• Type of contract: Permanent
• Location: Australia (work from home with option to come into Sydney office)
• Salary: The starting salary is $159,390 AUD per annum with the possibility of up to $173,052 AUD based on an assessment of skills and experience at the interview stage
• Interview dates: Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th March 2025

Are you a passionate and experienced research leader committed to driving evidence-based change for animal welfare in food systems and tourism? Do you thrive in a global, mission-driven environment where research informs advocacy, policy, and systemic change to address the twin biodiversity and climate crises?

At World Animal Protection, we are on a mission to end animal suffering through human exploitation and create a world where animals live free from cruelty and commodification. As Head of Research, you will play a pivotal role in leading and coordinating our strategic research across wildlife and farming, ensuring a strong scientific foundation for our campaigns and advocacy efforts.

Reporting to the Director of Research & Animal Welfare, you will manage a team of Research Managers, providing leadership to develop high-quality, impactful research that shapes global and national policies and supports transformative change for animals. You will engage with a wide range of stakeholders—including policymakers, civil society, media, corporate partners, and the scientific community—leveraging your expertise to influence and drive forward our ambitious goals.

If you have a strong background in research, data analysis, and evidence-led approaches within animal welfare, wildlife conservation, food systems or a related field, along with experience in senior-level networking and team leadership, we’d love to hear from you.

Join us and be part of a global movement dedicated to making a real difference for animals worldwide.

Who are we?

World Animal Protection is the global voice for animal welfare, with 75 years’ experience campaigning for a world where animals live free from cruelty and suffering.

We have offices in 14 countries and work across 47 countries. We collaborate with local communities, the private sector, civil society and governments to change animals’ lives for the better.

Our goal is to change the way the world works to end animal cruelty and suffering for both wild and farmed animals. Through our global food system strategy, we’re working to end factory farming and create a humane and sustainable food system, that puts animals first. By transforming the broken systems that fuel exploitation and commodification, we will give wild animals the right to a wild life. Our work to protect animals will play a vital role in solving the climate emergency, the public health crisis, and the devastation of natural habitats.

What can we offer you?

We are offering a competitive salary and benefits including:

• Parental leave topped up to full pay
• Menstrual and Menopausal leave (12 days)
• End of year and mid-year gifted leave days
• One additional day of annual leave per year of service up to a maximum of five year
• Employees can work 30 days overseas in a 12-month period
• And a range of 'Inclusivity Benefits': providing various types of leave to support belonging and inclusion at work and to assist our employees during critical moments.
• This includes leave for Bereavement, Carers, Disability, Menstrual/Menopause, Pregnancy Loss, Fertility Treatment, Gender Affirming Medical needs, Companion Animal Bereavement, and 'Pawternity' leave.

To achieve our aim of making World Animal Protection a Diverse and Inclusive employer, we particularly welcome applications from individuals of traditionally under-represented communities and backgrounds.

At World Animal Protection we recruit with our values & behaviours in mind. Please bear this in mind through your application journey.

These are:

Global: We make decisions & act with a global mindset

Diverse and Inclusive: We actively encourage and promote diversity, ensure all voices are heard and included and are committed to equal opportunities for all

Collaborative: We work together and co-create to achieve lasting change

Agile: We make change happen in a fast-moving world

Growing People: We continually learn and develop

Accountable: We are role models. We take responsibility for our actions and encourage others to do the same

Courageous: We push boundaries, take risks and set ambitious targets

A position description is attached.