Senior Economist

Focus of the Role

This role is based in the UK Policy team of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.  Part of the wider Policy Futures team at the Institute, we produce, commission and curate high-quality policy analysis with a view to developing a radical but practical policy platform for the future of Britain. With a primary focus on the UK, our aim is to develop an exciting, positive agenda for change to improve people’s lives and strengthen liberal democracy against a rising tide of angry populism.

Job Introduction

As part of recent growth of team, and TBI as an organisation, we are looking to hire a Senior Economist with strong quantitative skills, an entrepreneurial approach to empirical investigation and a good policy brain, to provide additional analytical ballast for our policy agenda on household incomes, labour markets and inequality.

An exceptional analyst, you will be adept at finding ways to add value to the work of colleagues in areas ranging from public services reform to taxation, from transport to corporate governance, and at injecting critical thinking, creativity and quantitative rigour. You will also have experience of working on labour market and social policies and the ability to lead projects in these areas. 

Working to an experienced Head of Analysis, this role offers the opportunity to contribute to a wide range of policy agendas across the team, and to make a name for yourself by developing incisive analysis that can change the terms of debate.

You will combine strong analytical capabilities with policymaking expertise to help develop proposals that go beyond technocratic tinkering with the status quo and address the more fundamental problems that policy must address.

Close attention to detail and a commitment to excellence will be hallmarks of your work and, as an excellent communicator, you will be adept at conveying complex analysis and its implications to a wide audience including the media.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertaking rigorous, original quantitative analysis using national statistics and household survey data, primarily focused on the UK
• Getting to grips with the detail of labour market and social policy in order to make effective proposals for reform
• Taking an entrepreneurial approach to framing policy issues in insightful ways that motivate solutions
• Writing compelling reports that elucidate the policy challenge and developing radical but practical solutions
• Contributing analytical support and policy expertise to others in the UK policy team
• Representing TBI in the media and other public forums

Person Specification

• A passion for using analysis and creativity to provide radical policy solutions that can help to revitalise progressive politics in Britain
• Post graduate work experience in a think tank, government, academic or consulting environment on labour market and social policy
• A track record of original research using household survey data, such as the FRS and LFS, and other data sources
• Expertise in using statistical analysis tools such as Stata
• Versatility to apply analytical skills to other policy areas
• Creativity to produce radical but practical solutions backed by rigorous analysis.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• A good postgraduate degree in Economics or a closely-related discipline

About The Institute

The Tony Blair Institute (TBI) is a mission-driven not for profit organisation. We exist to equip political leaders and governments to build open, inclusive and prosperous societies. We work hard, every day, to make a difference. When governments work well they are able to create economic and social change in a way that promotes fairness, social justice and opportunity. We work relentlessly to support leader and governments with the challenges they face. Giving them practical solutions and actionable insights, that once implemented, can be transformative for their people.

We do this within two connected divisions:

Government Advisory

Our Government Advisory teams work directly with political leaders and governments around the world to implement reforms that improve the lives of their citizens. It has both non-profit partners and a client base and its outputs cover a range of disciplines and projects across countries in Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and South Asia.

Policy Futures

Our Policy Futures work encompasses three broad areas:

• Renewing the Centre: developing a bold and innovative domestic policy programme to help renew the centre ground of British politics;
• Tech and Public Policy: exploring the policy challenges and opportunities presented by the technological revolution; and
• Extremism Policy Unit: creating solutions designed to tackle the threat of extremist ideologies in the UK and around the world.

As an organisation the core beliefs we all embrace are:

• Open and Progressive: you’ll believe in the value of teamwork
• Bold and Pragmatic: you’ll approach everything you do with integrity and authenticity
• Optimistic Changemakers: you’ll be focused on results