Principal/Senior Economist

Development Pathways Ltd
Greater London - United Kingdom
S: Commensurate with experience

Position: Principal/Senior Economist
Contract: Full-time and permanent
Location: Sidcup, Greater London and remote working
Salary: Commensurate with experience


Are you an experienced Economist wanting to make a real difference to those living with or in challenging circumstances? If you are, join us!

About Development Pathways
Development Pathways is committed to innovative, progressive and evidence-based social policy. We combine country-specific social and political analysis with lessons learnt from extensive international experience in order to ensure that policies and programmes are robust and benefit the most vulnerable, including children, women and persons with disabilities.

Development Pathways brings together a group of international development practitioners with extensive experience on social protection, social development, economics, gender and social inclusion, and livelihoods across Asia and the Pacific, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. We have worked with a range of development organisations and governments, including United Nations agencies (UNICEF, WFP, ILO, UNDP, UNDESA, UNESCAP), development banks (World Bank, ADB), government donors (e.g. UK, Australia, Germany), and international NGOs (e.g. HelpAge, Oxfam, Save the Children).
We currently employ 47 staff, who work alongside a global network of trusted consultants. Our three main offices are located in the United Kingdom (London – Sidcup), Kenya (Nairobi), and Australia (virtual). As an employer, we put our staff first and are committed to flexible working practices and developing our staff's professional capabilities. For more information about our organisation, please visit www.developmentpathways.co.uk.

About the Position
The Principal/Senior Economist will provide intellectual and technical leadership on Development Pathways' methods and quantitative approaches for conducting social and economic analyses, to further strengthen our reputation as a high-quality research and advisory organisation. S/he will provide expertise on research design, data collection strategies, statistical methods, modelling techniques, impact evaluation, and data communication; and help strengthen our internal capabilities in these areas.

The incumbent will develop, oversee, and help deliver a portfolio of projects and research in the fields of social protection, inclusive growth, poverty and vulnerability analysis and broader social policy for national governments, multilateral agencies, donors, and other clients. To deliver these activities, the incumbent will manage and supervise an internal team of economists, and external consultants engaged on a project basis. Examples of previous projects include research on child poverty and vulnerability; analysis of access to social services among persons with disabilities; design of large-scale household surveys among refugee populations; macro-micro modelling of the impact of COVID-19 or other economic shocks; assessments of the targeting efficiency of social protection schemes; costings and fiscal space analysis; and micro-simulations and CGE modelling on the impacts of social protection schemes.

This is a technically demanding but stimulating and rewarding role at the cutting edge of social protection and broader socio-economic research. The position requires in-depth analytical expertise, a high level of flexibility, self-motivation, and drive for results. The incumbent will be expected to have the London office as their base, and be able to regularly come into the office, but we will be working flexibly in the immediate future due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The position will involve international travel, up to a maximum of three months per year (depending on COVID-19 travel restrictions). The position will pay an internationally competitive salary, alongside other benefits such as potential bonuses, pension contributions, private health insurance, and a generous leave allowance.

Pathways is happy to receive applications from across the world and, if the preferred candidate does not have the current right to work in the UK, we will sponsor a visa and support relocation to the UK.

Main Responsibilities and Duties
• Provide internal and external intellectual and technical leadership on socio-economic analyses and quantitative approaches. Build our reputation as a research organisation and undertake research on social policy and publish papers that provide innovative, cutting-edge insights.
• Oversee and engage in the technical implementation of a portfolio of medium and large size projects. This will include developing appropriate research methods and data collection strategies, timely delivery of analyses and other technical inputs, leading on the development of project outputs and technical advice to our clients, and quality assurance processes.
• Support Pathways' growing training portfolio on social protection, broader social policy and economic and statistical analysis. This may include the development of new more technically oriented training programmes and delivery of training modules in our regular courses.
• Collaborate with our Business Development Team on bids and proposals that will provide Development Pathways with opportunities to work on social development, social protection, quantitative analysis, and other sector areas of interest.
• Help build a cadre of highly competent and trusted consultants whom Development Pathways can engage to work on various assignments, including a team of associate consultants.
• Maintain a strong research and publication profile, and contribute to high quality content for our website.
• Build relations with a wide range of stakeholders (i.e., governments, development agencies, consultancy firms, etc.) to strengthen Development Pathways' international reputation, influence development policy, and identify opportunities for further business.
• Continually build self-knowledge and awareness of current trends in social policy in developing countries. This will include attending relevant training courses, staying up-to-date with the literature and latest development in the sector, and feeding knowledge back into the company.
• Help further strengthen internal technical capabilities by providing line management, supervision, guidance, and mentoring to a team of economists and other staff.
Your Profile
We hire people from a range of backgrounds and experience. The ideal candidate for this position would have the following profile:
• At least a Masters' degree in economics or a related discipline, preferably a PhD.
• For Senior level, a minimum of 10 years of professional experience in progressively senior positions with research consultancies, think tanks, academia, or international development organisations. A track record of publications and reports would be a definite asset. For candidates for the Principal position, we would expect at least 15 years of relevant experience and a strong track record of publishing.
• Highly developed analytical skills with demonstrated ability to work with diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources. Proficiency in Stata and other statistical software packages and experienced in analysing microdata from censuses and household surveys.
• Strong knowledge and experience in at least three of the following technical areas: survey and research design, measurement of monetary and multidimensional poverty, vulnerability analysis, social protection assessments, microsimulation techniques, macro-economic modelling, financing and fiscal space analysis, impact evaluation, value for money and cost benefit analysis.
• Experience in overseeing medium and large projects, including developing successful bids and proposals, coordinating projects teams, interfacing with donors and multilateral agencies, understanding risk and financial management, and quality assuring deliverables.
• Excellent communication skills with an ability to convey complex technical ideas and arguments in ways which non-specialist audiences can readily understand. High standard of report writing.
• Self-motivated, with an ability to work on own initiative, to accept responsibility and to respond with confidence to complex and evolving challenges.
• Strong track record of working positively within teams and effective inter-personal skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel internationally.
• An extensive network in the international development or humanitarian field would be advantageous.
Terms of Employment and Benefits
Along with a competitive salary, the successful candidate would receive an attractive package of the following:
• Entry into the company pension scheme;
• Entry into the company bonus scheme;
• Flexible working hours (with core hours from 10am to 4pm);
• 30 days holiday in a year (excluding public/bank holidays);
• Company laptop;
• And, upon satisfactory completion of the probationary period of 6 months, access into the company private health insurance scheme.

We take professional development seriously and create opportunities for individual advancement and growth.

Equality Statement
Equality and diversity are at the core of Development Pathways' values. In the selection of our staff, we are committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, sex or religion, and without discrimination of persons with disabilities: well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.

Our staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected.

How to apply
We invite interested candidates who meet the requirements to email their application to recruitment@developmentpathways.co.uk.
Please note that this position is open to those who have the right to reside and work in the UK. Development Pathways could consider providing visa sponsorship for highly qualified candidates.

Applications should include:
1. A cover letter explaining why you are applying for this position, and how your recent relevant experience and skills meet the requirements for this position;
2. A Curriculum Vitae (CV) specifying your qualifications, education, relevant work experience, and publications.
3. At least two sample of previous written work (for example, a research report or a policy paper).

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and a successful candidate may be selected prior to the closing date. Candidates are encouraged to submit their application as soon as possible. Closing date is 7th February 2022.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to complete a technical assessment and to participate in an interview.

If you successfully reach the interview stage, we will request the names, email addresses and daytime contact numbers of two referees, one of them being your current line manager or supervisor, and copies of your degree/qualification certificates.

Due to the high number of applications expected, unfortunately, only successful candidates will be contacted.

Applicants should be aware of our privacy notice on our website.

Job summary