About Nuffield Foundation
What is the Nuffield Foundation?
The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable trust, founded in 1943, that funds research and innovation to improve social well-being across the UK. In its own words, it works "to tackle the UK's biggest social challenges by funding research, generating evidence, and guiding decision-makers to implement solutions that improve people's lives." Its core areas are education, welfare and justice — funding studies, evidence and student programmes that inform public policy. The Foundation also founded and co-funds three influential bodies: the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, and the Ada Lovelace Institute. It is a research funder and grant-maker rather than a commercial company, which shapes both the work and the working culture.
Where will I work?
Hybrid, from central London. The Foundation's office is at 100 St John Street, London. Staff combine office and home working — its job adverts state that "our staff have the option to work 2 days per week from home," so a typical week mixes on-site collaboration with focused remote days.
What is the Nuffield Foundation team like?
A small, specialist team. The Foundation describes itself as a team that "comprises specialists in research and policy, grants management and operations, communications, office services, and finance and investment." It is a knowledge-work organisation of researchers, grant-makers, policy and communications professionals, and operational specialists — collaborative, mission-driven, and focused on evidence and social impact rather than scale.
Work-Life Balance
The Foundation offers genuine flexibility around how and when you work. Its job adverts state: "Genuine flexibility - we are open to requests for part-time hours, compressed working weeks, or job shares." A full-time week is 35 hours, and part-time and flexible arrangements are explicitly considered. Compressed working weeks are available as an opt-in arrangement — meaning eligible staff can request to work their contracted hours across fewer, longer days — alongside hybrid home working and a generous holiday allowance.
Perks and Benefits
Staff benefits, as published by the Foundation, include "28 days' annual leave plus bank holidays" (with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days), and "a defined contribution pension scheme with an enhanced level of employer contributions" — its adverts cite employer contributions of up to 11%. The Foundation also provides "enhanced pay for maternity, paternity/partners, adoption and shared parental leave," a "life assurance scheme," an "interest-free travel season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme," "regular BUPA health checks," and dedicated time for learning and development including coaching, mentoring and an employee assistance programme.