Programme Manager - Proliferation and Nuclear Policy

Department: Proliferation and Nuclear Policy

Salary range: £38,500 to £43,000 depending on experience

Location: London Office

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

About RUSI

The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), based in London, Brussels and Nairobi, is the UK’s leading independent think tank engaged in cutting edge research in defence and security. 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 today’s complex challenges.

About the team

The Proliferation and Nuclear Policy (PNP) team conducts research and convenes dialogue on a range of nuclear, chemical and biological weapon matters. The team has five main programmes of work:

• Understanding deterrence and risk in the new nuclear age
• Analysing efforts to curtail the spread of nuclear weapons and their means of delivery
• Strategic and security aspects of civil nuclear power
• Understanding chemical and biological weapon threats
• Building nuclear policy networks and encouraging learning

The team’s recent work has covered UK nuclear weapons programmes and policy, Iranian nuclear futures, North Korean WMD capabilities, Russian nuclear doctrine, nuclear safety and security during armed conflict, issues related to the resilience of civil nuclear supply chains, as well as a range of other subjects related to nuclear deterrence, arms control and proliferation. The team has a wider interest in other WMD issues – including chemical and biological weapons – and matters pertaining to developments in delivery systems and missile defence.

For the past twelve years, the PNP team have been the UK lead for the high‑level France‑UK‑US Trilateral Nuclear Dialogues. We are also one of the leads for the UK Nuclear Deterrence Network, in collaboration with King’s College London and the University of Leicester. Finally, we run the UK Project on Nuclear Issues, our flagship effort to develop emerging nuclear scholars and professionals, to connect them to one another and to more established voices in the field, and to provide them with a platform for their analysis.

The team’s expertise and advice are widely sought by governments, Parliament, civil society organisations and industry. Across all its programmes and lines of work, the team writes public and private analysis papers, briefs policymakers and parliamentarians, brings people together in high‑level discussions and next‑generation networks, and contributes to public debate. Our community of partners and our audiences include officials, experts, military personnel, industry, scientists and engineers, and many of our events are also open to the public. We cooperate closely with other RUSI teams, including Military Sciences, International Security and the Centre for Finance and Security (CFS).

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Proliferation and Nuclear Policy research group. The post holder will make a substantial contribution to the day‑to‑day running of the PNP team and will have the opportunity to support work across all PNP projects.

Key tasks

• Reporting to the Director of PNP, and in collaboration with research staff, the Programme Manager will work closely with the RUSI finance, bids and contracts, events, and communications teams, as well as other programme managers and project officers across the Institute.
• The post holder will help ensure that PNP’s outputs meet the team’s strategic goals, financial records are accurate, projects run effectively and efficiently, that deadlines are met, and documentation is completed accurately and on time.

Project management:

• Produce and maintain project documentation and comprehensive and accurate records such as timesheets and invoices; monitor and support risk, quality, and communication management approaches; harmonise multiple projects and optimise project management processes.

Budget management:

• Working with RUSI finance department, maintain accurate records of the financial performance of projects, and of the PNP team overall, and update yearly forecasts; lead on programme‑level financial reporting to funders.

Team coordination:

• Working with Director, maintain overview of team schedules for output deadlines and reporting.

Stakeholder management:

• Working with the Director, administer periodic grant reports; participate in meetings and calls with funders and other stakeholders.

Events management:

• Working with RUSI’s events team, organise events by communicating with speakers and participants, ensuring that all practicalities are arranged, producing and disseminating documentation and web copy.

The above list of duties is 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:

• Experience of project administration;
• Experience of budget management;
• Excellent administrative and organisational skills, including the ability to operate against challenging deadlines and to prioritise workloads;
• Experience of organising and supporting events;
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office products, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint;
• Teamworking skills, with a positive attitude towards supporting colleagues and working flexibly;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders and ability to present complex information and demonstrating strong literacy skills.

Desirable skills and experience:

• Advanced MS Office skills;
• An interest in politics and global affairs;
• Experience working on project and grant management in an academic or think tank context;
• Experience of working in the not‑for‑profit sector.

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 maternity and paternity leave

Equal Opportunity and Values

We expect all staff to abide by and promote our RUSI’s Vision and Values and Equal Opportunities Statement. 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 to 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.