The International Growth Centre (IGC) works with policymakers in developing countries to promote
inclusive and sustainable growth through pathbreaking research. We are a global research centre with a network of world-leading researchers and in-country teams and initiatives working across Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. Based at LSE and in partnership with the University of Oxford, we are majority funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). We work to improve the productivity of people and firms as the key driver of sustainable economic development.
Based in more than 10 country teams across Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, the IGC has
embedded Country Economists and Office managers based in its partner countries which currently include Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia and Jordan.
Country Economists represent the IGC locally and work under the leadership of the Country Manager and Lead Academic (the “country leadership team”). They form the link between key local policy makers in government, civil society and the private sector and global researchers. Their core responsibilities include:
• Implementing the Zambia’s Country strategy under the direction of the country leadership team;
• Managing high profile relationships with the highest level of government including the Presidency;
• Developing and maintaining the interaction with policy makers, and other key stakeholders;
• Write analytical policy research papers (often with senior co-PIs), policy briefs, and blogs under
the supervision of the country leadership team;
• Supporting researchers in facilitating research projects and managing these projects, with
potential opportunities to be involved as a researcher;
• Identifying opportunities for policy influence and managing the dissemination of research to policy
makers, NGOs, donors and the private sector through policy briefs, synthesis/ research papers,
meetings and events; and

Duties and Responsibilities

Work with the country leadership team to implement the Country Programme strategy. This will
involve monitoring that programme activities are in line with the overall country strategy and
periodically review progress against the overall country strategy.
2. Build and support relationships with local stakeholders, including government authorities,
multilateral and bilateral partners including FCDO, private sector stakeholders, civil society,
universities, think tanks and media, with the aim, ex ante, of identifying policy demands of concern
to policy makers and research gaps and, ex post, of maximising the impact of IGC research.
3. Write analytical policy research papers (often with senior co-PIs), policy briefs, and blogs under
the supervision of the country leadership team; these typically involve economic analysis using
local data embedded in a global literature framework and respond to policy maker demand.
4. Proactively develop new research projects to respond to demand for policy analysis and to fill
knowledge and research gaps in line with the country strategy and to identify opportunities and
vehicles for supporting policy formation by providing evidence and analysis. This will involve
reviewing projects at entry as part of the country team review, identifying and contacting
appropriate researchers and developing sources of relevant data, as well as working with the IGC
Hub to ensure that research proposals are developed according to IGC Guidelines. There are
opportunities for Country Economists to work on research projects alongside other researchers
should interests and skills match.
5. Facilitate research projects by establishing connections between researchers and policy makers
and other key stakeholders, if necessary, carrying out economic analysis, providing assistance in
mobilising requisite data, and engaging key policy interlocutors. It may also involve providing
logistical support for visiting researchers.
6. Engage in the management of research projects by ensuring, for example, that outputs are
received on time and satisfy our quality expectations. This will involve reviewing outputs and
working with the researchers to prepare these for sign-off by the country leadership team and IGC
Hub. It will also require the country economist to provide the IGC Hub with regular updates on
country/research projects.
7. Identify opportunities for analytical support to policy and coordinate the dissemination of research
outcomes, working with both the country leadership team and the IGC Hub. This implies
contributing to high quality policy briefs, research papers, synthesis papers, newspaper articles
and blogs for targeted groups of stakeholders. Further, this will involve the organisation of
dissemination events, locally or regionally and the online dissemination of research outputs on the
IGC website, both with support from the IGC Hub. Some country economists assume specific
responsibilities as communications leads.
8. Facilitate communication between Country Directors, Lead Academics and IGC Hub colleagues to
ensure the integration of the country-relevant policy and the IGC research agenda, in the context
of the evolving country situation.
9. Produce regular reports on research and policy developments in the country programme to the
country leadership team and the IGC Hub. This is an important part of contributing to the ongoing
monitoring and evaluation of the country programme and may involve activities such as tracking
the impact from engagements on particular research projects, and producing in-depth case
studies in collaboration with the IGC Hub.
10. Take joint responsibility with the IGC Hub for programme management, including drafting work
plans, terms of reference documents, budget management, forecasting and ensuring value for

For this hire, we are particularly interested in a candidate who can help grow our work on energy and environment.

Applicants should have strong economics skills, including knowledge of both macro and micro economics, excellent quantitative skills in economic analysis, sophisticated understanding of policy issues in developing countries, excellent communications and organisational skills, and hold a post-graduate degree (MSc/MPA/MPP/MA or PhD) in economics, development economics, public policy/administration finance, trade and industrial organisation, or a related discipline.  Knowledge and experience of Zambian policy issues would be an advantage.