ESRC Policy Fellow and Researcher: Government Strategy

Location: Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford

This post may be offered as a secondment opportunity

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: teaching current and future leaders; generating research with impact; and engaging with 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 remote working.

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

About the Role

Reporting to the Blavatnik School of Government’s Heywood Fellow, the grant holder funded by the Economic Social Research Council (ESRC) will have responsibility for carrying out an evidence-based UK public policy project. You will be a core part of the Heywood Fellowship team and expected to contribute to a range of outputs and events, including with policymakers and senior researchers.

The Heywood Fellow is a very senior UK civil servant who is supported by the Heywood Foundation - and hosted by the Blavatnik School - to conduct a detailed inquiry into a specific policy issue which has long-term impacts for the UK and/or which has proven stubbornly intractable over time. For 2024-25, the fellow will be Lucy Smith (recently Director General, Strategy at Defra, previously Director General, UK Governance at the Cabinet Office).

Lucy intends to explore the question of how government can be better at strategy, including the case for ‘national strategy’ to respond to the growing complexity and long-term nature of external challenges, and at the capabilities, structures, culture and other elements required to develop and deliver successful strategies in government.

Whilst this position is offered on a full-time basis, we would be open to discussing flexible working options.

About you

You will bring your knowledge and expertise of the field, of key thinkers and researchers and of research approaches and methodologies. In return, you will gain a unique insight into the policy mind-set, access to a senior level policy network and be connected to the ESRC Policy Fellowship 2023 cohort, to enhance your understanding of how research and evidence can impact on policy.

A doctorate in a relevant subject, an interest in the policy-making process, and the ability to manage your own academic research are essential for the role.

Application Process

You will be required to upload a supporting statement, CV and the details of two referees as part of your online application.

The closing date for applications is 12 noon (UK time) on Tuesday 27^th August 2024.

Interviews will take place during week commencing 2^nd September 2024.

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