An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Pro Bono Economics (PBE), an organisation that prides itself on its flexible working environment, culture of learning, focus on employee wellbeing and the strength of our employee relationships. PBE offers a strong benefits package, opportunities for development and a team working at the top of their game.

PBE’s mission is to end low personal wellbeing in the UK. We do this by helping charities and social enterprises understand their economic and social impact, so they can improve their overall effectiveness. We enable professional economists from the private and public sectors as well as academia to volunteer their skills to tackle some of the most pressing issues in society. We have worked with over 500 charities since our inception in 2009.

Having successfully delivered a major programme of ground-breaking work on the condition of the charity sector in the form of the Law Family Commission on Civil Society at the start of 2023, PBE is entering a new phase in its development. Building on its growing research and policy expertise and its strong association with the social sector, the organisation is taking a bottom-up and top-down approach to exploring, understanding, and tackling the causes and consequences of low personal wellbeing in the UK that uses the insights and perspectives of charities and community groups as a unique jumping off point. PBE is focused on delivering high quality research that both translates into real policy and practice impacts for people with low wellbeing and supports a more effective social sector to help deliver that change.

About the role

Reporting directly to Pro Bono Economics’ CEO, the Director for Research Policy and Communications (DRPC) is responsible for the design, delivery and direction of PBE’s external output. Working alongside the CEO and the Chief Economist, they have strategic overview of the organisation’s entire work programme, covering pro bono support pieces for charity clients, consultancy or commissioned pieces for paying clients, and programmatic grant-funded pieces – all in pursuit of PBE’s mission to help charities, funders, firms and policymakers to collectively tackle the causes and consequences of low personal wellbeing in the UK.

They identify research priorities and connect PBE with potential partners and funders, taking a lead on generating large-scale multi-year income streams that allow the organisation to take a strategic, mission-led approach to delivering research and policy output. They likewise take the lead on establishing PBE’s key policy positions, and on disseminating the organisation’s messages to government, business, civil society and the media. Alongside overseeing all media output, they have ultimate responsibility for PBE’s website and digital content. The DPRC also has a key role to play in growing PBE’s professional networks, developing the organisation’s relationships with policymakers, social sector leaders, businesses and others in the research community.

They provide direct line management for senior staff working across the functions of research, policy and communications, as well as offering overall leadership for the wider department by setting strategic direction and overseeing budget and resourcing decisions. They further serve as a key representative of the organisation in external forums, including meetings, conferences and media broadcasts. They form part of PBE’s senior management team and work with the board of trustees to shape the organisation’s medium-term direction.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

• Work with the CEO and Chief Economist to design PBE’s near- and medium-term external work programme, providing a steady rhythm of output that combines micro and macro work that supports the organisation’s ambition to tackle the causes and consequences of low personal wellbeing in the UK.
• Direct and deliver a broad and impactful programme of quantitative and qualitative research, ensuring high standards and disseminating findings through written reports, blogs, presentations, in the media and on social media. In doing so, take an approach that foregrounds the organisation’s principles of rigour, determination and collaboration.
• Manage the development and testing of policy solutions to further PBE’s aims of using economics to support social change. Lead the organisation’s influencing work, meeting directly with policymakers across the UK government, politics, think tanks, umbrella bodies etc. to make the case for change, including coordinating persuasive campaigns across different groups.
• Direct PBE’s communications strategy to provide a coherent approach to relations with key stakeholders and a consistency of message. Oversee PBE’s digital presence including its website and its social media strategy.
•  Oversee the organisation’s ambitious media output, supporting the production of press notices, opinion pieces and media campaigns and developing relationships with journalists across national, local and trade outlets.
• Lead on generating income that supports PBE’s research, policy and communications strategy, with an emphasis on large-scale, multi-year funding that allows the organisation to undertake long-term, mission-led work and provides the opportunity to quickly re-prioritise efforts in the face of a changing external environment.
• Provide overall leadership of the Research, Policy and Communications team, setting its strategic direction, establishing and delivering against budgets, and managing resource allocation and development in pursuit of the organisation’s overall aims.
• Line manage key senior members of the Research, Policy and Communications team to support them in execution of their responsibilities and to help them in their professional development.
• Manage a rich network of stakeholders in the social sector, private sector, academia and among policymakers to support and inform PBE’s research, policy and communications programme. Commission work from external partners when appropriate, identifying opportunities for collaboration and managing ongoing relationships.
• Represent PBE at a senior level in external forums, including through the writing of articles, speaking at events, giving evidence to parliament and in broadcast media interviews.
• Form part of PBE’s senior management team, working alongside the CEO and board of trustees to shape the organisation’s medium-term strategy.
• Produce material for the board of trustees, and report directly to the board at quarterly meetings and at the annual strategy away day. Further, manage the Policy, Politics and Communications sub-committee (PolCom) of the board to ensure proper governance of PBE’s related work and to manage organisational risk.
• Any other duties as deemed reasonable by the line manager.

About you

The role would suit an experienced and exceptional candidate with the following skills and qualities.

Ideal characteristics include:

• Extensive experience of developing research, policy and communications strategies designed to meet organisational objectives.
• Expertise in designing, commissioning, managing and carrying out high quality qualitative, quantitative and economic research and policy projects.
• Proven writing and presentational skills across a range of contexts and audiences, including published reports and press articles and speaking at high-profile external events.
• Proven and extensive track record of leading and influencing debates on high-profile social and/or economic issues, along with demonstrable experience of designing practicable policy solutions that have gained traction at higher levels of government.
• Deep experience of line management, including motivating others collectively and individually, overseeing career development and delegating and coordinating work effectively.
• Demonstrable experience of raising significant funds to support research, policy and communications work.
• Strong track record of budget and project management.
• Well-established networks among the UK’s charity, research and policy communities
• Well-established networks among UK social and economic policy journalists, alongside experience of appearing on broadcast media.
• A strong commitment to PBE’s internal culture of inquisitiveness, generosity, honesty and respect.

Desirable characteristics include:

• Expertise in statistical analysis, econometrics, the use of statistical software packages and using large datasets.
• A good knowledge of digital communications strategy, with experience of website development, brand management and using new media approaches to influence policy debates.
• Experience of supporting organisational strategic development as part of a senior management team.
• Experience of working with boards of trustees and other senior figures.