The Centre for Policy Studies is Britain’s leading centre-right think tank. Our mission is to develop a new generation of conservative thinking, built around promoting enterprise, ownership and prosperity.
Research Director
Location: London
Salary: Competitive/Depending on experience
Closing Date: 31 August 2026 (may appoint before deadline)
The Centre for Policy Studies, the UK’s leading centre-right think tank, is looking for an experienced
public policy professional with a deep belief in the CPS’s core principles to oversee our research
programme.
The successful candidate will be responsible for:
– Shaping and delivering a programme of impactful, high-quality research
– Managing our policy team and overseeing and editing their output
– Helping to run the CPS’s flagship Thatcher Fellowship programme, including topic selection and
compiling the monthly reading lists
– Working with a wide range of external contributors and commercial partners
– Producing their own research
– Serving as part of the CPS’s senior leadership team, supporting the new CPS Director and
contributing to the organisation’s strategic direction
– Curating the CPS reports archive
Required experience and skills:
– Significant experience of developing and analysing UK public policy
– Excellent knowledge of economics and economic debates
– Experience managing a team and overseeing/editing high-quality policy output
– Experience of editing policy reports and copy for articles and op-eds
– Experience using AI tools to assist in research, data analysis and administrative tasks
– Understanding of and commitment to the CPS’s values and objectives
– Experiencing managing relationships within government, politics or the private sector
Desirable experience and skills:
– Experience as a public speaker, event chair and media commentator
– Training in advanced data analysis
– Strong relationship management and experience in dealing with key stakeholders
– Familiarity with centre-right policy community in the UK and beyond
– Experience of writing successful grant applications and developing commercial partnerships
– Experience using X and other social media to amplify policy and analysis
Application Details
Please send a CV and cover letter outlining why you would be suitable for this role to Bryony Betts (applications@cps.org.uk) putting ‘[Your Name] (Research Director Application)’ in the subject line.
Internships
The Centre for Policy Studies provides paid internships with our Research, Events and CapX functions throughout the year. However they are advertised as and when the need arises. If you are interested in internships, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on social media to find out when positions are advertised.
