Institute of Race Relations Hiring Projects Officer in London — £32,400 Per Year

The Institute of Race Relations is hiring a Projects Officer for its London team. The full-time role pays £32,400 a year on a two-year fixed-term contract. You will spend two specified days each week in the London office and work remotely on the remaining days.

This is a hands-on coordination job inside the oldest anti-racist think tank in the UK. Applications close at 11:59 pm on 20 November, and interviews will take place in London in the week of 1 December.

The role at a glance

What you will actually be doing

The Projects Officer makes sure IRR’s projects happen on time and to a high standard — covering the education programme, events, workshops, communications development and training, managed from inception to completion. In a small charity this role is central: when coordination slips, everything else slows with it.

Much of the job is about people. You will engage with colleagues inside IRR and with external stakeholders, including funding partners and other organisations, keeping everyone informed about project progress. You will also work flexibly to spot challenges early, solve problems practically and build lasting collaboration with partner organisations across project cycles.

What IRR expects from you

IRR wants someone who has managed or coordinated several projects at the same time, each with different timelines, outputs and collaborators. Experience in the voluntary sector is preferred — the key is showing that you can keep multiple pieces of work organised and moving at once.

You will need knowledge of producing educational materials, plus excellent written and verbal communication skills. The advert stresses the ability to communicate priorities clearly, coordinate tasks across a team and deliver work to a high standard. You will also need experience coordinating funding requirements and preparing funding reports — gathering information from different parts of an organisation and making sure agreed outputs and reporting requirements are met.

One requirement is not a formality: commitment to advancing anti-racism and equal opportunities in the workplace. IRR calls this important to consider before applying, so show genuine engagement through your experience or volunteering, not generic statements.

The pay, weighed honestly

At £32,400 a year this is a modest charity-sector salary for London, stated plainly. Annual increments based on performance mean the salary can grow, and there is an opt-in pension fund. Leave is strong — 25 days plus bank holidays, with winter-break office closure adding extra paid time off.

The real trade-off is the fixed term. Two years is long enough to build serious experience and leave a visible mark on IRR’s programmes, but you should plan early for what comes next. The upside is that project coordination with funding-reporting experience is one of the most transferable skill sets in the charity sector.

A quick self-check before you apply

You are a strong fit if you:

• Have coordinated multiple projects at once, ideally in a charity or voluntary organisation.
• Have produced educational materials, workshops or training content you can point to.
• Have prepared funding reports or worked with donor reporting requirements.
• Write and speak clearly and can keep a small team organised.
• Can show real engagement with anti-racism through your work, not just words.

Think twice if you:

• Cannot commit to two fixed office days a week in London for the full contract.
• Are looking for fully remote work — the office days are specified, not optional.

How to send your application

IRR runs a structured process, so follow it exactly. Everything is submitted by email using the official application form.

1. Read the full job description and person specification on the official IRR job page. The advert is only a summary.
2. Download and complete the official Projects Officer application form from the IRR website.
3. Email the completed form to jobs@irr.org.uk before 11:59 pm on 20 November. Send it early; late applications are unlikely to be considered.
4. Complete the anonymous equality monitoring form — IRR asks this of every applicant.

If you need reasonable adjustments at any stage of the process, contact jobs@irr.org.uk to discuss your needs in confidence.

Questions applicants actually ask

Q: Can I send my CV instead of the form?
A: The official advert directs applicants to the Projects Officer application form — the document IRR expects. Follow the stated process rather than substituting your own format.

Q: Is this a remote role?
A: No. It is hybrid with two specified days per week in IRR’s London office and remote working on the remaining days.

Q: Does the advert mention visa sponsorship?
A: The official advert does not mention visa sponsorship or nationality requirements. Do not assume anything — ask IRR directly at jobs@irr.org.uk before applying.

Q: Is the salary negotiable?
A: The advert states a fixed £32,400 per year for full-time work, with annual increments based on performance. Treat the advertised figure as the offer.

Why this one is worth a close look

Many project officer roles sit deep inside large organisations where your work stays invisible. At IRR, a small charity, you will work alongside the Deputy Director and the communications team, shaping programmes that carry the organisation’s name. That visibility counts on a CV.

The role also connects IRR’s research with grassroots organisations and community campaigns — you are not just scheduling meetings, you are helping anti-racist education reach the people it is meant to serve. For someone building a career where project management meets social justice, this combines real responsibility, mission and an institution with serious reputation.