Sustainable Futures is currently recruiting two new Theme Leads: Equity and Nature.

As a Theme Lead, you will mobilise researchers from across the University – spanning different disciplines and career stages – to build strong interdisciplinary communities tackling urgent environmental challenges.

Sustainable Futures is a University of Manchester initiative that connects environmental expertise with wider societal agendas to develop integrated, sustainable solutions. Working with partners locally, nationally and globally, we harness world-class research to support interventions that secure a sustainable future for all. Our work focuses on building capacity and communities within the University, fostering interdisciplinary teams, and supporting the people and projects addressing today’s most complex environmental challenges.

Key responsibilities and activities:

• Providing strategic direction to the theme and understanding the breadth of activities at UoM within that area:
o Identifying specific research and innovation communities and critical masses within the theme, and any gaps in research and innovation expertise.
o Mapping the theme ecosystem: engaging relevant stakeholders (internally and externally) and identifying synergies and overlaps with other themes, with support from the SF team.

• Community building:
o Raising the external profile of the platform and theme area.
o Building on collaborations with the city-region and engaging with national initiatives.
o Building inclusive communities with researchers at all career stages and from diverse backgrounds, with a particular focus on ECRs.

• Reporting on recent activities to the Theme Leads meeting and the Management Board and coordinating the production of a short annual report on your community’s activity.

• Representing SF internally and externally at conference, meetings, workshops, events, etc.

• Providing support to specific SF initiatives to extend the overall capacity of the platform, including but not limited to:
o Capacity building and supporting interdisciplinary funding bids – engaging with stakeholders across industry, policy, local community partners and the third sector to develop partnerships and attract external funding.
o Peer-reviewing funding applications.
o Supporting and developing SF teaching and learning initiatives (e.g. SF Foundations course).

Time Allocation
The workload allocation for this leadership position is set at 0.2 FTE with the possibility for co-leadership sharing the FTE workload. Candidates are expected to discuss their application with their Departmental or Divisional Head, who should provide a simple statement of support via email, confirming their awareness of the job description and support for the application and associated time commitment.

This position has a fixed three-year term (reviewed annually). applicants must be a permanent member of academic staff or have a contract until August 2028 with at least three years of relevant experience to be considered for this position. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace; we encourage applications from early career academics and we are particularly keen to receive applications from underrepresented communities.

To be considered for this opportunity, please submit an expression of interest by 5pm on 19th October 2025 via this form. Successful applicants will be invited to interview. Interviews are expected to take place online on 5th November for the Nature theme and
6th November for the Equity theme. If you would like to discuss these roles in further detail, please contact
sustainablefutures@manchester.ac.uk.

Equity
The Equity theme is informing the search for sustainable futures for all. Through collaborative, co-productive and interdisciplinary research we envisage an equitable sustainable future that does not negatively impact particular segments of society. We aim to overcome intersecting inequalities (e.g. geography, gender, race, class, disability, education), many of which are exacerbated by environmental crisis, to ensure a socially just and inclusive sustainable future.

Thinking more globally, and working from the micro to macro scale, we seek to include the voices and experiences of individuals and communities through to large-scale global organisations and policymakers. In doing so, we will open up diverse critical debate on how sustainable endeavours can ensure inclusivity and prosperity for all, whilst avoiding unintended consequences.

Nature
The Nature Theme is driving the search for sustainable futures that safeguard both people and ecosystems. Through collaborative and interdisciplinary research, our work focuses on solutions to maintain and restore ecosystem functioning and integrity in ways that tackle the biodiversity crisis, support adaptation to climate change and preserve resilience of communities and society. 

Human pressures on land, water and resources – for food, energy, security and economic growth – are driving environmental degradation and climate change. At the University of Manchester, researchers and key institutes (Manchester Environmental Research Institute, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, Manchester Urban Institute, Global Development Institute, Sustainable Consumption Institute, Firs Environmental Research Station) are working with communities and partners across sectors to address global sustainability issues including deforestation, pollution, freshwater depletion, biodiversity loss and urbanisation. By drawing on world-leading expertise and facilities, we aim to generate innovative solutions and critical debate on how societies can live sustainably with nature.