Senior Research Associate

Ashoka University; Sonipat; On-site; INR 300,000 - 540,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashoka University in New Delhi is seeking a Senior Research Associate / Research Manager for the Tax Policy Vertical. You will lead multidisciplinary teams, shape flagship projects on tax policy and public finance, and engage senior policymakers to translate rigorous research into meaningful policy impact.

The role emphasizes evidence-based analysis, policy writing, stakeholder management, and institution building within a premier academic policy ecosystem.

Qualifications

• Strong background in economic analysis and policy evaluation.
• Proven ability to lead policy research programmes with multidisciplinary teams.
• Excellent policy writing, report drafting and publication skills.
• Experience engaging with senior government officials and other stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary research programmes on taxation, public finance and growth; design flagship projects on policy and institutional reform.
• Oversee research quality and produce policy reports, working papers and briefs.
• Translate research into actionable policy recommendations and implementation roadmaps; support reforms at Union/State levels.
• Drive policy engagement by preparing notes, briefs and presentations for senior decision-makers; represent the Centre publicly.

Skills

Policy research leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Multidisciplinary team leadership

Economic analysis & data-driven eval

Policy writing & publications

Education

Master's or PhD in Economics, Public Policy, Public Finance, Law & Economics, Public Administration or related

Job description

Job Details

• Location: New Delhi
• Department: Isaac Centre for Public Policy (ICPP) - Tax Policy Vertical
• Reports To: Co-Lead, Tax Policy Vertical
• Role Type: Full-time
• Experience: 7-10 years

Job Summary

The Tax Policy Vertical at the Isaac Centre for Public Policy (ICPP), Ashoka University, is building India's leading independent centre for research on tax policy, tax administration, public finance and economic policy. The Senior Research Associate / Research Manager will play a leadership role in advancing high-impact research, policy engagement, stakeholder management, programme management and institution building. The role involves leading multidisciplinary teams, developing evidence-based policy solutions and engaging senior stakeholders to translate rigorous research into meaningful policy impact.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary research programmes on taxation, public finance, tax administration and economic growth; design and execute flagship research projects on tax policy, institutional reforms and investment competitiveness, while identifying emerging policy challenges and shaping forward-looking research agendas.
• Build and ensure the quality of research outputs using economic analysis, administrative data, empirical research and international comparisons; oversee research workflows and produce high-quality policy reports, working papers, discussion papers, policy briefs and publications.
• Translate research into actionable policy solutions by developing evidence-based recommendations, reform frameworks, implementation roadmaps and policy toolkits, and support legislative, regulatory and administrative reforms and their implementation at the Union and State Government levels.
• Drive policy engagement and thought leadership by preparing policy notes, briefing papers and presentations for senior decision-makers; contributing to policy briefs, opinion pieces and knowledge products; representing the Centre at national and international forums; and identifying opportunities for new research and policy initiatives.
• Build and manage strategic stakeholder relationships with policymakers, tax administrators, industry leaders, academia, think tanks, development partners and international organisations; convene high-level consultations, expert working groups, roundtables and policy dialogues, and develop collaborations for joint research and knowledge sharing.
• Manage multiple concurrent research and policy programmes, including workplans, budgets, timelines, external consultants and partner organisations; monitor progress, manage risks and ensure timely, high-quality delivery of research outputs and stakeholder engagements.
• Contribute to institution building and research capacity by shaping the Vertical's long-term research agenda, developing strategic partnerships, supporting fundraising and institutional growth, strengthening research processes and knowledge management, and supervising, mentoring, recruiting and supporting the onboarding and professional development of research staff.

What We Are Looking For

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Economics, Public Policy, Public Finance, Law & Economics, Public Administration or a related discipline.
• 7-10 years of relevant professional experience in public policy research organisations or think tanks, economic/strategy/public sector consulting, international organisations or multilateral institutions, or government policy advisory roles.
• Demonstrated experience leading policy research programmes and managing multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong understanding of taxation, public finance, institutional economics and economic policy, with familiarity with empirical research methods, quantitative analysis and data-driven policy evaluation.
• Experience in one or more of the following areas is an advantage: tax policy and administration; public finance and fiscal policy; regulatory governance and institutional reform; investment climate and competitiveness; international and cross-border taxation; quantitative policy analysis and impact evaluation; legislative and regulatory analysis; and working with Central or State Governments, multilateral institutions or leading think tanks.
• Excellent policy writing, report drafting and publication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex evidence into clear and actionable policy recommendations.
• Experience engaging with senior government officials, regulators, industry leaders and development partners, and organising policy consultations, expert committees and stakeholder workshops, with excellent communication, presentation and facilitation skills.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, including the ability to manage multiple high-priority workstreams and maintain quality assurance across outputs.

Who You Are

• You think strategically about how research can influence tax policy and administration, and you can shape a research agenda around emerging policy challenges and long-term national priorities.
• You build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across government, academia, industry and development organisations, and can convene diverse perspectives around complex policy questions.
• You lead with intellectual rigour and high standards: you challenge assumptions, protect methodological integrity and insist on evidence that can withstand scrutiny.
• You are entrepreneurial and institution-minded, identifying opportunities to build new research programmes, partnerships and capabilities rather than limiting yourself to existing workstreams.
• You are committed to evidence-based policymaking and public service, and bring the judgement, integrity and ownership required to represent the Centre in high-stakes policy and institutional settings.

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