Researcher

The Resolution Foundation is looking for a thoughtful and proactive individual to join our research team as we continue to deliver an exciting plan of work at a crucial time for the UK economy, and for public policy.

What does the role involve?

The successful candidate will primarily provide research support to the Chief Executive covering a wide range of economic and social policy issues.

The role provides opportunity to develop expertise in specific subject areas and is analytically demanding. Duties include undertaking and writing up the findings of primary research; conducting secondary analysis of academic literature; drafting reports and presentations; and liaising with senior staff and external stakeholders.

The Foundation’s work programme currently includes incomes and inequality; jobs, skills and pay; housing, wealth and debt; tax and welfare; public finances and the economy. More recently, we have added work streams on trade, net zero and productivity, covering these issues through both an intergenerational and regional lens.

What kind of person are we looking for?

We are interested in hearing from individuals with an appreciation of some of the key drivers of the living standards of low-to-middle income households, and a broad understanding of the wider economic and social policy context in the UK. The role would suit candidates with the capacity to interpret and communicate complex data analysis and an acute attention to detail.   We also require excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work quickly and flexibly as part of a small, close-knit team. Previous experience or knowledge of economic or policy analysis is useful, but we are primarily looking for individuals with the desire to acquire these skills and the potential to make a positive contribution to our work.

What is the organisational culture?

The Foundation prides itself on analytical rigour and we strive to achieve standards of excellence in all our work. This commitment is matched by dedication to our core purpose, working to improve the living standards of those on low-to-middle incomes. These twin pillars of rigour and purpose inform our culture and underpin everything we do.

As a member of our research team, the successful candidate will benefit from interaction with senior stakeholders in government, media and the wider policy-making world. We hold a regular programme of external events, hosting diverse speakers from the policy making world, including universities, the voluntary sector and the private sector, and we regularly engage with politicians from across the political spectrum. We also hold internal masterclasses and roundtables with leading experts who engage with our work in detail. The research team have backgrounds in economics, social sciences and a range of other disciplines, and carry out quantitative and qualitative research and analysis, using a wide range of micro-datasets and macroeconomic data sources.

Investing in our team is a priority for us and we work hard to ensure each employee feels valued, respected and able to give their best. We use formal training, on-the-job learning and mentoring from colleagues to actively develop the skills and reputations of all our team. Researchers can expect to develop skills in quantitative data handling and analysis; communicating research, whether in a written form, using visuals, or orally; policy reviews and analysis; and developing their own network.

We offer a competitive benefits package and a range of flexible working and family-friendly policies including generous occupational benefits and annual leave allowances. We are a small close-knit team who all support each other and share cross-organisational work in addition to fulfilling individual responsibilities. Our office is based in Westminster with home working available up to two days per week, subject to business need. We also have a range of family-friendly policies and practices.

Diversity within Economics

The Foundation recognises the lack of diversity in economics and the policy-making sector, and works to address this through implementing and promoting best practice in internal policies and procedures, and through devising and supporting sector wide initiatives promoting careers in economics and think tanks to underrepresented groups.

Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy encompasses all areas of our work and also our contribution to wider efforts in the sector. Many of our positive action initiatives are primarily focused on helping to feed the pipeline of future policy makers. For more information about our ongoing work in this area, please see our recruitment brochure.

We are happy to provide reasonable adjustments to assist candidates to navigate the application process and/or the demands of the role itself. Please contact sharmina.khanam@resolutionfoundation.org if you would like to speak to someone in confidence about your needs.

Pre-application Workshops

We value and are committed to increasing diversity within the sector and our own organisation, so we welcome applications from communities and groups currently underrepresented in economics.

To facilitate this, and to help potential applicants establish if we are the right organisation for you, we invite interested candidates from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups, candidates with work-limiting health conditions or impairments, those who are looking to start a second career and / or transferring from another industry and candidates from the LGBT+ community to attend a pre-recorded pre-application workshop where members of our team will share information about the think tank sector generally, the application process, and what it’s like to work for the Foundation as a Researcher.

If you are interested in attending, please complete this form: https://forms.office.com/e/iBHsMU9sVq

Closing date: 08:59am on 5 August 2024

First interviews: Week commencing 19 August 2024

Second interviews: Week commencing 2 September 2024

For more information about the role, please download our application pack.