Opportunity: Country Analysts – productivity & decent work policies

• Location: Remote
• Duration: Mid-September to Mid-December 2025 (3 months)
• Remuneration: £3,000 (paid upon submission of final deliverables) – approximately 10 working days
• Application Deadline: 5 September 2025 at 23:50 UK time

About the Role

The Productivity Institute (TPI), based at The University of Manchester, is seeking Country Analysts to contribute to a global research project commissioned by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The study, “Bridging Policies for Productivity and Decent Work”, explores how national productivity policies align with decent work principles and inclusive growth.

To support the evidence base for the project, we are recruiting analysts for eight case studies of policies on productivity, inclusive growth and decent work for the following countries:

• Vietnam
• Ethiopia
• Egypt
• South Africa
• Colombia
• Mexico
• Philippines
• Malaysia

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct a desk-based review of international (ILO, World Bank, OECD, UN, etc.) and national (government, research institutes and think tank) policy documents and relevant academic policy studies (past 10 years) related to productivity, inclusive growth, and decent work in the country.
• Optionally conduct a limited number of stakeholder interviews.
• Produce a comprehensive country report (20-30 pages) and a country vignette (approx. 8 pages). Both reports should build on the project’s position paper and outline by the project leads (available by mid-September).
• Participate in:
  • A 2-hour online workshop with project leads
  • 1–2 follow-up sessions with project leaders
  • Regular check-ins with the country analyst coordinator

Research Themes

• Integration of decent work principles in productivity policies
• Trade-offs between productivity and employment outcomes
• Inclusion of marginalised groups and informal workers
• Support for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in productivity strategies
• Governance frameworks and stakeholder involvement

Candidate Requirements

• Proven experience in policy analysis, especially in economic and social domains
• Degree (bachelor, master, PhD) in a social science discipline (for example, economics or public policy)
• Strong analytical and report writing skills
• Excellent command of English (working and writing language)
• Proficiency in the national language of the selected country

Deliverables

• Draft report by end of November 2025
• Final report and vignette by mid-December 2025

How to Apply

Submit an online application (max. 500 words) outlining your motivation and qualifications. Include your CV and, if applicable, a list of publications. Please clearly indicate the country you propose to study as well as from where you plan to do the work.

• Applications should be sent to TPI-Applications@manchester.ac.uk
• Deadline: 5 September 2025 at 23:50 UK time
• Contact for queries: TPI-Applications@manchester.ac.uk (responses within 3 working days)

Eligibility and Practical Considerations

Applications are welcome from independent experts and university students (see Candidate Requirements for details on qualifications)

•  Independent Experts: Arrangements will be made on a consultancy basis. If you are based outside the UK, different contractual and payment arrangements may apply. Depending on the country, approval may be subject to a due diligence process at The University of Manchester, including export control checks, to ensure compliance with UK regulations.
• Students:
  • To be eligible for this project, you need to study in a Master programme or above (PhD or postdoctoral).
  • If you study at a UK institution, please note that you may be subject to restrictions on the number of hours you can undertake paid work during term time. If you are a foreign student as a UK institution and you hold a Student (Tier 4) visa, you may also be subject to specific restriction on paid work. It will be your responsibility to ensure that participation in this project is compatible with your visa conditions or any other restrictions on your right to work.
  • If you study at a foreign institution, different contractual and payment arrangements may apply. Depending on the country, approval may be subject to a due diligence process at The University of Manchester, including export control checks, to ensure compliance with UK regulations.

Background information to the study

The Productivity Institute, a research institute headquartered at The University of Manchester (UK), is conducting a study for the International Labour Organization on “Bridging Policies for Productivity and Decent Work”.

The overarching goal of the project is to assess and promote the integration of the ILO’s Decent Work principles in the light of pro-productivity policies as established by The Productivity Institute. The project seeks to inform policies by examining:

• How current productivity policies address various aspects of decent work and inclusive growth;
• The involvement of individual workers, employers and worker representative groups, educational and training institutions, and other social and employment stakeholders in policy discussions, including productivity; and
• How these insights can guide the future design of productivity policies that support inclusive growth and decent work.
• Address the role of industrial policies and strategies on productivity, growth and decent work.

Research questions asked are:

• Integration of decent work in pro-productivity policies: How do current productivity policies, as outlined in TPI’s Pro-Productivity Policies Framework, incorporate decent work principles? Are job creation, quality, and inclusive access explicitly addressed? How are labour regulations, active labour market policies, social dialogue, social protection, informal sector, and skills strategies integrated into policies to ensure that productivity gains translate into fair wages, decent working conditions, formal employment, and broader access to quality jobs?
• Trade-offs and synergies: How are potential conflicts between productivity gains, just transition and employment outcomes managed? What measures are in place to support displaced workers? Are there examples where productivity strategies have fostered both innovation and decent work?
• Informality and inclusion: How do policies address informality and promote the inclusion of marginalized groups, such as women, youth, and rural workers?
• Support for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs): Are MSMEs included in productivity strategies? What mechanisms exist to ensure their participation and benefit?
• Governance and dialogue: What governance frameworks support policy coherence? What is the role of different government departments, including labour, economic affairs, and finance, and how do they work together? Are social partners (unions, employer organisations) and (financial) development agencies actively involved in policy design and implementation? To what extent are “decent work” principles explicitly addresses?

This project is commissioned by the SME Branch at the International Labour Organization, and led by Professor Bart van Ark and Dr. Dirk Pilat at The Productivity Institute.

About The Productivity Institute

The Productivity Institute is a UK-wide research organisation headquartered at Alliance Manchester Business School, part of The University of Manchester. It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and brings together leading experts from various disciplines to address one of the UK’s most pressing economic challenges: improving productivity to enhance living standards and well-being.