Salary: circa £80k p.a.
As Director of Policy and Research, your job will be to oversee the development & advocacy of NEF’s research and policy to deliver change at national and local level. Our theory of change is a powerful combination of:
- Developing and campaigning for radical policy solutions.
- Building power and organising.
- Enabling others to catalyse and embed new economics practice on the ground.
NEF is a multidisciplinary organisation, both the thinktank and the campaigner, and our new Director of Policy and Research will work particularly closely with our Director of Campaigns and Engagement to ensure that the research we produce is grounded in the lived experiences of the people on whose behalf we advocate, and that the policies we create are bold, credible, and ultimately have a positive impact on public policy.
While we are a charity that works across a wide range of political views and parties, we are known for taking a public stance on issues relating to our progressive mission, and our Director of Policy and Research will be a key component of NEF’s role as an organisation that can meaningfully shift the dial.
As a member of our Senior Leadership Team, you will be one of the stewards of our culture, and we’re looking for you to make sure we’re a warm and welcoming place to work, grounded in inclusivity and participation. This means inspiring, motivating, and coaching our Policy and Research teams, and working collaboratively with a passionate and unionised wider staff body.
What you’ll do as part of our team
Research Strategy & Policy Development:
- Develop and maintain an effective research strategy for NEF.
- Lead on delivering overall research strategy, ensuring that programmes and projects are consistent with NEF’s strategy, are suitably rigorous and bold, and have impact and influence.
- Direct policy development, ensuring that our research is communicated effectively.
- Provide guidance and support for colleagues, evaluating our research output.
- Build our capacity to conduct robust quantitative and qualitative analysis across the organisation.
Organisational Development, Leadership, Management:
- Lead a passionate, knowledgeable, mission-driven team, ensuring staff and the communities we work with are aligned with and enthusiastic about our vision, strategy, and impact.
- Play a key role in building a supportive, coaching culture of inclusion, integrity, and participation throughout NEF, ensuring that everyone’s contribution is valued and that we are representative of the communities we work with and on whose behalf we advocate.
- Line manage & support our Heads of Economic, Environment, Social and Local Economies Policies, and oversee recruitment as appropriate.
- Play a key role in the development and delivery of NEF’s strategy and key objectives that is in line with our progressive policies and values and the wellbeing of colleagues.
External Engagement & Fundraising:
- Act as a key ambassador for NEF, advocating our ideas on new economics thinking across a variety of platforms, such as in the new economy ecosystem or in the media.
- Mentor and support colleagues at NEF to take responsibility for front-facing advocacy e.g. at events or in the media.
- Build and maintain positive, impactful relationships and partnerships with a wide variety of stakeholders, from community groups and activists to politicians and business leaders.
- Provide support and input to the development of thematic fundraising bids led by Heads of departments.
- With the rest of the Senior Leadership Team, hold responsibility and accountability for holding strategic funding relationships e.g. with trusts and foundations.