Research Manager (3559)

Hosted by the RSPCA alongside founding partners - Compassion in World Farming, FOUR PAWS UK, Humane World for Animals UK, and the Katherine Martin Charitable Trust - the Animal Welfare Evidence Centre  exists to bridge critical gaps in our understanding of the causes and prevention of animal harm. Together, the Centre unites academic expertise with sector partners policy and practice insights to deliver robust multi-disciplinary and actionable research. We don't campaign.

By generating independent research on the causes and systemic drivers of animal harm, we equip the animal welfare sector, research communities and governments with the evidence required to drive lasting cultural and legislative change. 

Are you an experienced social science researcher ready to take ownership of flagship projects, build stakeholder relationships, and solve complex human-animal harms?  Join us to lead pioneering research that influences animal welfare policy and practice. 

We are recruiting a Research Manager to join our founding core team alongside the newly appointed Chief of Research and Research Officers.

Contract: Permanent

Location: Hybrid; you will work from home and from our London or Horsham Hub and you will be expected to travel for research purposes, as and when required. 

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday - Friday.

Reports to: Chief of Research

As Research Manager, you will operate as an evidence intermediary, helping the animal welfare sector bridge the gap between research, advocacy, policy and practice.

You will hold substantial autonomy to shape and drive the Centre's research strategy  and programme, run your own research projects from start to finish, lead stakeholder communications, engagement and management, and support commissioned high-impact external projects, while providing leadership to junior researchers. 

We will look to you to:

• Lead the planning, execution and presentation of mixed-methods studies, rigorous evidence syntheses and comprehensive literature reviews, while maintaining effective financial controls of projects.
• Translate complex research data into actionable and accessible insights for the non-technical audiences. 
• Scope, tender and manage externally commissioned research partnerships with universities, agencies and independent institutes and identify research growth opportunities. 
• Act as a credible ambassador, presenter and advisor across diverse stakeholder groups and manage stakeholder relationships.
• Mentor and line manage junior researchers, fostering a research environment rooted in integrity, excellence, collaboration and safety.
• Exercise professional resilience and ethical rigour when navigating complex, challenging, and often distressing subject matter related to animal harm.

We are looking for a collaborative and experienced research professional with a passion for delivering evidence to help positive social change for animals and people. To succeed within this highly rewarding role, it is essential that you have: 

• A strong background in social science research, combining qualitative and quantitative methodological excellence (with advanced capability in one or both and training in data analysis packages), with a passion for delivering applied, real-world research impact and evaluations. 
• Strong leadership and mentoring experience in a research-intensive environment. 
• Proven experience of turning high-level strategic aims into structured, deliverable  research projects, ideally addressing complex social or policy issues.
• A PhD in the Social Sciences (ideally Criminology, Sociology, Psychology, or a related discipline) OR equivalent high-level experience leading research programmes within a recognised research institute or think tank.
• Excellent written and oral communication and critical thinking skills, with a proven ability to translate complex and sensitive data into persuasive narratives for non-technical audiences.
• High emotional intelligence with the ability to build trust, convene cross-sector working groups, and navigate multi-partner governance, including externally commissioned research partners.

We offer excellent benefits, training and career development opportunities along with the opportunity to work with a growing team on impactful research, so if this sounds like the ideal next step in your career, we would love to hear from you! 

Successful candidates for certain RSPCA roles will need to undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK as we are unable to sponsor visas.

The recruitment process will include a 2 stage interview process, with first stage interviews taking place remotely on the 10th and the 11th of December and the second stage taking place in person, the following week.

We want to ensure we do all we can to give you a positive candidate experience through our recruitment. Whilst we do try to give feedback where we can, sometimes due to receiving high levels of applications, this may not always be possible

Our vision is a world where all animals are respected and treated with kindness and compassion. Our purpose is to inspire everyone to create a better world for animals. We are building the future of a diverse Society, and our priority is to support animal welfare by finding people from all backgrounds who are committed  to our purpose.  For this reason we actively encourage a wide diversity of applications - in particular from members of minority ethnic groups, and people with disabilities - as these candidates are currently under-represented at the RSPCA. Your transferable skills & lived experiences could make you a valuable addition to our RSPCA Family! 

We're here to support you and encourage you to let us know if you need any adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. Please feel free to contact us at resourcingteam@rspca.org.uk or 0300 123 0685 so we can ensure the process works for you.