Description

The Royal Institute of International Affairs is an independent policy institute based in London. Our mission is to help build a secure, sustainable, prosperous, and just world through improvement in international relations.

This is a time of rapid and consequential change in international security. Inter-state war has returned to prominence alongside unprecedented technological changes that are reshaping military power and homeland resilience. Defence budgets are rising, and there is renewed emphasis on deterrence, both conventional and nuclear, to preclude further wars.

International security is multi-faceted. There are acute security challenges below the threshold of conventional war, which involve grey zone, cyber and hybrid threats towards states and societies. Above the threshold of conventional war, nuclear weapons arsenals are being modernised and, in some cases, expanded. The incentives for nuclear proliferation are increasing; the calculations around the strategic utility of ballistic missiles and defences against them are changing. Approaches to conflict management and conflict resolution must adapt to these realities and to the broader geopolitical shifts taking place in world affairs.

Chatham House’s International Security Programme, a central part of our Centre for Global Governance and Security, is at the forefront of making sense of the changing international security landscape and of shaping the policy agenda. The role of Programme Director is to lead Chatham House’s work on international security, defence and strategy.

We seek an established thinker and leader to build on the institute’s powerful reputation and expertise in this area, to increase our influence and impact on the decisions that governments, companies and societies make on these fronts. This is an outstanding opportunity for an authoritative, imaginative policy expert to join us and lead one of our highest profile streams of work, helping shape these decisions.

We are an equal opportunity employer; we value diversity and do not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics. We encourage applications from all backgrounds. If there is anything we can do to improve your experience or support you, please get in touch at HR@Chathamhouse.org.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy

• Work with the Director and Research Director of Chatham House’s Global Governance and Security Centre to design the strategy of the International Security Programme, focusing on thematic and geographic approaches to defence and security challenges.
• Develop a balanced work programme covering a wide spectrum of contemporary conflict, security and defence modernization challenges,always seeing the bigger picture.
• Design a plan for research, publications and convening which advances our goals.
• Coordinate with the other programmes in the Governance and Security Centre (international law, global health, and digital society) and with our country, regional, environmental and economic programmes to enhance impact.
• Build and deliver a fundraising strategy for the work, driving unrestricted funding where possible.
• Take responsibility for the profitability of the work after overheads, raising revenue for it and controlling costs.
• Act as an ambassador to elevate Chatham House’s profile.
• Advance our EDI strategy.

Delivery

• Lead the design and delivery of new projects in this area and across Chatham House.
• Be accountable to the Director, relevant Research Director and project funders for quality control of convening and all research output.
• Achieve impact using Chatham House’s networks and your own, having in mind the most valuable audience for the work whether public or private.
• Raise Chatham House’s profile with policymakers, policy experts and the media.
• Take prime responsibility for fundraising and for cost control to ensure the work is in profit.
• Collaborate closely with Chatham House’s central fundraising teams to support Chatham House’s overall financial security.

People

• Lead staff in line with our mission, setting an example of what ‘good looks like’.
• Influence a positive working culture for colleagues, ensuring Chatham House standards of behaviour are shared and followed.
• Inspire new ways of working, drive efficiencies and generate new ideas across the House.
• Drive collaboration between research programmes and non-research departments, delivering a ‘One Chatham House Approach’ to all work.

Personal Specification

Skills and Experience

• Extensive experience covering inter-state warfare, defence adaptation and strategy, with the openness and enthusiasm to work with Chatham House’s existing subject matter experts who specialize in other areas of International Security.
• Conversant in other sub-disciplines of international security including hybrid and cyber warfare, terrorism and insurgency, and extending to conventional/nuclear deterrence and arms control.
• Flexibility of mind to think globally and beyond specific security or conflict scenarios. An enthusiasm for actively tracing the linkages between different geographies and actors.
• An established public profile and a record of delivering high quality publications and activities.
• Substantial experience in senior management, developing and motivating teams.
• A strong network of policy and funding contacts with a track record of successful fundraising.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to convey complex ideas and messages clearly and concisely in English.
• Understanding of practices relating to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), and a commitment to implementing this.

Benefits 

Benefits include approximately 37 days annual leave (including public holidays and Chatham House closure days), pension salary exchange, employee assistance programme, parental leave, flexible working and other benefits designed to suit your lifestyle. All of this, in a professional, engaging and intellectually stimulating environment.

Salary: Competitive salary. 

Contract: Full-time, Permanent.

Location: St James's Square, London. Chatham House operates a hybrid working environment with team members expected to attend our stunning building typically three days a week. However, please note this role may require higher levels of in person attendance, travel within the UK and beyond and attendance of events and meetings out of hours.

Closing Date: Sunday 21 September 2025, 23:59 BST. 

Please avoid using AI for your application. We want to hear from you! We can tell the difference between a genuine answer and an AI-generated one. Using AI will run the risk of your application being disqualified.