual experience, especially if you are using generative AI tools as part of your drafting process.

ShareAction is an independent charity and an expert on responsible investment. We work to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people. We set ambitious standards for how financial institutions, through their investment decisions, can protect our planet and its people and campaign for this approach to become the norm. We convene shareholders to collectively push companies to tackle the climate crisis, protect nature, improve workers’ rights and shape healthier societies. In the UK and EU, we advocate for financial regulation that has society’s best interests at its core.

ShareAction’s Banking Standards team works towards holding banks accountable for their impact on people and planet, with a particular focus on climate change. We have a history of campaigning on key aspects of banks’ climate strategies – such as their emission reduction targets or fossil fuel policies – and we are gradually expanding our work to include other sustainability themes and banking regulation. Recently, we have achieved significant wins, such as contributing to HSBC becoming the world’s largest bank to cease financing for new oil and gas fields, Barclays dramatically reducing its oil sands financing, and mobilising investors to call on Societe Generale to set a renewable energy target.

Our campaign activities are rooted in rigorous analysis and facts. We produce a variety of research outputs supporting our engagement with banks, including:

• Investor briefings and research notes, reviewing commitments made by individual banks.
• Banking sector benchmarks, ranking European banks on their approach to climate change and other sustainability themes.
• Thematic reports and position papers, reviewing how the European banking sector aims to address specific issues and relevant sustainability standards.

What you’ll do

As a Research Manager, you will play a pivotal role in shaping our banking survey. Through your work, you will have the opportunity to influence the banking sector’s approach to sustainability by highlighting areas of improvement and leading practices among Europe’s largest banks. In close collaboration with colleagues in the Banking Standards and Financial Sector Research teams, you will:

• Lead survey development: Oversee all aspects of our banking survey, from designing methodology and collecting and analysing data to producing engaging written outputs and data visualisations that summarise key findings. You will coordinate the project from start to finish and liaise with multiple stakeholders, ensuring that surveys remain consistent with other ShareAction benchmarks and align with our campaign priorities.
• Conduct thematic research: Undertake research and engage with internal and external subject matter experts to inform positions on themes covered in banking surveys, ensuring that surveys are based on robust criteria and reflect the latest market developments.
• Engage with key stakeholders: Design engaging presentations and present survey findings and recommendations to banks, investors, and other stakeholders. You will act as an internal and external spokesperson for the banking survey, with the support of the Communications team and members of the Banking team. Additionally, you will contribute to external consultations and coordinate data-sharing initiatives with partners.
• Contribute to monitoring, evaluation and learning: Support the development and implementation of a monitoring, evaluation, and learning strategy for our banking surveys to continuously enhance their impact, relevance, and delivery process.
• Support funding and resource development: Assist with funding bids to secure resources for the survey’s continued growth and impact. You will also be responsible for hiring and managing additional researchers when necessary.

What you’ll bring to the team

• Passionate about climate change, sustainability, and/or the role of the financial system in addressing these issues.
• Excellent organisational and time management skills with a proven ability to manage competing demands while meeting deadlines.
• Experience in project management, including task delegation and consideration of project team workload.
• Excellent analytical skills with a proven ability to analyse complex quantitative and qualitative data, produce detailed reports, and summarise findings.
• Proven ability to manage relationships with multiple internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office with a proven ability to manage data, produce research insights, and create data visualisations.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with a proven ability to convey complex information to a wide variety of audiences.
• A great team player.

It would also be great – but not essential – if you have:

• Experience in conducting surveys and/or carrying out qualitative or quantitative research on financial institutions.
• Strong understanding of climate change, biodiversity, human rights, and/or public health.
• Strong understanding of how private commercial banks operate and the products and services they offer to corporate and retail clients.
• Experience integrating innovative tools into research processes, particularly AI tools.
• Experience with the Salesforce CRM system.
• Experience developing and/or managing databases using Excel or other applications.
  

While we hope we’ll find someone with the majority of these skills and experience, we’re keen to hear from you even if you don’t have them all. We appreciate lots of skills are transferable, and we welcome opportunities to explore different ways of achieving our goals.

We are currently formalising our hybrid working policy. However, the Banking team meets in the office every Tuesday as we find this helps with team bonding and productivity. We expect candidates based in London to come into the office at least once a week every Tuesday and candidates based outside of London to come into the office at least twice a month on a Tuesday.

What we will do for you

We are a fast-paced organisation that has grown substantially over the past few years. We recognise that our people work hard to advocate for responsible investment and drive meaningful engagement with those who have the power to create a brighter future. Every day, they bring their expertise, passion and persistence to build a world where the financial system serves our people and planet. We want to ensure we provide the right environment for our colleagues to thrive, and we are committed to improving our employee offer where possible.

Currently, we are pleased to offer:

• A commitment to flexible working: over 60% of our employees have some sort of flexible working arrangement in place.
• Hybrid working: we are committed to supporting our staff to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and meets the requirements of their role.
• Internal promotion and development opportunities: we offer a range of ways to improve your skills and focus on what you love, including promotion, secondment, or sideways development opportunities. For some levels of roles, we also offer direct progression.
• The opportunity to help make a difference: we tackle some of the world’s biggest social and environmental challenges. We offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience in a friendly, flexible and supportive working environment.
• A unionised work environment: our staff have the opportunity to join the union and are supported by our recognised union, Unite. We regularly consult and negotiate with our employees on workplace matters ranging from working conditions to pay.
• Regular in-person meetings, including all-staff away days, retreats and directorate strategy days to create connected teams.
• 8% non-contributory pension, invested with NEST and their green funds.
• Healthcare cash plan with Westfield that gives you money back on your healthcare costs.
• Employee assistance programme: advice and support, lifestyle discounts and short-term counselling.
• 25 days’ annual leave (increasing with length of service) plus office closure at the end of the year, ensuring everyone gets time to switch off together.
• Enhanced family leave pay: up to 18 weeks paid at 90% for either parent.
• Enhanced sick pay starting at 5 weeks’ full pay from day 1.
• Season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme.

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities, and we are working hard to provide an environment where all can bring their authentic selves to work. We know that some people won’t apply for a role unless they meet all the requirements listed in the job description. If this is the case for you, but you think you would excel in this role, we want to hear from you!

For further information and to apply, please visit our website via the Apply button.

Closing date: 9.00 am on Monday 9th December 2024.
First-round interviews: Thursday 19th/Friday 20th December 2024 (online).
Second-round interviews: Early January 2025 (online). 

To be considered for this post, you must be legally eligible to work in the UK; unfortunately, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship.

Please be aware that when shortlisting we are really keen to get a sense of your unique voice and individual experience, especially if you are using generative AI tools as part of your drafting process.

Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) is the UK’s leading dementia research charity dedicated to diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure. Backed by our passionate scientists and supporters, we’re challenging the way people think about dementia, bringing together the people and organisations who can speed up progress, and investing in research to strive for a cure.

We’re looking for someone with strong communication skills who is excited by the opportunity to engage with dementia researchers and raise the profile of our research programmes, funding opportunities and events within the research community. This role sits within the Research Directorate, an ambitious, supportive and friendly team, working closely with the Science Communications team and across the wider organisation, to ensure that we are communicating how we are transforming the lives of people affected by all forms of dementia.

Main duties and responsibilities of the role:

Research engagement strategy

· Develop and implement a comprehensive research communications and engagement strategy to build our relationship and position with the UK dementia research community.

· Lead cross-functional projects to build our reach and engagement, developing communication plans to engage our research partners to increase our reach to research focussed audiences.

· Oversee the project management of the strategy, including setting objectives, monitoring progress, and evaluating outcomes.

· Identify key opportunities to enhance the visibility and impact of our research through strategic partnerships and digital platforms.

· Track and analyse the effectiveness of communications strategies, using metrics to inform continuous improvement. 

· With the Senior Research Manager, identify new opportunities to engage with and support our funded researchers.

Researcher-facing communications

· Manage and deliver the production of high-quality communication and engagement material to our research audiences to engage the wider research community and disseminate information about our funding opportunities, conference and other key programmes such as ECR and research culture pieces.

· Lead on the redevelopment of the researcher-facing website structure, pages and content, to ensure that information about ARUK, funding opportunities, and our strategic programmes are communicated in an engaging way to the dementia research community

· Work with the Senior Science Communications Officer to ensure all researcher-facing materials meet comms best-practice and wider comms plans are developed and supported for launch

· Support the Senior Science Communications officer to deliver research-related public-facing web pages and trade press 

Conference and key research programmes

· Lead on the cross-organisational researcher-facing communications activities for the ARUK Conference, supporting the Senior Science Communications Officer to develop and deliver a media and PR plan.

· Support the Senior Research Manager to develop an engaging scientific programme for the conference, using insights and knowledge from the dementia community

· Support the cross-organisational Conference steering group to deliver and communicate development plans and related events.

What we are looking for:

· A degree in relevant biomedical science or equivalent experience

· Experience of working in a research environment and an excellent understanding of the experiences and needs of researchers.

· Strong communication skills with the ability communicate effectively and influence a wide range of stakeholders

· Strong project management skills, with experience managing multiple priorities, overseeing budgets and identifying risks

· A team player who can collaborate effectively with a range of stakeholders internally and externally to deliver

· Commitment to ARUK’s vision, mission and values

· Excellent presentation, written and verbal communication skills.

· Excellent eye for detail with a focus on continuous improvement

· Willingness to embrace and drive change to maximise impact

· Excellent time management skills and ability to prioritise competing demands

· Ability to work independently

· Willingness to travel, including occasional overnight travel

Additional Information:

Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals.  This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.

Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD. 

Salary: Circa £43,000 per annum, plus benefits.

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 1st December 2024, with interviews likely to be held on the 10th & 11th December 2024. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.  We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.  Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.

As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us via our website. 

How to apply: Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.

About Alzheimer’s Research UK: Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure.  Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope. 

There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure. 

In 2022, we were incredibly proud to be awarded a 3-star accreditation by Best Companies which recognises ‘World Class’ levels of workplace engagement and were also listed in the prestigious Best Companies lists:

• 48th in the 100 Best Large Companies to Work For in the UK.

• 19th in the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the East of England.

• 3rd in the 50 Best Companies to Work For in the Charity Sector.

In addition, we were also shortlisted for a special award recognising the work undertaken on reducing our environmental impact.

In 2021, we were awarded the HR Management award by The Charity Times for our Wellbeing initiatives throughout the pandemic.

In 2020, we demonstrated our commitment to changing the way we think and act about mental health in the workplace and signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge. 

ARUK really does look after its people, where you will be able to add value and make a difference. 

To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer’s Research UK

The Race Equality Foundation and City, St George’s University of London are looking to better understand the experiences of racism and discrimination among young people from Black, Asian, and minoritised ethnic backgrounds (aged 16-25).

We want to work collaboratively with young people themselves by supporting them to be researchers and using photography and running workshops to explore important issues. At the end of the project, we’ll share our findings and explore the next steps for further research to put ideas into action.

We’re looking for two Peer Researchers to join the study. A Peer Researcher is someone who has personal experience and knowledge about the topic and helps shape the research.

Peer Researchers will work closely with the team, lead various parts of the project, engage with young people, run workshops, and help develop the project’s findings.

To apply for this role, you can complete a written application form, send us a video with your answers, or answer the questions over the phone. You can find the application questions here. You will also need to complete a monitoring form. 

The deadline to apply is 11:59pm on Friday 20th December. 

This role will start in February 2025.

This exciting new role is an opportunity to be a strategic leader at the forefront of social and economic research, developing IES’s research on employment, skills and education policy, to achieve tangible impact on employment policy and practice. 

Due to growth in our public policy research, we are recruiting to a new senior leadership role to support our Director of Public Policy and Research to co-lead our multi-million pound programme of research across employment policy collaboratively ensuring it is delivered effectively and to clients’ satisfaction. The postholder will be a credible and experienced researcher, motivated to support our team of policy researchers across the full breadth of our work and will play a critical leadership role in supporting and managing the policy research team. They will support and delegate for the Director of public policy in building, developing and managing a broad array of client and partner relationships across policy areas. They will be a representative and advocate for IES policy research, able to disseminate and influence across the themes we cover.

The postholder will also play a leadership role in developing the Institute more widely, leading strategic projects to build our capacity and capability, facilitating others to do likewise. They will be able to engage and motivate staff and capable of clear and transparent decision-making. Alongside, they will grow and develop their own programme of employment policy research.

In particular, the role involves:

Research development and thought leadership

■ Generating substantial, annual income for self and others;

■ Becoming a known thought leader for the IES portfolio, regularly disseminating and advising IES clients and policymakers, to increase IES’s profile;

■ Managing and directing significant projects consistently to an excellent standard, achieving client satisfaction and maintaining client relationships to build potential for further work;

■ Advocating for high quality research and evaluation to build the evidence for what works in improving employment outcomes;

■ Being a conduit for IES values within IES and in the external context;

■ Developing and maintaining effective links with existing and potential clients and partners, monitoring market trends, identifying new opportunities for IES, and proactively suggesting new lines of work for us;

■ Promoting evidence-based policy and practice to lead towards sustainable improvements in public policy.

Internal leadership and development

■ Co-develop the policy business plan with the Director of Policy Research and support the delivery of the Institute’s annual business plan;

■ Play a leading role in operational management meetings and chairing other internal meetings, particularly related to effective project and programme delivery;

■ Be effective in directing and managing a programme of research, being a role model for excellent project delivery and client relationship management;

■ Leading researcher development through effective line management of senior and principal researchers and supporting the development of early careers researchers through project work and L&D sessions.

■ Strong capabilities in risk management and mitigation, identifying emergent issues and able to intervene early and effectively to control these;

■ Play a leading role in the development of the IES policy research programme, encouraging a culture of leadership and support across our team;

■ Lead continuous improvement activity, engaging staff to realise improvements in their own and the institute’s practice;

■ Be committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, encouraging all staff at IES to achieve their best;

■ Other duties as required by institute directors.

What we are looking for

The successful candidate will have leadership potential, be a highly skilled, credible researcher, known for subject expertise related to employment matters. They will have a strong understanding of high quality and robust programme delivery to time and budget and be able to mentor and coach others to achieve the same. In addition, successful candidates will possess the following:

■ Capability to co-lead and co-deliver a multi-million pound programme of research related to public policy research.

■ Commercial awareness and business acumen, with understanding of working styles within a small, charitable business.

■ Proven track record of generating substantial portfolio of income, to build work portfolio for self and others.

■ Experience in effectively managing and developing people for high performance and a focus on professional growth for self and others.

■ Exceptional self-organisational and presentational skills, with the ability to lead a programme of work, direct projects and support teams to work well with clients.

■ Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent a range of employment topics and convey complex concepts and findings accessibly to a variety of different audiences, including policymakers, the media and the wider public. 

■ The skills and expertise to develop new income, and/or to lead high quality bids, with aspects of innovation within commissioned briefs to ensure IES is a preferred supplier.

■ A track record of research related to a detailed understanding of UK employment and social policy.

■ Demonstrable research capability, and understanding of methods and implications for reliability of findings.

■ Excellent academic qualifications in social sciences or related field or evidence of equivalent experience.

Working at IES

We support flexible working and will consider applications from candidates seeking to work flexibly or part-time. The post will be based in our office in central Brighton, although we work in a hybrid way. We would expect the postholder to be prepared to travel to Brighton or London for group meetings on occasion.

Salary: will be within a range of £70,000-£72,000 (full time equivalent) based on skills and experience. 

To view our full range of benefits, please see the IES benefits guide.

IES offers a friendly workplace culture and has an active social committee. Brighton and the surrounding areas offer a superb location in which to live with easy access to the sea, countryside, and plenty of culture and nightlife. Brighton is close to Gatwick airport (30 mins), London (1 hour) and France (2.5 hours).

Our research and practice are guided by our values and our staff act in accordance with these. Our values centre on: respecting others, acting with integrity, collaboration, curiosity, excellence and compassion. You can learn more about what it’s like to work at IES by looking at our Glassdoor profile.

Because of the nature of our work, appointments will be subject to a report from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) or Disclosure Scotland.

The Institute for Employment Studies is a registered charity (no. 258390). IES strives to be an equal opportunities employer.

The Vacancy:

RBLI Charity supports disadvantaged Forces veterans from all over the UK in a dynamic Village HQ, and through an award-winning national employability programme called Lifeworks which reaches unemployed veterans all over the UK.

At this time RBLI is undertaking an ambitious appeal to develop Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Co. (BBMC) one of the largest social enterprise operations in the UK. The role is a key driving force within RBLI’s big gifts function. To support this £12.5m campaign RBLI is looking for an experienced prospect researcher with strong event experience.

RBLI’s Village and social enterprise factory are memorable places to visit and this is transformative for our relationships with our supporters and customers. Meeting staff and residents brings to life what their donations will be able to achieve.  It is important for the Fundraising and BBMC teams to host supporters and customers both current and potential.  Our visitors also include senior military personnel and dignitaries.

The postholder will work closely with senior stakeholders internally and externally and will take the lead in ensuring events and charity visits run smoothly and achieve their goals. 

The company:

Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) is a national charity that has been helping those in need for over 100 years, providing support to the Armed Forces community, those with disabilities and those who have found themselves unemployed.

Each RBLI division offers a service to help veterans live an independent life with whatever support they require resulting in the successful delivery of a full-care pathway on-site to help veterans of any age or background from across the three services.

Location: Benin, Senegal, Guinea Bissau or Mali

Contract: 12-month fixed term contract

Salary: local terms and conditons apply

Responsibilities

• Design Research: Conduct research on local cultural contexts, using resources like the Sightsavers image and design libraries, and validate findings with local teams. 
• Desk Reviews: Review existing interventions and resources, gathering performance data and liaising with programme teams and colleagues.
• User Testing: Organise user testing sessions, plan and schedule activities, and create summary reports of feedback.
• Media Research: Research local media penetration to understand the landscape for effective communication with target audiences.
• Meeting Administration: Support meeting administration by taking notes and capturing outcomes to inform design research.
• Design Training: Assist in planning and coordinating inclusive design training sessions, preparing materials, and providing support.
• Supplier Mapping: Identify local production suppliers and creative agencies, and research sources for copywriting and translation of project materials.

This is a highly varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details.

Jobholder Requirements

Essential Skills:

• Demonstrable professional experience in design research, working with communications, service, or product designers.
• Excellent organisational and research skills.
• Ability to own your sphere of work and adopt a flexible, collaborative approach.
• Demonstrable sensitivity working cross-culturally and with different demographic groups.
• Excellent interpersonal skills: able to listen carefully, ask the right questions at the right time, and empathise and understand.
• Comfortable working to deadlines on multiple projects.
• A belief in the power of design and international development to make the world a better place.
• Understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity for disabled people.

Desirable Skills:

• Proficiency in additional languages such as French, Portuguese, Arabic, Swahili, or Yoruba.
• Understanding of inclusive design principles and accessibility standards.
• Lived or cultural experience of any of our programme countries.

Please complete the application and submit your CV in English. Applications not in English may not be reviewed.

Next Steps

To apply for this exciting new opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.

Please complete the application and submit your CV in English to be considered for this role. We kindly ask for all applications to be in English to ensure a thorough review process.

As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people living with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.

Closing date: 1 December 2024

We want a world where no one dies from hunger. Life-threatening hunger is predictable, preventable and treatable. Join Action Against Hunger and together we will stop it in its tracks.

Action Against Hunger is an optimistic, inspiring place to work. We want passionate and dedicated people to help build a better world. We’re a creative team made up of people with a wide range of talents, styles and expertise. But we are united in our relentless dedication to end world hunger.  No challenge is too big. With you we can do it.  Join us.

Action Against Hunger UK invested in and accelerated the roll-out of the best approaches to prevent and treat severe acute malnutrition. This includes ensuring that operational research is supported by robust costing and cost-effectiveness analysis. 

We are looking for a Senior Research Advisor to work within the Nutrition Unit of Action Against Hunger UK’s Operations Department. The Senior Research Advisor will be expected to

1. Lead the implementation of a wide range of research projects (including evidence synthesis, economic evaluation, programme evaluations, clinical trials, and community studies) 
2. Support the positioning of Action Against Hunger as a key reference on the build-up of evidence in prevention and treatment of malnutrition research Project
3. Lead on evidence dissemination, knowledge management, research uptake activities as well as the development of training materials linked to research and Cost Effectiveness analysis.

You will be leading internal projects and external consultancy projects. In addition to members of the nutrition team, you will work with external partners which might include other NGOs, academic partners, UN agencies and independent consultants. You will apply analytical skills, strong technical experience and enjoy a flexible and adaptive working environment, while supporting the positioning of Action Against Hunger as a key reference on nutrition assessments and research. Most importantly, you will work with a very caring team which holds kindness and professionalism at its core.  For more detailed information on the roles, please download the attached pdf Job descriptions.

Closing Date: 28-Nov-2024 23:30
Planned date to begin interviews: 20/11/2024 (on a rolling basis)

Please read the following carefully before making your application:

Then all you need to do is send your CV and write a covering letter explaining why you want the job and how your skills and experience make you the right person for the role. 

• For further information on pay and employee benefits please visit our careers page on our website
• As a UK based position, candidates must have the right to work in the UK
• We welcome applications from all sections of the community and we encourage as broad a range of candidates as possible. If you need any additional support to help you through this process, please let us know (contact details in the job pack)
• Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we will only contact shortlisted candidates, within two weeks of the closing date Unfortunately, we cannot provide individual feedback
• If you experience any technical difficulties in submitting your application, please contact the charityjob helpdesk

Research Lead

A national leader in driving evidence-based employment support, is seeking a Research Lead: health, employment and individual placement and support to help support the quality expansion of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services across England's health systems.

Join an ambitious not for profit organisation that partners with governments, service providers, the voluntary sector and the financial community. If you want to find better ways of tackling social problems in the UK and globally, then apply today!

Position: IPS Grow Research Lead

Location: London/Hybrid

Hours: Full time

Salary: £44,000 — £54,000 dependent on experience

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: 9 December 2024 12:00pm

Interviews: 30-minute Zoom interviews will take place Friday 13 December. Face to face interviews will take place on the Wednesday 18 December, in London. (Should you require any reasonable adjustments to allow you to attend, please highlight this when you are invited)

The Team

This national programme is designed to support the expansion of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) services in mental health, primary care, and drug and alcohol teams across England. The programme is led by the organisation in partnership with the Centre for Mental Health. It is funded by NHS England and Improvement (NHSE/I), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). 

About the Role 

This pivotal role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of employment support for individuals with mental health conditions or substance use disorders. As a well-established program funded by NHS England & Improvement, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, IPS Grow is at the forefront of implementing high-quality, evidence-based practices. The mission is to significantly improve employment outcomes for clients accessing health services through the nationwide scale-up of IPS. 

The Research Lead will join a dynamic team of IPS experts, working collaboratively to enhance service fidelity and drive measurable improvements in client outcomes. This position demands a passionate advocate for evidence-based practices who can translate cutting-edge research into practical, on-the-ground solutions.

Based flexibly across England with a hybrid working model, this role requires regular presence at the London office and a willingness to travel nationally. 

You will play a crucial part in the mission to transform lives through meaningful employment, contributing to a program that has already helped thousands secure and maintain rewarding employment

Responsibilities include:

• Research and Evidence

• Data and Performance Management

• Knowledge Translation and Dissemination

• Stakeholder Engagement

• Innovation and Continuous Improvement

About You 

We are looking for people with a passionate belief that anyone can work with the right support, and a commitment to our values. You will have proven analytical and research skills with a track record of publishing in peer review journals. You will need to be comfortable with changing approaches as you develop a better understanding of the problem and what might solve it.

You will also have:

• Experience of leading and delivering complex research projects against project plans, timelines and deliverables that are results focused.

• Strong IT skills and use data to inform your work.

• Relationship building and senior stakeholder influencing skills.

• A track record building outstanding relationships with different individuals and organisations.

• Highly advanced negotiation and influencing skills and a willingness to tackle difficult conversations where needed to achieve the right results for research and recommendations. 

Qualifications and Experience

• MSc level qualified or equivalent professional experience 

• Minimum first author or equivalent on 3 high impact peer review publications

• Strong commitment to evidence-based practices and leveraging research to enhance service delivery

About the Organisation

Since 2007, the organisation has helped to pioneer a series of programmes to improve outcomes for individuals with complex needs. These innovations, including the social impact bond model, have mobilised more than £500 million globally. With sister organisations in the US, Israel, the Netherlands and India the organisation has network of partners across the world.

Equality, diversity and inclusion 

We actively encourage applications from under-represented and minoritised groups, including those with lived experience of the social issues we are working to address. The organisation is an equal opportunities employer and support a range of flexible working options.

The application process uses Applied, a platform developed by the Behavioural Insights Team, to record your application. Applied is focused on using behavioural and data science to improve hiring decisions and minimise unconscious bias in the recruitment process. You will be asked to respond to four situational based questions, which will allow you to express your ability. 

Other roles you may have experience with could include Research, Researcher, Lead Researcher, Research Lead, Senior Researcher, Senior Research Lead, Research Manager.

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.

Alzheimer’s Research UK (ARUK) is the UK’s leading dementia research charity dedicated to diagnosis, prevention, treatment and cure. Backed by our passionate scientists and supporters, we’re challenging the way people think about dementia, bringing together the people and organisations who can speed up progress, and investing in research to strive for a cure.

The Senior Research Manager will work closely with the Head of Research Funding, leading a team focussed on research culture and engagement, as well as managing our scientific portfolio. This role is vital in advancing ARUK's research objectives and promoting engagement within with ARUK-funded research community. They will be working collaboratively with the Research Team and with other teams at Alzheimer’s Research UK, including the Events Team, Science Communications team and Philanthropy teams.

This role sits within the Research Funding team in the Research Directorate, an ambitious, supportive and friendly team that funds the best research to transform the lives of people affected by all forms of dementia.  We’re looking for someone with strong research management experience, a good eye for detail and who is excited by the opportunities in the dementia research landscape

Main duties and responsibilities of the role:

Scientific programme management

· Build and maintain strong external relationships with a network of ARUK scientists, clinicians, and senior stakeholders across the UK. 

· Monitor progress and outputs of ARUK funded projects, supporting our Science Communication team to share progress on our funded research

· Using knowledge of funded research, work with the Strategic Programmes team to help evaluate the impact of funding in addressing ARUK research priorities. 

· Gain a thorough understanding of the dementia research landscape, working with the wider Research team to make recommendations to drive the development and delivery of ARUK’s research strategy

Research culture and Early Career Researcher strategy

· Design and lead a strategic programme aimed at fostering a positive research culture and supporting the development of Early Career Researchers (ECRs) within the dementia research field, including:

- Developing and implementing an ECR strategy that provides resources, mentorship, and growth opportunities for emerging researchers in dementia.

- Identifying and championing initiatives that support diversity, equity, and inclusivity within the research community.

- Establishing frameworks and activities that promote collaboration, transparency, and ethical research conduct across Alzheimer’s Research UK-funded projects.

Research community engagement

· Develop an approach to grow engagement with researchers and strengthen connections with the wider research community

· Support the Research Engagement Manager and wider teams to deliver activities within the strategy to promote awareness and collaboration, produce impactful resources, to drive impactful scientific progress.

· Lead the advancement of Alzheimer’s Research UK’s flagship research conference, ensuring the programme reflects the latest scientific advances and strategic priorities. and elevates Alzheimer’s Research UK’s visibility and influence in the dementia research field.

Management Responsibilities:

· Line management of a Research Officer and Research Manager, effectively delegating work to support delivery of their objectives

· Help to promote an inspiring team culture where personal development is prioritised

What we are looking for:

· Strong science background, educated to degree level in a relevant subject (preferably with a postgraduate qualification or equivalent work experience)

· Experience and/or in-depth knowledge of biomedical or life sciences research, preferably in a relevant or related area 

· Proven ability of planning, managing and delivering projects; ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks, showing adaptability to meet challenging targets and deadlines.

· Excellent interpersonal and relationship management skills, with experience of building and managing relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, at all levels of seniority.

· Experience of developing and delivering strategies, ability to spot opportunities and translate these into operational plans, thinking beyond the immediate issue to look at broader topics or themes.

· A team player who can collaborate effectively with a range of stakeholders internally and externally to deliver

· Strong communication skills with the ability to convey complex information to diverse audiences

· Commitment to ARUK’s vision, mission and values

· Excellent eye for detail with a focus on continuous improvement

· Excellent time management skills and ability to prioritise competing demands

· Ability to work independently

· Willingness to travel, including occasional overnight travel

Additional Information:

Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals.  This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.

Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD. 

Salary: Circa £53,000 per annum, plus benefits.

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 1st December 2024, with interviews likely to be held the 9th & 10th December 2024. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.  We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.  Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.

As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us via our website. 

How to apply: Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.

About Alzheimer’s Research UK:

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure.  Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope. 

There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure. 

In 2022, we were incredibly proud to be awarded a 3-star accreditation by Best Companies which recognises ‘World Class’ levels of workplace engagement and were also listed in the prestigious Best Companies lists:

• 48th in the 100 Best Large Companies to Work For in the UK.

• 19th in the 100 Best Companies to Work For in the East of England.

• 3rd in the 50 Best Companies to Work For in the Charity Sector.

In addition, we were also shortlisted for a special award recognising the work undertaken on reducing our environmental impact.

In 2021, we were awarded the HR Management award by The Charity Times for our Wellbeing initiatives throughout the pandemic.

In 2020, we demonstrated our commitment to changing the way we think and act about mental health in the workplace and signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge. 

ARUK really does look after its people, where you will be able to add value and make a difference. 

To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer’s Research UK

London and remote, £32,000 to £35,000 dependent on experience, pro rata, 0.8-1.0 FTE, 36 hours per week, permanent

Are you passionate about fundraising? If you have experience of delivering individual giving and/or legacy fundraising campaigns this could be the ideal role for you.

We are seeking a skilled individual giving fundraiser who can write successful marketing plans for fundraising activities to be our next Individual Giving and Legacy Officer.

Working for us means you will be supporting our mission to lay the foundations for ground-breaking new discoveries and life-changing advances. We give hope to people whose health conditions are overlooked, by supporting research in areas that are underfunded. We invest in the brightest and best researchers, ensuring the next generation of scientists can continue to solve the biggest challenges facing human health. We are a broad and ambitious medical research funder and we operate to the highest professional standards.

This is an exciting time to join us as we have recently launched our new five-year strategy, Giving hope through life-changing medical research. A key part of this strategy is to invest in our fundraising team to achieve transformational growth in voluntary income in the next 10 years. As our Individual Giving and Legacy Officer, you will use your skills in fundraising and supporter care to deliver our ambitious plans to grow our fundraising from individual donors and legacies.

You will be part of our Fundraising Team, reporting to our Director of Fundraising and working especially closely with the Donor Acquisition Project Manager.

Your main responsibilities will be to:

Legacies

• Support and monitor a nationwide legacy marketing campaign.
• Develop and deliver stewardship programmes for individuals, legacy enquirers, and legacy pledgers.
• Develop programmes to promote legacy giving.
• Manage and maintain records of legacy enquirers, pledgers, donors, and executors.

Individual Giving

• Oversee the annual challenge and fundraising events programme.
• Oversee marketing campaigns for challenge and fundraising events.
• Provide support for a pilot donor acquisition programme.
• Undertake research on new fundraising opportunities and sources of individual giving income.
• Monitor progress of individual giving income, including working to agreed KPIs and ROI.

What you will bring

This could be your opportunity to take the next step in your fundraising career and perform a vital role in helping us to achieve our mission. We would like to hear from you if you can:

• Demonstrate experience of delivering individual giving campaigns and/or legacy fundraising campaigns
• Use a CRM system effectively for fundraising
• Cultivate and manage meaningful and empathetic working relationships.
• Demonstrate excellent spoken and written communication skills
• Exhibit strong analytical skills.
• Plan and organise your work effectively and respond flexibly to team priorities
• Demonstrate high level of IT skills, specifically excellent M/S Word and Excel.
• Work confidently in a team and be self-motivated to work alone.

Further details can be found in the attached job description.

Our offer

• £32,000 to £35,000 dependent on experience, full-time (36 hour week); willing to consider part-time (min. 0.8 FTE)
• 30 days of annual leave per year plus bank holidays (some of which can be used flexibly)
• 10% maximum employer contribution
• Life insurance at four times salary
• Enhanced family-related leave and sickness leave
• Learning and development programmes and external training opportunities
• Generous additional benefits including regular team lunches, annual health assessments and optional social programme
• The opportunity to join a dedicated team making a difference to human health

We value spending time working in-person to develop strong connections with each other and with our mission, so you will be based at our central London office for a minimum of three days a week (usually Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday) with the option to work remotely for the remainder.

Closing date: Monday 9 December 2024 at 09:00

In person interviews: week commencing 9 December 2024

Visit our website for further information and details of how to apply.

Job Purpose

This position will lead the established department/s in order to deliver on key priority areas of the Strategic Plan in the areas of: breeding for unfavorable environments, breeding for favorable environments, quantitative genetics and biometrics (related to plant breeding), seed and delivery systems, and germplasm evaluation, host plant resistance, and including market access and nutrition traits and abiotic stress tolerance. The position will have a key role in strengthening the Institute’s role as a key provider of dynamic and innovative pre-breeding and breeding research outcomes leveraging IRRI’s scientific expertise, international convening role, trusted advisor status, and extensive partnerships network. This position provides the overall leadership for accelerating the development of new rice varieties and hybrids in all major rice-growing environments, with a particular emphasis on targeted product development pipelines that, based on clear product profiles, utilize molecular breeding approaches and distributed germplasm evaluation networks to maximize genetic gains. New breeding systems and tools have been put in place in the Rice Breeding Innovation department, however further innovative and cost-effective tools and breeding systems will need to be identified, developed and implemented to achieve the goals of making the IRRI breeding program the pre-eminent public sector cereal breeding program globally.

The Rice Breeding Innovations Research Director is responsible for assuring success in a global context, while focusing on South Asia, Southeast Asia and Eastern and Southern Africa. The position also requires an understanding of breeding information management systems, intellectual property, and an ability to work with the private sector with the assistance of business development specialists. In addition to being a recognized international expert in the field, the successful applicant will have the leadership and change management experience, standing and personal qualities required to provide inspirational leadership to a group of Research Unit Leaders, and provide strategic guidance in research innovations, partnerships and delivery of programs and projects. Department Leaders have a critical role in shaping IRRI’s research for development agenda by bringing together discipline based teams organized through Research units with cross-institutional functions, in order to ensure both the research and delivery imperatives of IRRI are met.

This position will be based at the IRRI Headquarters, Los Baños, Philippines and is open for international applications.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary and cross-functional groups to ensure that the Department and Research Unit goals and priorities are aligned with IRRI’s overall strategy, priorities, target goals, and values
• Contribute collaboratively to the Institute-wide research management team reporting to the Deputy Director General for Research in order to ensure cross-disciplinary, cross site, and cross functional collaboration across all of IRRI
• Ensure accountability of Research Unit Leaders to deliver research outcomes in compliance with donor requirements and IRRI’s policies and procedures
• Work as part of a team to bring in new resources to support IRRI’s research for development objectives
• Facilitate the identification of research priorities and optimum usage of IRRI’s resources
• Promote, sustain and develop new strategic partnerships and alliances with public and private stakeholders to cultivate collaborative research programs
• Act as a catalyst and champion of IRRI-wide changes to achieve IRRI’s mission and goals
• Coordinate with IRRI’s Leadership Team, through the DDG-R, in the execution of the Department and Research Unit goals and priorities
• Represent IRRI in research fora, local and international conferences to sustain and develop working relationship with new target investors, donors, government partners, communities and private institutions
• Advocate IRRI’s research for development in international research fora to enhance the IRRI’s brand across different regions
• Engage with IRRI’s national and regional partners to understand their needs and objectives and to provide complementary research for development capacity and programs fulfilling their identified needs
• Facilitate the development, alignment and integration of Research Units operational plans, objectives and key performance indicators 
• Lead and facilitate the completion and delivery of research for development outcomes and ensure compliance to funder requirements within agreed timeframes
• Harness the synergy and nurture the creativity of individual staff, multidisciplinary and cross functional research teams to generate innovative research programs and secure new sources of funding
• Ensure high performance research for development delivery from the department in order to achieve maximum success with investors, donors, partners, and users
• Manage, develop and monitor the performance of Research Unit Leaders to ensure the quality and continuous growth of human resources and to build high performing teams

Qualifications

• PhD degree and subsequent experience in plant breeding
• Recognized as an innovative international leader in a relevant science field
• Significant multicultural and multidisciplinary management experience

Skills Required

Mandatory

• Understand research for development challenges and opportunities
• Excellent people management skills
• Excellent advocacy, presentation, influencing and entrepreneurial skills
• Excellent project management skills
• Proven ability to establish high level of cooperation and alliances

Preferred

• Work experience in Asia or Africa

Applications

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to the Human Resources and Organizational Development Office, Ms. Anna Junsay with a subject: Application – Research Director, RBI - your full name.

The position is urgent and will be filled as soon as suitable candidate is found. Only qualified applicants with relevant skills and experience will be contacted. We recommend applying as soon as possible and not later than 4 December 2024.

We have a full-time vacancy for an Executive to join the Prospect Development team (the team currently consists of one Manager and two Officers).  This role will focus on providing information on prospects, improving our data integrity, identifying connections and supporting the team.  The team takes a data driven approach to fundraising, ensuring that information is centrally logged and can be used in the future to help us identify further high value opportunities.

This role sits within the wider Insight and Development function, the aim of which is to maximise Alzheimer’s Research UK’s fundraised income and support the charity by driving collaborative, efficient and sustainable fundraising. This means that you will predominantly work with our Philanthropy and Corporate functions but will be positioned to work collaboratively across the whole organisation.

Main duties and responsibilities of the role:

· Undertake detailed research on prospects and donors in order to increase our knowledge of potential donors and to increase the likelihood for a successful fundraising ask.

· Be proactive and creative in identifying new potential donors and be able to present findings to fundraising colleagues.

· Be agile in responding to ad-hoc requests as required, ensuring we are equipped to act on new fundraising opportunities.

· Gather and disseminate information about relevant supporter networks and peer links to colleagues in order to support fundraising activities, including through our fundraising events.

· Provide administrative support to the team (helping with process documentation, booking regular meetings etc).

· Work with other teams to share expertise and knowledge about prospect research techniques.

· Effectively manage and prioritise your busy and varied workload. 

Partnership Working

· Proactively build partnerships across the Fundraising Department and with other teams.

· Act as an ambassador for the team in interactions across the whole organisation. 

· Be committed to best practice, constantly seeking improvements in our operations.

Information Management

· Learn to use databases to identify new prospects and opportunities. 

· Ensure accurate record keeping of prospects on the fundraising database, being mindful of the GDPR.

· Store information appropriately, with sources and in a clear and retrievable format.

What we are looking for:

· Confidence working with computers; knowledge of Word, Excel, and Outlook.

· Research experience.

· Experience of working with databases.

· Understanding of Data Protection and confidentiality.

· Experience of writing detailed reports suitable for all levels of management.

· Ability to work with independence, intelligence, drive and initiative.

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

· Excellent relationship management skills.

· Ability to prioritise and effectively manage multiple tasks.

· Good planning and organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.

· Work well as part of a team, but proactive and can work independently.

· A confident and friendly manner.

· Creativity, innovation, and resourcefulness to identify opportunities.

· Willingness to learn and adaptability.

· Highly motivated and naturally inquisitive.

· Understanding and awareness of the bigger picture.

· A commitment to the ethos and goals of Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Additional Information:

Ways of working: As part of our Agile ways of working you will be required to work approximately 2 days a week from the office, which is subject to the requirements of the role and the business needs. Flexibility on where you work can be split between working from home and our office.

Roles that are classed as part of the Agile ways of working are not able to claim any costs for Mileage/Travel on Public Transport, Accommodation and/or Meals.  This includes when attending the office for various meetings/events.

Our Office: Our office is at 3 Riverside, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, CB21 6AD. 

Salary: Circa £23,000 per annum, plus benefits

Please download the Vacancy Pack on our website for more information.

The closing date for applications is the 8th December 2024, with interviews likely to be held week commencing the 9th December 2024. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date. We would encourage you to submit your application at the earliest opportunity, as on occasion we may have to bring forward the interview date and/or the closing date based on the needs of the business. Although a possibility, this will only happen in exceptional circumstances. Please indicate in your covering letter if you are unable to attend an interview on a certain date.

We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive culture where everyone can be themselves and reach their full potential.  We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds and cultures, in particular those from ethnic minority backgrounds who are currently under-represented.  Any offer of employment is however subject to you having the right to work in the UK.

As part of our commitment to being an inclusive employer and ensuring fairness and consistency in our selection process, we will handle your CV and application with the utmost confidentiality. While we strive to anonymise your CV where possible, there are certain sections, such as the application question, that cannot be fully anonymised. We kindly ask that you remove any personal information, including your name, when answering the application question. The hiring panel will not have access to your personal details, such as your name and address, until you are invited for an interview. Should you require any adjustments at either the application or interview stage, please contact us via our website.

How to apply: Please create an online account using our Online Recruitment Platform which can be accessed through our Job Vacancies page. You will be able to attach your CV to your application and track the status of your application.

About Alzheimer’s Research UK:

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. Our mission is to accelerate progress towards a cure.  Today 1 in 2 people will be impacted by dementia, either through caring for a loved one, developing it themselves or tragically both. But there is hope. 

There has never been a more important and exciting time in dementia research. With promising new drugs in clinical trials that slow the progression of the diseases that cause it, and revolutionary new ways to diagnose them on the horizon, we are now at a tipping point. Working with the smartest minds globally and across the UK, with industry and academia, Alzheimer’s Research UK is uniquely placed to invest in the very best research identifying barriers to a cure and knocking them down so that there are more and better treatments for everyone with dementia. For the first time in history, we can see a future where people with dementia can get a swift and accurate diagnosis, and effective treatments that could slow or even stop their disease. We stand for everyone affected by dementia. We stand for a cure. 

In 2024, we were incredibly proud to be awarded a 3-star accreditation by Best Companies which recognises ‘World Class’ levels of workplace engagement. This is the second consecutive time; we have been awarded a Best Companies 3-star accreditation.

We were also listed in the prestigious Best Companies lists:

· 18th in the 100 Best Large Companies to Work For in the UK.

· 10th in the 50 Best Companies to Work For in the East of England.

· 2nd in the 30 Best Companies to Work For in the Charity Sector.

In addition, we were also shortlisted for a special award recognising the work undertaken on reducing our environmental impact.

In 2021, we were awarded the HR Management award by The Charity Times for our Wellbeing initiatives throughout the pandemic.

In 2020, we demonstrated our commitment to changing the way we think and act about mental health in the workplace and signed the Time to Change Employer Pledge. 

ARUK really does look after its people, where you will be able to add value and make a difference. 

To view further details about working for us and the benefits we offer, please visit Alzheimer’s Research UK