Research Officer

Research Officer

Hybrid working (at least 2-3 days p/week office based)

£26,000 per year

Permanent, Full-time (35 hrs p/week)

Who we are

Peace Direct is an international charity with a big mission: to work with local people to stop violence and build sustainable peace in some of the world’s most conflict affected countries. More than that, we want to change the international system so that it better supports the role that local people and communities play in preventing violence and building and sustaining peace.

The Role

We are looking for a dynamic Research Officer to join our International Programmes and Research Team. This permanent position is based in our small, friendly London office and will primarily contribute to our work in the Stopping As Success (SAS) 2.0 project, and support our research and advocacy teams in operationalising the decolonisation agenda following the launch of our ‘Time to Decolonise Aid’ (May 2021) and ‘Race, Power and Peacebuilding’ (April 2022) reports. The role is varied, involves collaboration across teams and with several external partners, can be at times demanding and (we think!) highly rewarding.

The closing deadline for CV and cover letter is 6pm Thursday 7th July. Only shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete an application form.

First stage interviews will be held during the weeks commencing 11th and 18th July.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a second interview (which may be held in person at our London office).

The Benefits

Peace Direct works hard to ensure its staff have a good work-life balance and feel valued. Some of the benefits we have include:

• 25 days annual leave not including the office closing between Christmas and New Year, which counts as additional paid leave.
• Stakeholder Pension with Peace Direct contributing 6%
• An interest free season ticket loan for the purchase of a commuter season ticket
• Flexible working hours
• Friday afternoons off to support staff wellbeing
• Enhanced maternity and adoption leave pay (12 weeks full pay, 12 weeks half pay)
• Training budget available for all staff (we have secured ‘Investors in People’ accreditation and are committed to the development and support of all staff).
• A warm and friendly work environment!

The role may involve occasional overseas travel to Peace Direct partner countries (Covid restrictions permitting), sometimes to remote and challenging locations. You will have the chance to build on the strong relations we have developed with our current and potential partners, funders and other key stakeholders in the peacebuilding sector, identifying new opportunities and driving our mission forward, and navigating a rapidly changing environment.

About You:

To join us, you will need

• In-depth knowledge of social science research methods (qualitative and quantitative) in an international development context
• Strong analytical skills and experience in using research software
• Experience of reporting research outcomes and impact to different audiences
• Degree in a relevant subject
• Excellent writing and communication skills; strong project management skills
• Strong interpersonal and team working skills with the ability to relate to people from a broad range of backgrounds, culture and influence
• A passion for peacebuilding and a commitment to supporting local peacebuilders
• Ability to work in French, Spanish, Swahili, Arabic or other languages would be highly desirable
• Committed to equality and diversity in all aspects of Peace Direct’s activities

You will be part of a brilliant team of researchers and policy and advocacy colleagues in the UK, US and Europe. The right person will understand how to manage their time well, will be able to communicate effectively across different teams, and will thrive in a fast-paced and complex environment.

Finally, we are looking for someone with a genuine passion for our mission to support local efforts to build peace and is personally and professionally committed to racial equity and to shifting the power in the international aid system in favour of local organisations and communities.

Still interested? Take a look at the job description to see full details about the role and whether they match your skills and experience. This post is only open to those with the right to work in the UK.

Peace Direct strives to be a diverse and inclusive employer, with equality of opportunities regardless of personal identity, and we are committed to improving our systems and ways of working to support this, including creating a Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) working group, DEI strategy and recruitment guidelines. We strongly encourage individuals from disadvantaged and underrepresented backgrounds to apply, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME), LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and people with mental health challenges.

Peace Direct is committed to preventing and protecting all people from harm in their interactions with us. We expect all those that act in our name to uphold our approach to doing no harm and to sign up to our Safeguarding policy.