Our research staff spend their time thinking, talking and writing about how to make government more effective. They evaluate how government currently works and develop recommendations for how it could better organise itself, develop and deliver policy, and evaluate and regulate its own activities.

Our devolution team makes ambitious recommendations for how to advance the devolution agenda, with many of our ideas directly influencing the government’s plans. We also work closely with metro mayors and their teams to help them to make the most of the opportunities that devolution offers.

Recent projects have looked at how English cities and counties should negotiate and implement devolution deals, how the government should extend devolution across the whole of England, and how metro mayors can use devolved powers to drive urban regeneration. We also carry out research into devolution to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and develop ideas for how the four governments of the UK can work together more productively on shared objectives.

As part of our devolution team you will have the opportunity to engage with senior policymakers and experts from all parts of the UK. You will contribute to our understanding of how devolution can improve economic, social and public service outcomes, and which powers are best held at which level of government. You will help shape our assessment of the limits of devolution and the role of central government in supporting devolved institutions to become more effective. You will contribute to our work identifying successful policy innovations that devolution has enabled, and facilitating the sharing of best practice across the country.

We are looking for someone analytical, creative and ambitious for change. Existing knowledge about how devolution works would be an advantage – but is not a prerequisite. However, you must be excited about the prospect of working on devolution policy, engaging with policymakers from across the UK, and working with government to shape how devolution evolves over the coming years.

Day-to-day, you will:

• Conduct rigorous qualitative and quantitative research and analysis, delivering research projects across our work programme, including by:
• Proposing and shaping projects in areas where IfG research would add value.
• Leading interviews with civil servants, politicians and others.
• Completing background research (including literature reviews).
• Undertaking data analysis, including creating and updating charts.
• Write about our research in a range of formats, including long-form reports and shorter articles.
• Build relationships across the UK, making the case for our recommendations to decision-makers and spotting opportunities to push our messages so they make a difference in practice.
• Work with our events team to organise and deliver public events, private roundtables, podcasts and more, and present our findings and recommendations in these forums.
• Work with our partnerships team to help secure funding for elements of our work, including supporting the development of funding proposals and liaising with partners about funded projects.
• Discuss project findings in the media, including TV and radio, where appropriate.

This role could suit people from a wide range of professional backgrounds, including but not limited to work experience in central, devolved or local government, non-departmental public bodies, consultancy, journalism, the voluntary sector, or another think tank or research organisation. If you are interested in applying but are not sure you have all the skills or experience we’re looking for, please do so and give us the opportunity to consider you as a candidate.

For full details, including a person specification, please read the job application pack. We encourage all candidates to read the job pack before starting their application.