The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.

We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.

The Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures  is looking for someone with a passion for sustainability who can use their skills in investigative journalism, climate communications, fact checking and research to scale up our current GreenWatch activity (https://grantham.sheffield.ac.uk/category/green-watch/) 

GreenWatch is our project to identify, examine and where appropriate call out, greenwash claims made by organisations, about their products, services and operations.

The role will be to identify product claims and news stories that are in the current public consciousness and work with Grantham Centre colleagues, the wider University of Sheffield research community and where appropriate other institutions to examine the claims made. We need an excellent communicator who can translate complex concepts and research findings into accessible and impactful materials for a wide range of audiences and stakeholders.

You will be expected to work alongside work with the Grantham Centre Marketing and Communications Officer and colleagues from our communications and media teams to find routes to disseminate our GreenWatch reports to wider audiences.

About the Grantham Centre

Our Mission: The Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures conducts world class research on the intractable problems of our times, influencing, persuading and providing the evidence that policy and decision makers need to be able to act on those challenges, and in doing so trains the sustainability leaders of the future.

Our Vision: To develop solutions that will deliver a fair and sustainable future for all.

Our Values: 

We combine the following elements to ensure our work is bold, timely and necessary:

Pragmatism - We are evidence based and rooted in the need for systemic change, we have a healthy scepticism, but no cynicism. 

Optimism - Our research comes from a place of curiosity and enthusiasm, is solution based, aimed at delivering hopeful, practical answers, not restating the problems.

Activism - We campaign for a sustainable future for all, we actively call out that which we see as working against that aim.

Co-Production - We actively work across the institution, and with external individuals and  organisations.

Main duties and responsibilities

• You will draw on your experience in and/ or knowledge of sustainability, the climate and ecological crises, to identify claims being made by politicians and their parties, local, regional and national governments, corporations and other organisations which appear to be “Green Wash”.
• You will similarly identify claims which appear to be scare stories based on poor understanding, misrepresentation or miscommunication of the science. 
• Through developing networks within and outside of the University of Sheffield’s research community you will identify academics and researchers who can offer insight into the validity of the claims being made.
• You will use your excellent written and verbal communication skills to translate, synthesise and amplify research to create compelling and accessible content around the claims. 
• You will work alongside the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures team and academic cohort to produce policy briefings, reports and blogs to support the dissemination of these findings.
• You will work alongside the University of Sheffield communications, press and media teams to amplify the GreenWatch project outputs.
• You will work alongside other key staff to develop the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Future’s position as a voice of truth and a trusted partner for any organisation that wishes to check the claims it is making. 
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification (aim for 8-10 criteria - max 12)

Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable knowledge of a range of sustainability policy issues and experience of applying this expertise in a variety of contexts, including the production of written articles, social media, video, audio. – Application/Interview
• Experience of, or relevant expertise in, policy analysis, fact checking, investigative research and strategic development. - Application/Interview
• Evidence of excellent communication, analytical, verbal and written skills, with the ability to translate and synthesise academic research for non-academic audiences. – Application/Test
• Knowledge or experience of working with the press – Application/Interview
• Ability to work independently and part of a team. - Interview
• Knowledge or experience of information gathering methods, such as freedom of information requests – Application/Interview

Desirable criteria

• Experience of facilitation, leading workshops and/ or collaborative meetings. – Application/Interview
• Experience of bringing individuals and groups together to develop concepts and cross-disciplinary projects, especially those involving external partners - Application/Interview
• Evidence of strong interpersonal skills including diplomacy and influencing skills - Application/Interview

Further Information

Grade: 7

Salary:

Work arrangement: Full-time

Duration: 6 months

Line manager: Senior Research Fellow, GCSF

Direct reports: None

Our website: https://grantham.sheffield.ac.uk/

For informal enquiries about this job contact
Richard Sulley - Senior Research Fellow in Sustainability Policy: richard.sulley@sheffield.ac.uk

Next steps in the recruitment process

It is anticipated that the selection process will take place on week commencing 21 March 2025. This will consist of interview and test. We plan to let candidates know if they have progressed to the selection stage on the week commencing 14 March 2025. If you need any support, equipment or adjustments to enable you to participate in any element of the recruitment process you can contact hicks-hr@sheffield.ac.uk

Our vision and strategic plan

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).
 

What we offer

• A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
• A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills.
• A range of generous family-friendly policies
  • paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
  • support for those going through the menopause
  • paid time off and support for fertility treatment
  • and more

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.

We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.