Political Economy Specialist - Practical Politics Platform

Economicsnetwork; Oxford; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

The Blavatnik School of Government offers a full-time role in the 'Practical Politics Platform', focusing on political economy research to influence policy. Candidates should hold a Master's degree and have a strong track record in research and communication. The position is fixed-term for 2 years with a potential for extension based on funding.

Benefits

Excellent contributory pension scheme

38 days annual leave

Family leave schemes

Comprehensive childcare services

Cycle loan scheme

Discounted public transport

Membership to sports clubs

Opportunities for hybrid working

Qualifications

• Extensive professional experience in research, policy, or practice.
• Strong record in delivering policy-relevant political economy research.
• Experience engaging with policymakers and research institutions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the PPP strategy and country engagement.
• Support the Executive Director and Academic Director in delivering products.
• Engage with stakeholders and contribute to analysis and policy advice.

Skills

Analytical skills

Writing skills

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Master’s degree in Public Policy, Social Sciences, Economics, or related field

Job description

About the Blavatnik School of Government

Our vision is of a world better led, a world better served and a world better governed. We are a global school committed to improving the quality of government and public policymaking worldwide, through three routes:teachingcurrent and future leaders;generatingresearch with impact; andengagingwith governments and practitioners.

What we offer

The School is a collaborative, friendly, and dynamic department based in an award-winning building in Oxford. We host regular events and talks with well-known guest speakers – all of which are open to staff.

On the social side, we have regular coffee/cake mornings for staff, a family-friendly Halloween event, and Christmas and summer parties.As an employer, we genuinely care about our employees’ wellbeing and this is reflected in the range of benefits that we offer including:

• An excellent contributory pension scheme
• 38 days’ annual leave
• Family leave schemes and a comprehensive range of childcare services
• Cycle loan scheme and discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
• Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs
• Opportunities for hybrid working (typically60% of working hours on-site and 40% remotely)

More information about working at the School can be found on ourjobs page.

About the Role

The ‘Practical Politics Platform’ [PPP] is a new initiative at the Centre for the Study of African Economies [CSAE] hosted at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford, and working with the Economic Policy Network (EPN).

Lea by the Academic Director, Professor Stephen Dercon, the PPP will deliver plain language, open access, action-oriented political economy products that can be used by anyone to understand and tackle political constraints in growth and development.

You will be a core member of the team developing and implementing the PPP strategy; taking lead responsibility for some PPP country engagement and products; and more generally support the Executive Director, Academic Director, and PPP’s network of experts in delivering wider PPP processes, products and impact.

The PPP is a sister programme to the Economic Policy Network (EPN) at the Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE), and the PES will work closely with the core team responsible for these networks, taking an active role in planning and execution of PPP’s analysis, policy advice, and products, stakeholder engagement, and monitoring.

This post is full-time and fixed term for 2 years, with possible extension subject to further funding.

About You

You hold a Master’s degree in Public Policy, Social Sciences, Economics, International Development, or a related field, with substantial professional experience in research, policy, or practice.

With a strong track record in delivering policy-relevant Political Economy research and communicating findings clearly to diverse audiences, you will be skilled in managing your own research and contributing to publications and presentations, you will also bring ideas for new projects and income generation.

Possessing excellent analytical, writing, and communication skills, you are confident working independently or leading multidisciplinary teams and will beexperienced in engaging with policymakers, donors, and research institutions.

Application Process

Please upload a supporting statement that outlines how you meet the selection criteriain your own words, along with your CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application.

Closing date :12 noon (UK Time) 23 June 2025

Interviews are expected to take place during the week commencing14 Julyand will be online

£38,674 to £46,913 per annum : Grade 7