Kerslake Fellow
Full time, two-year fixed term contract.
For 40 years, NEF has turned big ideas, rigorous research and community power into real-world change. At this critical moment in politics, we’re looking for a talented researcher to join our team.
The late Lord Kerslake was a lifelong advocate for social justice and worked tirelessly in his career and in retirement to promote access to secure, affordable housing for all. At the time of his untimely passing he was Chair of the New Economics Foundation (NEF), the Peabody Trust and the Kerslake Commission on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping hosted by St Mungo’s. These three organisations have come together to honour Bob by creating a Kerslake Fellowship to work on improving outcomes in housing and homelessness, and especially for social housing.
Employed at NEF for a two-year contract initially, this role will help develop policy and practice capable of delivering big shifts in housing policy that will result in genuinely affordable, high quality and secure homes for all. The Kerslake Fellow will produce high-quality research that will help build the evidence base in social housing and homelessness, generate recommendations for actions that will lead to better outcomes, and build relationships with key stakeholders that will help deliver policy change.
We’re looking for someone with a relevant degree (or equivalent experience), a solid understanding of the housing sector and the challenges and opportunities it faces. At least three to five years’ experience in planning, developing and managing multi-stakeholder projects and/or campaigns. Just as important is the ability to ability to deal with people at all levels, internally and externally, demonstrable organisational and administrative skill and a commitment to building the new, environmentally sustainable economy with redistribution of power and resources at its core.
Role: Kerslake Fellowship
Hours of work: Full Time (32 hours per week under NEF’s Shorter Working Week)
Salary range: £42,868 — £45,850
Location: Hybrid
London-based staff are expected to spend two days a week in our central London office, but we will explore different arrangements with individuals where this is helpful to support making reasonable adjustments for those with protected characteristics and/or caring responsibilities.
Contract type: Two-year fixed term
How to apply
Deadline for applications: midnight, 30th November 2025
Interviews: First stage short online interview 4th December 2025 and final stage in person at our London office on 8th December 2025
Start date: ASAP
To apply, please send your CV and one page letter of interest (in Word format) to recruitment@neweconomics.org:
Please also complete the Equality and diversity monitoring form.
You must be eligible to work in the UK, as we are unable to sponsor visas.
NEF is committed to equal opportunities, and we particularly welcome applications from people under-represented in research and policy — including Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates; disabled people; LGBTQIA candidates; people with mental health conditions; and those from working class backgrounds. We also strongly encourage applications from anyone who is prepared to learn and grow on the job, and stress that past think tank experience is not required.
As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.
