|
Careers
Recruitment home
Head of Research
Type of contract: Permanent
Location: United Kingdom
Salary: The starting salary is £59,983 per annum with the possibility of up to £65,124 based on an assessment of skills and experience at the interview stage
Closing date: Wednesday 5th March 2025
Interview dates: Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th March 2025
Are you a passionate and experienced research leader committed to driving evidence-based change for animal welfare in food systems and tourism? Do you thrive in a global, mission-driven environment where research informs advocacy, policy, and systemic change to address the twin biodiversity and climate crises?
At World Animal Protection, we are on a mission to end animal suffering through human exploitation and create a world where animals live free from cruelty and commodification . As Head of Research, you will play a pivotal role in leading and coordinating our strategic research across wildlife and farming, ensuring a strong scientific foundation for our campaigns and advocacy efforts.
Reporting to the Director of Research & Animal Welfare, you will manage a team of Research Managers, providing leadership to develop high-quality, impactful research that shapes global and national policies and supports transformative change for animals. You will engage with a wide range of stakeholders—including policymakers, civil society, media, corporate partners, and the scientific community—leveraging your expertise to influence and drive forward our ambitious goals.
If you have a strong background in research, data analysis, and evidence-led approaches within animal welfare, wildlife conservation, food systems or a related field, along with experience in senior-level networking and team leadership, we’d love to hear from you.
Join us and be part of a global movement dedicated to making a real difference for animals worldwide.
Who are we?
World Animal Protection is the global voice for animal welfare, with 75 years’ experience campaigning for a world where animals live free from cruelty and suffering.
We have offices in 14 countries and work across 47 countries. We collaborate with local communities, the private sector, civil society and governments to change animals’ lives for the better.
Our goal is to change the way the world works to end animal cruelty and suffering for both wild and farmed animals. Through our global food system strategy, we’re working toend factory farming and create a humane and sustainable food system, that puts animals first. By transforming the broken systems that fuel exploitation and commodification, we will give wild animals the right to a wild life. Our work to protect animals will play a vital role in solving the climate emergency, the public health crisis, and the devastation of natural habitats.
What can we offer you?
We are offering a competitive salary and benefits including.
• Help saving for your retirement - join our pension scheme and we’ll match contributions up to 6%
• 24 days’ holiday per year when you join.
• Opportunity to flex public holidays to an alternate day that better suits an employee and their beliefs.
• Additional 3 days to be taken at the end of the calendar year.
• 2 global Wellbeing midyear closure days
• Flexibility – the opportunity to choose start times that align with both business needs and your work-life balance, ensuring the right fit for both the job holder and the role requirements
• Life Assurance - all World Animal Protection employees receive Life Assurance. Under the Death in Service benefit scheme the employee will receive 3x annual salary to go to their nominated beneficiary.
• A range of 'Inclusivity Benefits': providing various types of leave to support belonging and inclusion at work and to assist our employees during critical moments. This includes leave for Bereavement, Carers, Disability, Menstrual/Menopause, Pregnancy Loss, Fertility Treatment, Gender Affirming Medical needs, Companion Animal Bereavement, and 'Pawternity' leave.
To achieve our aim of making World Animal Protection a Diverse and Inclusive employer, we particularly welcome applications from individuals of traditionally under-represented communities and backgrounds.
At World Animal Protection we recruit with our values & behaviours in mind. Please bear this in mind through your application journey. These are:
Global: We make decisions & act with a global mindset
Diverse and Inclusive: We actively encourage and promote diversity, ensure all voices are heard and included and are committed to equal opportunities for all
Collaborative: We work together and co-create to achieve lasting change
Agile: We make change happen in a fast-moving world
Growing People: We continually learn and develop
Accountable: We are role models. We take responsibility for our actions and encourage others to do the same
Courageous: We push boundaries, take risks and set ambitious targets
