January 27, 2020
Nadine Bowen

Vacancy for Senior Economist/Researcher

We are looking for a strong senior professional to manage and lead teams and contribute to tackling the challenges our clients face.

Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL) is a research led consultancy that has been in business for more than 60 years. We do not only provide financial, business and economic advice, but also broader advice on wellbeing, long term strategy and forecasting to a broad range of clients from central to local government, iwi and the private sector.

The challenge

We are looking for a strong senior professional to manage and lead teams and contribute to tackling the challenges our clients face.  The challenge is that we know that New Zealand and our economy is currently sitting precariously on several burning platforms.  Some are simmering, some are smouldering, but some are outright sizzling.  There is, for example, climate change, the relentless march of laboratory grown meat, the increasing nationalism around the globe resulting in rising trade protectionism, the heightened questioning of the legitimacy of the economic system as growing inequality makes its mark, and not to mention demographic upheaval, provincial stresses as populations migrate to larger urban centres, the presence of cryptocurrencies, robots, and more.

Your opportunity

You will need to assess these challenges to determine the disruptive potential and advise responses and strategies for the decision makers, businesses, workers, communities, iwi, hapū, families, and whanau of Aotearoa.  Our work are funded by public and private sector clients, philanthropic or social enterprise organisations, and/or our own pro-bono pool of funds.

You will likely have an economics degree.  If not, you will be comfortable with (and arguing about) economic concepts.  You will already have several years’ experience working in research teams, also managing and leading these teams.  But you will be yearning for the opportunity to delve deeper into today’s challenges.  You will be comfortable questioning the conventional wisdom and will welcome and encourage new thoughts and alternative perspectives.

Our kaupapa is about people, communities, and their futures.

BERL embraces diversity and especially welcomes people from all ethnicities and of any sexual orientation.

We are the preferred provider of economic advice to the Federation of Māori Authorities (FOMA), a principal sponsor of the Society of Local Government Managers, a partner of Tāwhiri (the force behind the New Zealand Festival), a humble supporter of the Wellington City Mission and we are a proud Accredited Living Wage employer.

If this opportunity excites you, then get in touch – and drop us a few lines to convince us how you will make a difference and contribute to this opportunity. 

For more information or to submit your application email info@berl.co.nz