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Summary

Reports to: Deputy Director-General

Department: Military Sciences

Salary range: £77,000 - £91,000 per annum depending on skills and experience.

Location: 61 Whitehall, London (hybrid)

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

About RUSI

The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) is the worlds oldest and the UKs leading defence and security think tank. Its mission is to inform, influence and enhance public debate on a safer and more stable world. RUSI is a research-led institute, producing independent, practical, and innovative analysis to address todays complex challenges.

RUSIs research is organised into nine teams, including Cyber Security, Defence Industry and Society, Financial Crime and Security, International Security, Nuclear Policy, Open Sources Intelligence, Organised Crime and Policing, and Terrorism and Conflict. Military Sciences is one of these teams.

The team has an annual net income of some £1m, generated from a range of governmental sources, companies, and research foundations. In addition to the Director, the programme includes eight research staff and two support staff. The team draws on support from RUSIs central events, publications, communications and finance staff. It also works closely with other research groups in RUSI.

The team seeks to inform and influence policy and doctrine based on evidence-based research on defence and military matters. We draw on resident expertise in the air, land, maritime, cyber and space domains and an unrivalled network of connections, from close allies to conflict zones, all of which provide contemporary lessons. This enables us to combine our research with practical experience and contextual awareness.

About the role

The overarching role of the person appointed will be to provide leadership for RUSIs work on military sciences. As part of this, the job holder will have three key responsibilities. First, the Director will maintain and deepen the teams reputation for high quality and independent research, including through identifying key areas for cutting-edge research and opportunities for potential policy impact, and providing rigorous quality control of all outputs. Second, the new Director will have lead responsibility for maintaining and growing the level of financial support for the programme, promoting its work and managing relationships with sponsors in both the public and private sectors. Third, the Director will manage and mentor our team of in-house researchers, as well as the wider network of associates, and will represent Military Sciences at Management Group level within RUSI. In each of these roles, the Director will work closely with other RUSI groups, developing and delivering a range of research-related activities.

The successful candidate will be expected to provide intellectual leadership for the team, and help to showcase their work. There is no single RUSI or Military Sciences line on contemporary defence and security issues. Instead, the Director has a key role in ensuring high standards of evidence-based commentary and research on the most important defence and military issues of the day. The Director would be expected to make their own contribution to thought leadership, primarily through oral and written commentary, including in the media. There will be opportunities for the Director to lead their own research, although this is not primarily a research position.

Key tasks

The new Director will be responsible for:

• Management of the Mil Sci team, including line management, and management of the team budget;
• Working closely with other RUSI teams to develop and deliver new research programmes;
• Overseeing the delivery of research projects for the Military Sciences programme;
• Relationship management with sponsor organisations at senior levels;
• Relationships with key military stakeholders in the UK and abroad;
• Delivering events and activities related to the teams work within assigned budgets;
• Media relations, supporting and deepening RUSIs reputation;
• Overall leadership for Mil Sci digital outputs (this may include hosting a podcast or webinar series).

The above list of duties is indicative and not exhaustive. The post holder will be required to undertake such duties that may reasonably be expected within the scope and grade of the role.

Person Specification

Essential skills and experience:

• An ability to demonstrate a high level of intellectual curiosity, together with a strong commitment to diversity of thought and rigorous evidence-based research;
• Prior experience of fundraising success, programme management and/or budget ownership;
• A demonstrated ability to write and speak fluently, often concisely and to short deadlines, on contemporary defence issues;
• Extensive experience of working with the UK armed forces, together with an ability to communicate with the military community across rank, cultural and service backgrounds;
• Excellent team-working and interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to provide inspirational leadership for a highly-motivated team of Mil Sci staff.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Professional experience within the Military and/or private and/or governmental sectors;
• An established track record of relevant academic qualifications and publications;
• Pre-existing network of relationships in senior military, civil servant, industrial, and political circles;
• Experience of public speaking;
• Current or elapsed UK/US Security Clearance or NATO Clearance or Developed Vetting holder

Our expectations

We expect all staff to abide by and promote our RUSIs Vision and Values https://rusi.org/content/values and Equal Opportunities Statement

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave (rising with service)
• Additional days off during Christmas - RUSI Christmas closure days
• Generous pension contributions at 6% employer contribution,
• Access to 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
• Season ticket loan
• Free access to RUSI's world leading programme of events and conferences, research materials and library
• Trained Mental Health First Aiders
• Enhanced sick pay
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

• Depending on length of service

Application Process

Use the Apply button to submit:

• your cv
• and cover letter (no more than one page), explaining why you wish to be considered for this role.

You should submit an application by midnight, Friday 31 July 2023. We plan to invite shortlisted candidates for in-person interview by late August.

Please DO NOT submit multiple applications for this vacancy. We no longer accept applications to our recruitment mailbox, applications received in our mailbox will not be processed.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the closing date brought forward if needed. Early application is encouraged. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Equal Opportunity and Values

At RUSI you will be appreciated and valued. Our stakeholders, transactions, and projects are international and diverse, so we work hard to create inclusive teams that support our efforts and each other. We are committed in promoting equality and diversity in our workforce and make it as diverse as the communities we serve. Our recruitment data helps us monitor the effectiveness of our recruitment practices in order that we can continue to improve on creating a more diverse workforce.

Were aware that the questionnaire may not capture the rich complexities of our backgrounds and identities, so we apologise if these are not best described. Please note that this data will be kept confidential and separated from your job application. If you are uncomfortable sharing, choose "Prefer not to say" or skip the questions entirely.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected]