Appointment of the Director of the Finsbury Institute

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in The Finsbury Institute and the exciting opportunity to be our inaugural Director.

The creation of the Institute represents both our commitment to social sciences and a further embedding of our mission to be the university dedicated to business, practice and the professions.

In today’s world, where disinformation and polarization are rampant, the need for trusted, reliable information has never been greater. The Finsbury Institute aims to be a beacon of clarity and insight, serving as a cutting-edge think tank for contemporary challenges. This new, outward-facing hub for policy research and practice is designed to meet the dynamic research and professional development needs of both the City of London and the broader UK policy community.

We are seeking a dynamic Director to lead this groundbreaking Institute. The Director will shape an influential institution that unites practitioners, policymakers, campaigners, and other key organisations to tackle the most pressing local, national, and global policy issues of our time. This role is designed to foster external engagement and will operate outside of City’s traditional research structures, with a strong emphasis on entrepreneurial innovation.

This inaugural appointment is a unique opportunity to bridge theory and practice in a city renowned for its global influence. The first Director of the Finsbury Institute will play a pivotal role in shaping conversations and actions around some of the most critical questions of our time.

Professor Charles Lees
Executive Dean - School of Policy & Global Affairs

The Finsbury Institute

The Finsbury Institute is a new outward facing hub for policy research and practice, based in the School of Policy and Global Affairs, and located in the City of London in Finsbury Square.

The institute signifies a crucial step forward in City, University of London’s commitment to translating scholarly research into tangible solutions for real-world challenges.

Pioneering interdisciplinary research at the Finsbury Institute

The Finsbury Institute pioneers interdisciplinary research, addressing the multifaceted challenges of the global ‘Poly Crisis.’ By fostering collaboration across disciplines and institutions, we analyse the economic, sociological, political, and international dimensions of this complex challenge.

With a focus on originality and innovation, our institute serves as a hub for fostering dialogue, driving external engagement, and making a tangible impact on society.

A platform for collaboration and exploration

At the Finsbury Institute, we are committed to fostering collaboration and exploration among researchers, academics, and practitioners. Our dynamic forum serves as a space where ideas are exchanged, partnerships are formed, and critical issues are explored. Here’s how we do it:

  • Exchange ideas: The institute provides a platform for scholars and experts to present, discuss, and debate critical issues, fostering cross-pollination of knowledge and fresh perspectives.
  • Collaborate with external partners: We actively seek partnerships with external institutions such as think tanks, NGOs, and public bodies to bridge the gap between theory, empirical research and practical implementation.
  • Explore the knowledge-power dynamic: The institute interrogates the complex relationship between knowledge and power structures, we examine who produces knowledge, for whom, and with what motivations.

The principles of the Finsbury Institute

The Finsbury Institute embraces diverse perspectives, rigorous inquiry, and actionable collaboration to challenge conventional wisdom and drive transformative change in research and policy.

Broad church

All serious research-based and reasoned thinking and ideas are welcome at the Finsbury Institute. We prioritise theoretical, conceptual, methodological, and empirical rigour, as well as its practical applications. We encourage unconventional thinking and ideas for debate, discussion and development.

The Finsbury Institute is non-partisan and open to all serious thinkers and practitioners regardless of gender, ethnicity, race, colour, creed nationality, sexuality, or disability.

Combining knowledge and action

We are dedicated to exploring critical thinking about the knowledge and power nexus, debating theories of knowledge and practice. Our core mission is to question the relationship between knowledge and power, recognizing that knowledge is hardly neutral. Decolonising, declassing, and de-gendering knowledge and practice are fundamental concerns for us.

By deconstructing knowledge and practices and globalising knowledge and practice, we open up key issues, expand our intellectual and professional horizons, and gain access to other voices and viewpoints.

Collaboration

The Finsbury Institute aims to build collaborative original-research and policy-influence teams, supported by doctoral, postdoctoral, and visiting Finsbury Fellows, as well as Practitioners in Residence. This collaborative approach aligns with City, University of London’s 2022 Strategy and Action Plan, focusing on establishing a theoretically-informed and empirically rigorous research and practice-oriented think tank.

School of Policy & Global Affairs

The School of Policy & Global Affairs is a centre of world-class scholarship, education and public service, making a transformative impact on society.

Located in one of the world’s greatest financial and political centres, we engage with the key challenges and debates that are shaping policy formation in a rapidly changing world.

The School was formed in summer 2022, bringing together the Department of Economics, Department of International Politics, and the Department of Sociology and Criminology.

Our highly-rated courses in these subject areas equip students with the knowledge and skills to respond to the world’s most pressing policy challenges. With strong links to industry and policy organisations our graduates forge exciting careers in multinational businesses, consultancies, government departments and non-governmental organisations.

In an increasingly uncertain world facing profound geopolitical, environmental and socio-economic transformation, we provide policymakers, activists, business and commercial sectors with world-class research and insight to make sense of the changing global landscape.

Through our research centres and think tanks we are building our research intensity, delivering a significant improvement to the impact of our research. We have international expertise in academic areas including political economy, international relations, global finance, behavioural and health economics, class and gender, crime and justice, and violence and society.

City’s membership of the University of London federation helps develop research links between institutions, and foster a sense of community with staff and students from across member universities.

The role

Director of Finsbury Institute (AQ2699)

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Terms of appointment

The appointment as Director will be for an initial period of three years with the possibility of the role being made permanent on review of the success of the Institute.

The salary is on our Professorial band 2 and will be paid commensurate with the market, the seniority of the post and the calibre of the appointed candidate.

The role is offered on a 0.6, 0.8 or full time basis.

The appointee will qualify for membership of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) and a comprehensive relocation package is available where relevant.

City offers a variety of other benefits, including excellent staff development and career development opportunities; access to its student and staff fitness, study and social facilities; discounted courses; a season ticket loan scheme; and an excellent working environment.

The appointment will be made subject to satisfactory references.

City, University of London is committed to equal opportunities in all its activities and all posts at City are subject to reasonable adjustment under the Equality Act 2010.

How to apply

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to the University, an executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisement.

The closing date for applications is noon on Monday 29 July 2024.

Applications should consist of:

  • A full CV.
  • A covering letter (ideally of no more that two pages) outlining how you meet the qualifications and knowledge and experience criteria of the person specification.
  • Please include details of two referees in either your CV or covering letter, though please note that we will not approach your referees without your prior consent and only should you be shortlisted.

Should you wish to discuss further details about the role in strict confidence, please contact Aino Betts at aino.betts@andersonquigley.com, or +44(0) 7743 250 352 or Ed Pritchard at ed.pritchard@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7980 817 927.

Timetable

Longlisting Monday 19 August
Preliminary interviews with Anderson Quigley 21 August - 30 August
Shortlisting Tuesday 3 September
Final panel interviews Thursday 3 October