Careers

We're hiring a Director to help lead the organisation to new heights. If you're unsure if you meet the criteria for this role, please err on the side of applying!

Role: Director

Application deadline: 2nd of June, 23:59 BST. Candidates will be considered on a rolling basis so early applications are encouraged. Apply here.
Contract: Permanent, working 37.5 hours/week (contingent on future fundraising)
Location: London or UK preferred, although fully remote or overseas applications will also be considered.
Salary: £48,000-£55,000/year dependent on experience

About Social Change Lab

Social Change Lab is a nonprofit conducting and disseminating social movement research to help solve the world’s most pressing problems. Historically, social movements conducting disruptive campaigns seem to have been crucial in driving significant political, social and economic change. Despite this, there has been little research systematically analysing the effectiveness of social movements and the strategies or tactics that most influence the success of these campaigns. Our research addresses this neglected knowledge gap and provides actionable advice to advocates and philanthropists working on a variety of globally important issues, with a focus on animal advocacy and climate change. We support activist groups in choosing effective campaigning strategies and tactics (e.g. via delivering trainings and workshops) as well as supporting funders with their philanthropic giving. Our work has been covered in respected outlets such as The Guardian, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Deutsche Welle, the New York Times, and more.

About the role

As the Director of Social Change Lab, you would have a high level of responsibility and high impact. You would lead our small team in delivering cutting-edge research on the outcomes and strategies of social movements and ensuring widespread communication of this work to key stakeholders. You would play a significant role in shaping our long-term strategy and the programs we want to deliver, such as research, capacity building, training or philanthropic advising.

The responsibilities of this role

Lead the organisation, and take ultimate responsibility for the outcomes and impact in pursuit of our mission.
Manage the day-to-day work of the organisation, including overseeing and coordinating various functions (e.g. research, communications, trainings and workshops, human resources, fundraising).
Lead Social Change Lab’s team, including line-managing and mentoring direct reports, developing talent, and taking ultimate responsibility for the performance, support and culture of the team.
Provide strategic leadership, including working with the team on strategic planning, prioritisation and evaluation of work, generating and deciding on new ideas and opportunities, and ensuring all staff are engaged in tasks that are aligned with the organisation’s goals.
Take ultimate responsibility for the financial health of the organisation by
- Fundraising, through applying for grants and liaising with major donors
- Devising and managing the delivery of budgets and financial plans
- Overseeing spending and making individual budgetary decisions when required
- Ensuring timely delivery of all required financial reports
Contributing to our various research projects, based on your skills and interest.

For example, a breakdown of your time might look like:

30% operational activities (fundraising, managing staff, financial management, HR, legal obligations such as financial reporting)
30% research or programmatic work (working on specific research projects, evaluating potential new research projects, designing non-research projects (e.g. organising funder events or running a training for an activist group) to achieve our mission)
20% communications (writing a monthly newsletter on our research, pitching our work to media outlets, conducting interviews, writing and delivering presentations)
20% building and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders (meeting with activist groups, funders interested in our work or other researchers conducting similar research)

However, the actual breakdown will depend on your strengths and interest, so the above allocation is only a guide.

About you

This role requires a diverse skill set, which would benefit from those who have some experience with social science research, leading teams or organisations (e.g. managing a team, fundraising, hiring, etc.) as well as familiarity with grassroots movements. However, we understand that this may not be easy to find and we encourage people to apply even if they do not meet all the criteria below.

Skill and experience profile*

At least 2 years experience leading teams within an organisation, or leading an organisation
At least 2 years experience in a research role, or supporting research (e.g. via communications or project management), whether that’s in academia, government, or a non-profit organisation.
A strategic mindset, including impact-focused prioritisation.
Leadership and management skills, including experience successfully leading a team or organisation to deliver high impact.
Excellent interpersonal skills, comfort and confidence with networking, and the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders.
Strong written and spoken communication skills, to express nuanced concepts in a clear, accessible way with a high degree of reasoning transparency. You must have strong public speaking skills and be able to represent the organisation with programmatic stakeholders, donors and to the media.
The ability to oversee the management of financial resources, including working independently (and with the Board of Trustees) to develop, track and report on budgets.
Good understanding of social science research methodologies, preferably both quantitative and qualitative.
A track record of “owning” projects and successfully delivering them.
Excellent English, both written and spoken.

*Don't worry if not everything applies perfectly - apply anyway! Here's some inspiration.

You are..

Passionate about social movements, social science research, campaigning, protest and social change.
Familiar with the animal advocacy and/or climate movements.
Effectiveness-oriented and a strong analytical thinker. You are constantly on the lookout for how you can make the greatest difference in the world with your time and energy.
Enthusiastic and self-motivated, with a strong work ethic.
Confident working independently without supervision (directing and executing your own projects) and as the leader of a small team.
An open-minded thinker, motivated by a ‘scout mindset’, who is ready to change their mind based on the evidence.
A creative problem-solver with the ability to break down and solve complex questions.
Well-organised, efficient, and can multitask effectively.
Friendly and kind. We want to be a place where people get a lot done and have a great time while doing so.

Bonus points for:

Experience within social movements.
Having personal networks with activist groups within animal advocacy or the climate movement.
Knowledge of effective altruism or experience working within effective altruism.

What we offer

A job with the potential for huge impact – potentially informing philanthropists and advocates on the best strategies to solve the world’s most pressing problems.
The ability to shape the direction and success of the organisation.
Experience leading an early-stage nonprofit start-up.
Flexible working schedule.
High level of intellectual challenge.
The ability to work within the Charity Entrepreneurship office in London.

Application process

Application form (1 hour)
Virtual interview 1 (30-45 minutes)
First written task (2-3 hours)
Virtual interview 2 (1 hour)
Paid work trial (1-3 days)

If you are unsure about applying because you think you may not have the right skills or experience, please err on the side of applying! We strongly encourage people from marginalised backgrounds such as women and people of colour to apply for this position.

If you have any questions about us or your application, please contact James at james@socialchangelab.org.