Jobs at Reform

Deputy Director

Reform is an independent, charitable, non-party think tank whose mission is to set out a better way to deliver public services and economic prosperity. Our aim is to produce outstanding research on the core issues of the economy, health, education, and law and order, and on the right balance between government and individual; and to communicate it to the public and to opinion formers in all parties and none in order to create a consensus for reform. Reform has been described as “exciting and intelligent” by the Daily Telegraph and “influential” by the Guardian. Last year, Rt Hon Frank Field MP wrote: “In ten years Reform, more than any other body, has changed how politics works in this country. An obsession in believing that more money is the answer to practically every problem is giving way to a debate that increasingly focuses on outcomes.”

The successful candidate will have a total commitment to Reform's founding principles and first class intellectual ability. This is a job for someone with considerable experience. He or she will share strategic oversight of the organisation with the co-founder and Director, Andrew Haldenby, and work closely with him, accountable to the Trustees for three priorities: quality and impact of work; culture and leadership of the organisation; and finance.

The first priority is Reform’s quality and impact. The successful candidate will have a strong track record in research and a thorough understanding of economics and public policy across spending departments, with knowledge of the workings of Westminster and Whitehall. The job involves both long-term research and more short-burst responsive work, writing and issuing briefs quickly and accurately in relation to major policy events, such as the Budget, Spending Review and major Departmental reports. Communication is integral to the role: he or she will frequently chair and speak at conferences, seminars and dinners, with Cabinet Ministers and Members of the Shadow Cabinet, along with leading civil servants, public leaders, business people, academics and journalists. He or she will appear frequently on national television and radio and write comment articles and features in national newspapers.

Reform’s second priority is culture and leadership. The successful candidate will understand the principles of sound corporate governance and financial management, and be able to demonstrate them in practice. This is a role for someone who is adept at managing external relationships with the non-party Board of Trustees and cross-party Advisory Board, and knows how to manage a team of brilliant individuals to get the best out of them. He or she will have day-to-day responsibility for the recruitment, training and performance management of the team. He or she will show personal integrity and be absolutely committed to the independence of the charity. Carrying out benchmarking reviews of the charity against its competitors, they will be committed to making Reform the leading public services research institute in the country. 

Financial health is Reform’s third priority. We achieved another record year of income in 2012, contributing substantially to our charitable reserves and the sustainability of the organisation. Unlike many think tanks, none of our research is directly funded by either individuals or companies. Individual philanthropists support Reform through unrestricted donation. Companies support Reform by joining our Corporate Partnership Programme, and by sponsoring policy seminars and conferences Reform publishes the details of its corporate donations and has been praised for its transparency. The deputy director plays a key role in fundraising and the day-to-day management of the accounts, as well as overseeing the annual audit process with the auditors, and the publication of the Trustee Report and Annual Review.

Overall, the successful candidate will be exceptionally well organised, good at generating ideas and thinking strategically, but also happy to muck in with the routine operations of a small but highly productive team, often under considerable pressure. The job will go to someone who can demonstrate an excellent track record which raises them above the competition, while being the type of person who believes no task is below them.

Salary

Competitive + performance bonus

To apply

Starts immediately.

To apply, please email a CV and covering letter to info@reform.co.uk.

For further information, please email info@reform.co.uk.

Closing date 21 June 2013.