hiring

VoxDev is hiring a Deputy Managing Editor!

VoxDev Blog

Published 07.03.24

It’s an exciting time to join VoxDev, which is looking to expand the quantity and quality of its various outputs. The Deputy Managing Editor will work with the Managing Editor to help VoxDev achieve its vision of becoming the global hub for development economics.

Please note that the deadline for applying has now passed - we are not accepting new applications.

Overview

  • Full time, permanent contract
  • £31k to £35k | €35.5k to €40k per annum depending on experience
  • Reports to VoxDev Managing Editor
  • Location: London or Paris
  • Primary working language: English
  • Hybrid environment, three days per week on-site

CEPR is looking to recruit a dynamic, driven individual with an interest in cutting-edge, policy-relevant economic research in low- and middle-income countries for a full-time role as Deputy Managing Editor at VoxDev. It’s an exciting time to join VoxDev, which is looking to expand the quantity and quality of its various outputs, and the Deputy Managing Editor will work with the Managing Editor to help VoxDev achieve its vision of becoming the global hub for development economics.

Key Objectives

VoxDev was launched in 2017 as a platform where academic economists and policy practitioners can share and debate emerging development policy challenges. Building on the success of both VoxEU.org and the International Growth Centre (IGC) blog, the website is a partnership between CEPR and IGC and is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Expert contributors bring insightful commentary, analysis, and evidence to bear on policy questions and challenges, in a format that is accessible to both specialist and non-specialist audiences in development economics.

The post-holder will make extensive use of their skills as an economist to help translate complex, technical material from frontier economic research into short- and long-format pieces for academic, student and policy audiences. They will work closely with the VoxDev Managing Editor in re-enforcing VoxDev’s position as the global hub for high quality commentary on development economics. They will help to commission, edit and disseminate columns, podcasts and some video content, translating academic research into easily understandable policy advice and ideas for growth. They will also work on maintaining and expanding the library of VoxDevLits, which are living literature reviews updated as the literature around a given topic evolves, covering a range of subjects in development.

The post-holder will be a member of the VoxDev Editorial Board, working closely with Managing Editor Oliver Hanney, and Editorial Board Members Michael Callen (LSE), Stefano Caria (University of Warwick), Namrata Kala (MIT), and Robert Darko Osei (University of Ghana).

This post would suit a strong MSc/MA student, or outstanding Bachelors student, who is passionate about evidence-based policymaking and envisions a career within the development sector or moving on to a top PhD programme in economics.

Key Tasks

  • Stay up-to-date with the latest research in development economics, and policymakers’ current needs for evidence, to work with the Managing Editor to make recommendations for the Editorial Board on commissioning VoxDev articles, podcasts and possible subjects for VoxDevLits.
  • Work with the Managing Editor to develop and maintain a sustainable pipeline of policy-relevant content, ensuring content is engaging and combines factual accuracy with high impact and accessibility.
  • Work with the Managing Editor to expand VoxDev’s reach in low- and middle-income countries through targeted social media campaigns, new partnerships and providing new educational resources.
  • Assist the Managing Editor in tracking VoxDev’s impact, through analytics and building relationships with key partners, to identify areas of expansion and successful strategies for growing our reach.
  • Help implement plans to further build VoxDev’s resources, which include making improvements to the VoxDev website, contributing to the VoxDev blog, creating resources for students, organising events, and thinking through how VoxDev can take advantage of improvements in generative AI.

Person Specification

Essential

  • Possession of either an outstanding Bachelors (essential) or MSc/MA (preferred) degree in economics or development economics.
  • Demonstrated understanding of policy-relevant development and economics research, including the ability to identify policy implications from research
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills, in particularly when explaining complex technical information to non-specialist audiences, and summarising evidence to speak to current policy issues.
  • Dynamic and entrepreneurial approach, comfortable generating ideas, exploring their feasibility and effectiveness and then implementing.
  • Passionate about increasing the use of evidence from economic research amongst policymakers.
    Ability to work closely with a small team to consistently meet deadlines.
  • Close attention to detail.
  • Interest in and knowledge about current policy challenges faced by policymakers in low- and middle-income countries.
  • The right to work in the EU or UK, with ability to undertake restriction-free travel in both regions.

Desirable

  • Involvement in building and growing a project, team or venture.
  • Experience of using social media to drive policy engagement.
  • Experience of commissioning and integrating infographics and data visualisation into communications products.
  • Experience working in developing countries.
  • Ability to contribute to networking by identifying key people to foster working relationships with.
  • Research experience (i.e. as a researcher or on a quantitative dissertation).

To deliver services effectively, a degree of flexibility is needed, and the post-holder may be required to perform work not specifically referred to above. 

To Apply

Applications should be made by submission of a CV and cover letter to Oliver Hanney, VoxDev Managing Editor, at [email protected]. The deadline is 5pm on Friday 29 March, however, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Please state when you are available to start work. You will need to have the right to work in either the UK or the EU in order to be considered for this position.