Senior International Funding and Operations Lead

The British Academy – the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences – is seeking a Senior International Funding and Operations Lead to join our International Team. You will coordinate and lead the International Team’s financial responsibilities, managing, analysing and advising on the financials of the Team’s portfolio of funding schemes, modelling and profiling potential future funding programmes, and ensuring that financial returns to funders, including Government, are submitted accurately and on time.

The role

The British Academy’s International Team promotes and supports international collaboration and mobility, develops and maintains links with sister academies, international organisations and other partners overseas, and leverages the expertise of Fellows and award holders to further the Academy’s reach, impact and influence internationally.

The current work programme includes a broad portfolio of topics, such as Europe’s Futures; Conflict, Stability & Security; Justice, Rights & Equality; Urban Futures; and Knowledge Frontiers.

The Academy’s international programmes are multi-year endeavours which entail a wide array of activities: from providing research funding to talented individuals in the UK and overseas to informing international policy and public debates to using the Academy’s convening power to showcase the value of international and interdisciplinary collaborations for addressing today’s global challenges and ensuring that the UK maintains its place as a world leader in the social sciences and humanities.

The International Team is a friendly, engaging team, part of the Academy’s wider Research Directorate, which comprises the International Team, Early Careers Researcher Network and Research Funding teams.

The Senior International Funding and Operations Lead will be part of the International Team. Reporting to the Head of International, the core duties of the Senior International Funding and Operations Lead will involve overseeing all financial transactions on the portfolio of funding schemes managed by members of the team, monitoring and remodelling the operational budget to support the delivery of the Academy’s funding portfolio, and advising the Head of International and the Directors of Research and Resources on financial performance. You will be an effective communicator, able to collaborate with both external and internal stakeholders, and will have a high level of numeracy and literacy.

For further information about the International activities of the British Academy, see https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/international.

About the Academy

The British Academy is the UK’s national body for the humanities and social sciences, established by Royal Charter in 1902. We mobilise these disciplines to understand the world and shape a brighter future. Today’s complex challenges can only be resolved by deepening our insight into people, culture, and societies. With a Fellowship of around 1,400 leading national and international academics, the Academy invests in researchers and projects across the UK and overseas, engages the public with fresh thinking and debates; and brings together scholars, government, business, and civil society to influence policy,

The Academy currently has five directorates: Communications & Marketing, Development, Policy, Research, and Resources, plus a small Governance & Fellowship Team. We have increased staffing in the last 12 months and expect to continue to grow this year.

Working at the Academy

Our senior management team has worked with staff to foster a culture of collaboration, respect, and empathy, in which all contributions are recognised as we work towards our common goals. Our people strategy and working practices focus on building strengths and sharing insights, with learning and development, wellbeing, and equality, diversity and inclusion at the centre of how we operate as an organisation. Investing in our staff and encouraging a healthy work/life balance is central to our success as we move forward and continue to grow.

Terms and conditions

The British Academy is based at 10–11, Carlton House Terrace, London SW1, a Grade 1 listed building. We offer a competitive benefits package, including a 35-hour working week, with hours and location worked flexibly under our hybrid-working policy; 34 days’ annual leave plus Bank Holidays; a subsidised canteen and an excellent occupational pension.

How to apply

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds in line with our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive working environment, promoting equal opportunity, and addressing under-representation. We will make reasonable adjustments to support disabled job applicants and offer an interview to those meeting the minimum selection criteria.

To apply and to see the full job description and our workplace values, please follow the link to access the Applied recruitment platform. Please contact the HR team at hrteam@thebritishacademy.ac.uk if you have any questions. 

Closing date: Noon on 25 January 2024.