Smart Thinking

Want to find the latest research being produced by British think tanks? Sign up for our fortnightly round up - out tomorrow - and all the latest reports, events, jobs and findings!

🖊️http://eepurl.com/cRkrK5

Everyone hard at work planning their pitch for our fundraising role playing - exciting times at the Fundraising Fundamentals training!

How can think tanks use big data in research?

Great to join @smartthinking.bsky.social yesterday. Our Chief Economist @paulswinney.bsky.social spoke on how tools like The Data City help map emerging sectors in real time.

Try it yourself: thedatacity.com/free-trial/

📢NEW POLICY JOB!📢 @wiltonpark.bsky.social are looking for someone to join them and play a lead role in delivering their mission as HEAD OF POLICY. You will be a member of the SLT and oversee a team of Programme Directors and Policy Officers.

Interested? Apply here: bit.ly/3ZqcTY9

Fancy a chance to gain insight into an exciting and ambitious international institute focused on statecraft, diplomacy, and geopolitics with a historical perspective? The Ax:son Johnson Institute are looking for a Comms & Events Coordinator to join their permanent team:

bit.ly/4pFsdLr

⏰Closing soon!⏰There are a raft of new roles available @labourtogether.bsky.social which will really appeal to anyone who wants to craft the strategy + consider the politics to make good ideas happen.

You still have the weekend to apply:
bit.ly/4p37ssD
bit.ly/3YCc2mW

The Huth Initiative for a New Political Economy (HINPE) at @lsepoliticsblog.bsky.social are looking for a PROGRAMME MANAGER to be the key org + strategic lead as they bring together leading academics to develop ideas + policies for a more sustainable economic system.

Apply here: bit.ly/4q8cPYZ

New senior research role now open for applications @csjthinktank.bsky.social!

Do you have a proven track record in producing high-quality education policy research and supporting high-impact advocacy campaigns? The CSJ wants to hear from you!

Apply here👉 bit.ly/3L5S8Oh

Ever thought about what fundraising in a think tank might look like? We asked Charlotte, Senior Partnerships Officer at think tank @green-alliance.org.uk what her typical day looks like and the challenges and skills you need:

👉 bit.ly/4aNWnbC

Our first think tank round up of 2026 is out tomorrow morning! If you want the latest think tank reports, their upcoming events and important findings all in one place then sign up here:

🖊️http://eepurl.com/cRkrK5

Multiple new think tank roles now open! @labourtogether.bsky.social are looking for good people with an excellent understanding of the current policy and political environment to join their team:

👉Policy Unit: bit.ly/3YCc2mW
👉Political Researcher: bit.ly/4p37ssD

Kicking off our last training session of 2025 with some brand new communications training - talking about all things strategy, audience and advocating for comms internally!

Do you have:
▶️Excellent research + analysis skills?
▶️Excellent verbal + written comms skills?
▶️A strong understanding of public policy + political trends?

@futuregovforum.bsky.social are looking for a new Researcher and want to hear from you!

👉Apply here: bit.ly/3YrVb6e

Fab meeting this morning with our think tank Operations Network! We got through a PACKED agenda answering lots of people’s queries, current challenges and requests for recommendations. Thanks to @green-alliance.org.uk for being wonderful hosts (with a brilliant view!)
🥧☕️

New job alert! @futuregovforum.bsky.social are looking for someone with experience devising + delivering effective comms campaigns, with a sound understanding of how to promote research to join their growing team.

Sound like you?

Apply here: bit.ly/3Ko4alJ

Accomplished communicator with experience in sales/business dev/fundraising?

Experienced in think tanks/policy/public affairs?

@instituteforgovernment.org.uk are looking for a new Partnerships Manager to lead their business function. Could this be you? Apply now!

bit.ly/3XS3Aj0

A great session on how to rebrand a think tank was our November webinar. We welcomed Hannah Corbett who led @pbe.co.uk's recent rebrand to take us through the common pitfalls and things you want to include/focus on. Members can find it in our archive 👇
bit.ly/4rhQZDc

Out tomorrow is our fortnightly think tank round up - if you want to get the most recent reports, find out which think tanks are hosting events soon or the latest think tank findings then sign up 👇

eepurl.com/cRkrK5

Do you have excellent research and analysis skills? Interested in helping local councils, combined authorities, govt + others to develop policies to grow local + regional economies? @countrcultrcslty.bsky.social are looking for a new Consultant to join them. Apply now: bit.ly/4p9nB0N

New researcher role now open! @nuffieldtrust.org.uk are looking for a Researcher to contribute to their mission by delivering high-quality research, evaluation, and policy analysis. Could this be you?

Apply now 👇

bit.ly/4o5qoqa

Looking for your first start in think tanks? @edupolicyinst.bsky.social are recruiting a Executive & Events Officer to join their comms, partnerships and events team! If you fancy broadening your skills, supporting policy events and having real impact - apply here:

bit.ly/484sfWw

The Innovation Award - Yuan Yang, MP for Earley and Woodley and member of the Treasury Select Committee, said: The reliability of data isn’t just some abstract concern of policy wonks. It has real-world consequences; from the way interest rates are set to the way the government decides what to spend money on. In particular many policymakers and I have raised concerns about the reliability of our labour market figures. I’m glad that the Resolution Foundation has stepped up to provide a vital policymaking product where the ONS has failed. Stepping in to fulfil the function a state would usually provide is an unusual and brave example of think-tank innovation. The Resolution Foundation’s data has also spurred fierce debate over whose account is better – the ONS or the Resolution Foundation.”

We're delighted to have received the @smartthinking.bsky.social Innovation Award for our alternative estimate of UK employment. Huge congratulations to @adamcorlett.bsky.social, @hannahslaughter.bsky.social and everyone else who helped put this together 👏

buff.ly/uBRoQa2

What a night it was! Thanks to all the think tanks who came and brought the fun and a special congratulations to our worthy winners! 🏆

#SmartThinkingAwards

We're delighted to be among the five 'highly commended' runners-up for this year's Think Tank of the Year Award.
@smartthinking.bsky.social

Children Missing from Education - Education Policy Institute A new report by the Education Policy Institute finds that up to 300,000 children may be missing from education entirely. By comparing GP registrations with school registrations and data on pupils in r...

Great to see EPI's work on children missing from education recognised at the inaugural @smartthinking.bsky.social awards last night.

"300,000 children are missing entirely from education" was the "killer stat of the year".

Read the report: epi.org.uk/publications...

Very proud of Our Policy Director @jo3hill.bsky.social winning 'Think Tanker of the Year' at last night's inaugural @smartthinking.bsky.social Think Tank Awards

Also chuffed to have been named the runner up to the esteemed IFS as Think Tank of the Year.

HIGHLY COMMENDED! We are pleased that @policywise.bsky.social was runner up in the "1 to watch" category at the inaugural @smartthinking.bsky.social awards. 2 years since we launched website, newsletter & Wise in 5s. What an adventure launching a new initiative to build understanding of devolution.

Absolutely delighted that our @theifs.bsky.social work evaluating the effects of Sure Start centres won the "Publication of the Year" prize at last night's @smartthinking.bsky.social awards!

It's wonderful to be recognised for the quality and impact of our work.
ifs.org.uk/publications...

We're thrilled to announce that IFS has won @smartthinking.bsky.social's Think Tank of the Year 2025 and Best Publication for our research on Sure Start's effects on children's outcomes.

Many congratulations to all involved, and thanks to the judges and Smart Thinking for their hard work!

Really proud of the whole team at @futuregovforum.bsky.social for being highly commended as 'One To Watch' at the inaugural @smartthinking.bsky.social awards last night. A real achievement less than two years after we launched.

And congrats to @britishprogress.org who took home the award!