International Institute for Environment and Development
Job Description
Human Settlements Group
Job title:
Researcher: Cities and Climate Change
Responsible to: Researcher, Human Settlements Group [Diane Archer]
Main contacts: Colleagues in the Cities and Climate Change Team and the Human
Settlements Group, IIED Communications team, partners in Asian
Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN), Urban
Humanitarian Crises steering group.
Main purpose: To contribute to the delivery of high quality work on urban
humanitarian response and climate change resilience.
Contract:
Full time 35 hours per week, fixed term for nine (9) months with
possibility of extension, subject to funding.
Salary:
Grade 5 plus benefits depending on experience. For exceptional
candidates, a Grade 4 post will be considered
Location:
Central London, UK.
Background to the post
The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is a policy research
organisation that provides expertise and leadership in researching and achieving
sustainable development at local, national, regional and global levels. In alliance with
others, we are helping to tackle the biggest issues of our times - from climate change
and cities to the pressures on natural resources and the forces shaping global markets.
With 116 members of staff working with associates and partners around the world,
IIED has been at the forefront of policy-making in sustainable development for over 40
years.
The Human Settlements Group works with local researchers, activists and
practitioners to deliver research and capacity strengthening on environment and
development in urban areas and on rural-urban linkages. We aim to demonstrate how
urbanisation can be socially inclusive, healthy and environmentally beneficial and can
contribute to addressing the challenges of climate change and food security, and to
show the value that organized groups of low-income urban residents can bring to this.
We help to ensure that the views and priorities of urban poor organisations are
represented in global discussions and decisions on addressing poverty and
environment, including the post-2015 sustainable development agenda, Habitat III,
and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. For more information on the
Group and its work, see: http://www.iied.org/group/human-settlements.
The Cities and Climate Change team works with local organizations, municipal
governments, and research institutions in Africa, Asia and Latin America to strengthen
understanding of the factors contributing to climate change vulnerability, and to build
more effective adaptation and resilience strategies that build the capacities of lowincome and other vulnerable groups. Staff from the team have made significant
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contributions to major international reports including the UN Habitat Global Report on
Human Settlements on Cities and Climate Change (2011) and the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth and Fifth Assessment Reports (2007 and
2014).
The Human Settlements Group is made up the following staff:
1. Diane Archer (Researcher)
2. Hannah Bywaters (Coordinator)
3. Paolo Cravero (Researcher, joint appointment with Sustainable Markets
Group)
4. David Dodman (Acting Group Head)
5. Gordon McGranahan (Principal Researcher)
6. Diana Mitlin (Principal Researcher, part-time appointment with University of
Manchester)
7. Stephanie Ray (Coordinator)
8. David Satterthwaite (Senior Fellow)
9. Cecilia Tacoli (Principal Researcher)
10. Anna Walnycki (Researcher)
Key responsibilities
Working with colleagues in the cities and climate change team (part of the Human
Settlements Group), the postholder will play a central role in supporting work on urban
humanitarian crises and urban climate change resilience.
Specific tasks are likely to include:
1. Research and communications
 Reviewing and contributing to research reports, briefings, and working papers
produced as part of programmes of work on Urban Humanitarian Crises and
Urban Climate Change Resilience. This includes liaising directly with external
researchers.
 Editing and collating papers for the purpose of publication in books and/or journal
special issues.
 Organizing meetings and workshops (in the UK and internationally) to contribute
to these themes of work.
 Engaging with communications staff in IIED and externally to extend the influence
and impact of events and publications.
2. General and administrative
 Contributing to Group and Institute wide fundraising proposals.
 Participating in Group, cross-cutting and Institute activities and processes as
required.
 Participating in relevant networks, networking processes and communities of
practice.
 Managing personal administrative tasks related to own work.
The job description defines the level of responsibility and area(s) of involvement of
the post; the details of the duties may change over time and do not form part of the
contract between IIED and the post holder.
Person specification
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Essential requirements
 A postgraduate degree in a discipline related to environment and
development, and with an explicit focus on urban issues.
 Good knowledge of either humanitarian or climate change issues in an urban
context.
 Relevant experience of research work in urban areas in low- and middleincome countries, including research undertaken collaboratively with local
partners.
 Experience of working with or publishing in edited academic books and
journals.
 Experience of organising workshops, seminars, or similar events.
 Fluent oral and written English and proven ability to convey complex
messages in a clear, concise and effective manner, both orally and in writing,
to a variety of audiences.
 Ability to work collaboratively, seeking involvement by others to deliver quality
work and taking responsibility for team delivery where appropriate
 Interpersonal skills developed through interacting with a variety of people
from different backgrounds and cultures.
 Organisational skills and ability to manage own workload, thinking ahead over
a period of months to anticipate issues and opportunities and delivering to
tight deadlines.
 Ability to manage multiple work streams simultaneously, whilst prioritising
according to deadlines, without close supervision.
 Willingness to travel – predominantly overseas – according to project
commitments.
Desirable
 Experience of working with citizen/civil society groups, preferably in an urban
setting.
 Experience of working in or with research institutions in low- and middle-income
countries.
 Good working knowledge of a second language of wide relevance to IIED’s
work, such as French, Spanish or another major international language
Behavioural Competencies
Competency
Communicating with
impact
Delivering excellence
Developing others
Empathy
Level
3/2
Flexible thinking
3/2
Information seeking
Initiative
3/2
3/2
Integrity and commitment
3/2
Leading others
3
2
3
3/2
Short description
Prepare and use a logical approach
Calculate impacts of actions or words
Improve performance
Provide practical support
Recognise and understand emotions
Consider reasons for behaviour
Adapt own thinking
Understand complexities and tailor responses
Investigate and dig deeper
Act rapidly
Look ahead
Act consistently with values
Ditto when difficult to do so
Create the right team conditions
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Competency
Understanding contexts
Level
3/2
Working collaboratively
3/2
Short description
Understand formal and informal structures
Understand climate and culture
Positive attitude towards collaboration
Seek others’ involvement
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