Senior Researcher

Senior Researcher
Hybrid (within UK or outside the UK)

About Us

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is a policy and action research organisation promoting sustainable development and linking local priorities to global challenges. We are based in London and work on five continents with some of the world’s most vulnerable people to strengthen their voices in the decision-making arenas that affect them. With more than 150 members of staff working with associates and partners around the world, IIED has been at the forefront of evidence-based policymaking in sustainable development for over 50 years.

Locally Led Adaptation (LLA) puts local individuals and communities at the centre of decision-making and funding for climate adaptation. LLA values the wisdom of local experts in dealing with climate risks and ensures that those at the forefront of climate change have a fair share of power and resources to enhance their resilience.

We are currently seeking a Senior Researcher to join us on a permanent, full-time basis, working 35 hours per week.

The Benefits

- Salary of £52,244 - £64,964 per annum, depending on experience
- 25 days' annual leave per year, increasing with service
- Closure between Christmas and New Year with additional paid holiday
- 7.5% employer's pension contributions
- An employee protection scheme offering a flexible menu of benefits
- An interest-free season-ticket loan
- A cycle-to-work scheme offering tax savings on the cost of purchasing a bike for travel to and from work
- An employee assistance programme
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption policies
- Enhanced sick pay entitlements, increasing with length of service
- Flexible working options
- Support for learning and development
- Compassionate leave up to ten days per annum
- Dependents leave
- Eye tests and glasses
- Therapy treatment

This is an exceptional opportunity for a high-calibre researcher with an excellent grasp of climate and environmental change issues and experience of applying participatory methods and analytical frameworks to join our essential organisation.

In this leading role, you will play a critical part in ensuring that those most affected by climate change have the resources and influence to enhance their resilience, giving a voice to vulnerable communities globally.

So, if you want to use your expertise to drive vital reform and make a meaningful impact on a global scale, read on and apply today.

The Role

As a Senior Researcher, you will lead the delivery and ongoing design of a portfolio of innovative policy research and influencing projects on climate finance, particularly the provision of LLA approaches.

Working closely with IIED colleagues and a network of international partners across the Global South, you will gather new evidence and provide intellectual and strategic leadership to the ongoing design of the portfolio.

You’ll focus on scaling the implementation of LLA approaches, reforming the international climate finance system to enhance the availability of resources and supporting a range of stakeholders to access and utilise finance effectively to achieve climate-related goals.

Additionally, you will:

- Share learning from LLA delivery mechanisms to international audiences
- Contribute to political processes (such as the Climate and Development Ministerial and the Champions Group on Climate Finance Adaptation)
- Support, develop and line manage the team and other colleagues
- Oversee MEL and communications strategies
- Support the development of budgets
- Contribute to a range of publications

About You

To be considered as a Senior Researcher, you will need:

- Research and work experience of climate and environmental change issues, as related to socioeconomic development in the Global South
- Strong experience of applying participatory methods and analytical frameworks with a wide range of stakeholders
- Experience of engaging with debates, processes, actors and institutions in the sustainable development arena to influence them and achieve impact
- Management experience
- Experience of fundraising and donor relations
- An excellent understanding of climate change public policy responses, climate finance and climate change in LDCs, SIDS and LMICs
- A detailed understanding of climate change impacts, and potential approaches to developing sophisticated adaptation responses
- A good understanding of the dynamics and issues arising through devolution and reforms to the relations between state and citizen
- Strong technical, analytical and conceptual skills
- Willingness to travel to developing countries to meet project commitments (may be up to three months of the year, usually in one-to-two-week blocks)
- Advanced Microsoft Office skills
- A post graduate degree (or equivalent) in Climate Finance, Climate Change, Development Studies, Development Economics, Environmental Economics, International Finance or a related discipline

IIED is a hybrid working organisation and you are likely to be working from home most of the time. As such, you will need a suitable place to work and a reliable, fast internet connection.

Please note, this role is also open to those who live outside the UK, as long as you have the right to work in the country you wish to reside in. IIED will support a UK visa for this role if re-location is requested.

The salary range advertised in GBP is applicable in the UK only, and the salary offer in another country would depend on the local terms and conditions. We only use the UK salary structure to determine starting salaries, but it will not apply to salaries outside the UK thereafter.

The closing date for this role is the 12th October 2023.

Interviews are scheduled to take place on week commencing 30th October 2023.

Other organisations may call this role Senior Policy Researcher, Intelligence Analyst, Policy Analyst, Climate Finance Researcher, Senior Research Manager, Senior Research Project Manager, or Senior Research and Policy Officer.

Webrecruit and International Institute for Environment and Development are equal opportunities employers, value diversity and are strongly committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and all applicants for employment.

So, if you want to join us as a Senior Researcher, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit. The services advertised by Webrecruit are those of an Employment Agency.