Job Vacancy @ Christian Aid – Research Funding Manager

About us

Christian Aid exists to create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. We are a global movement of people, churches and local organisations who passionately champion dignity, equality and justice worldwide. We are the changemakers, the peacemakers, the mighty of heart.

In 2016 we set up a Centre for Excellence in Research, Evidence and Learning (REL). Following a recent organisational restructure, the REL hub now sits in the Programme Policy, Research and Learning team (PPRL), one of three teams that make up Christian Aid's Policy, Public Affairs and Campaign Department. PPRL exists to generate and provide thought leadership to the organisation; offer research and sector-based expertise to support practice across our global programmes, and to enhance the links between national programme delivery and learning; and global policy analysis and understanding.

REL exists to enable and strengthen the generation and use of research, evidence and learning in Christian Aid that is informed and led by those living in poverty. It also works to centralise their voices in our programmes, policies and practices, and in the development sector to bring about social, systemic and individual transformation for people living in poverty. It seeks to achieve this by:

• Opening up spaces for research, evidencing and learning collaborations in the global South
• Producing, promoting and supporting high-quality ethical research and evidencing gathering on poverty that is aligned with Christian Aid's strategy 'Standing Together')
• Guiding processes of evidence use and learning in Christian Aid
• Strengthening technical knowledge of research, evidence, impact and engagement
• Evidence-based influencing and learning from wider debates in the northern and southern academic and development sector around how we understand and conceptualise poverty and development.

About the role

The role is designed to grow Christian Aid’s research funding portfolio and to strengthen Christian Aid’s understanding of, and relationship with the diverse range of organisations that fund applied research, including research councils, bilateral/multilateral institutions, trusts/foundations and philanthropists. The role will provide expert research funding advice and hands-on bid development with colleagues across Christian Aid, as well as developing a research funding strategy and relationships to support the organisation to better access funding for supporting our applied research and evidence portfolio.

As a practice-based organisation much of our research happens in partnership, with academics based in universities and research institutes in the global north and global south. Part of the remit of this role is to explore how best to position ourselves to support further research funding, for example should we be seeking to gain eligibility as an independent research organisation; or are we better placed to pursue our research agenda through partnerships with other types of research organisation?

Although the role sits within the REL function, it has a strong link to our Programme Funding Division and will benefit from being part of a wider network of fundraisers working to support Christian Aid globally. You will work alongside experts who are based globally to develop complex programme proposals and interpret the requirements of institutional funders and you will integrate with existing systems to ensure Christian Aid is able to deliver high quality research proposals. The post-holder will also work alongside the other REL advisors to support staff across the organisation (especially, country programme staff and programme policy advisors,) in developing and co-designing research bids. The role will include a mix of longer term strategy development and immediate operational support to specific research projects.

In summary, the role encompasses three key objectives:

1. To strengthen CA’s capacity to access research funding that is aligned with Christian Aid’s Institutional Funding Strategy and the research and learning framework. This includes identifying strategic funding opportunities and building relationships with research funders.
2. To build Christian Aid’s research portfolio. This includes developing, managing and submitting high quality bids, and developing appropriate tools, systems and processes to support research funding.
3. To build research partnerships (particularly in the global South) and support the submission and management of bids.

All REL team members are committed to reflective practice and are encouraged to capture reflections from experience of strengthening research and evidence processes within Christian Aid, to contribute to organisational learning and promote good practice in practitioner research both within Christian Aid and the broader sector.

About you

You will have excellent understanding of applied research, understanding the research design process and how to develop good quality research proposals; and to ensure that appropriate processes are put in place to manage funding received. You will have had experience of raising research funding from UK based research councils, but you will also understand how to raise funds from other non-academic sources (such as trusts and foundations). You will have a high level of numeracy and understanding of research costing and financial reporting.

You will enjoy working in a practice setting and developing a research funding strategy that responds to the needs and interests of programme and policy/ advocacy colleagues. You will enjoy the balance between longer term strategy development, and direct operations, including being able to respond quickly and effectively to short-turn around funding calls. You will be equally comfortable engaging with academics and practitioners (development and humanitarian), and you will have had experience of working with colleagues across the globe. As such you will be confident in team leadership and cross-departmental and team working in a largely online setting. You will also be confident leading and facilitating online meetings.

You will be able to produce your own funding proposals, as well as also support others in developing their own outputs and in managing co-designed processes. As such, you will have excellent project management skills with an ability to work in a systematic and organised manner. You will be good at managing your own workload and competing priorities. You will also have a deep commitment to strengthening the quality of evidence and impact in an INGO and you will understand the role of culture and context in research, evidence and learning and be aligned with REL's commitment to epistemic justice.

Equally important will be your interpersonal skills, your ability to build strong relationships and work across different departments, and help colleagues to reflect and learn, make sharper decisions and achieve better results. You will have a good appreciation of the diversity of cultures, workstyles and perspectives that exist.

Further information

This role requires applicants to have the right to work in the country where this position is based.

At Christian Aid we strive to be an inclusive and diverse employer and recognise the value that this brings in helping to build strong, creative and high performing teams.

We are actively encouraging racialised minorities, people with disabilities, returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people with caring responsibilities, people from low socioeconomic backgrounds, women, and older workers to apply. This is because these groups are under-represented within our teams, especially at senior level, and we recognise and value the contributions members of these groups make to strong, creative and high performing teams. To discuss this role in greater detail, please contact [email protected]

We have a strong Christian ethos and we encourage applications from all faiths and none (with the exception of Director positions where there is a genuine occupational requirement to be a practicing Christian - Exempted under the Equality Act 2010).

Christian Aid is committed to providing a safe and trusted environment for every person connected to the work we do; and to preventing any type of unwanted behaviour including sexual harassment and exploitation, abuse, and financial misconduct. Any candidate offered a job with Christian Aid is expected to share and demonstrate our values and adhere to Christian Aid’s Safeguarding policy and sign Christian Aid’s Code of Conduct.

You can expect a wide range of rewards and benefits, including a generous holiday allowance and flexibility that will ensure you enjoy a good work/lifebalance.