Assistant Director, Rhodes Center

Brown University•Abington, MA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

On July 1, 2025, Brown University launched The Thomas J. Watson Jr. School of International and Public Affairs, further building on its commitment to expand and strengthen research and teaching on the world’s most pressing economic, political, social and policy challenges.The launch comes at a pivotal moment for the University, the nation, and the world. The School builds on more than a decade of growth within Brown’s Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, which will serve as the foundation of the school, and offers significant opportunities for expansion in faculty, research, and educational programming. About the role: The Assistant Director, Rhodes Center provides research and operational leadership for the Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance and its partner, Global Linkages Lab (GLL). Reporting to the Faculty Director, this role is responsible for implementing the Center’s expanded mission to bridge the gap between academic research and practical policy solutions in global economics and international finance. The Assistant Director acts as the Faculty Director’s primary partner in elevating the Center’s global profile, managing its research personnel, and driving wide reaching editorial outputs. This role requires strong economics research and technical data expertise, alongside strong communications and operational leadership experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s in Economics, Data Science, or International Affairs preferred. Equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
3-5 years of professional experience in a research-intensive environment, demonstrating a track record of managing large-scale data projects and high-level academic operations.
Expert-level coding skills (Stata, R, Python, SQL) and experience with high-level web design (UI/UX for data visualization).
Deep understanding and demonstrated research experience on international economic issues.
High-level web design and update skills, specifically for data-intensive platforms.
Ability to manage and interpret "big data" to support academic and policy-oriented research.
Executive presence to represent the Rhodes Center and Faculty Director to high-ranking visitors from international financial institutions and government agencies.
Strong financial management and organizational skills.
Exceptional editing skills for high-level op-eds and academic correspondence.
Ability to pivot the Center’s focus toward emerging global crises, translating the Faculty Director’s vision into actionable research data.

Responsibilities

Data Strategy and Research Infrastructure: Oversees the design and high-level integration of the Rhodes/GLL digital ecosystem, ensuring the platform can host "big data" and interact with global users at a scale exceeding standard academic sites. Utilizes key statistical programs (Stata, R, Python, SQL) to manage data and respond to complex researcher requests for data extraction and analysis. Leads the design and maintenance of high-level web platforms for GLL and Rhodes. Ensures the digital infrastructure can support large-scale data dissemination and interactive research tools. Facilitates the training of macroeconomics students in micro-data analysis, providing them with the tools to generate original empirical results. Applies research experience in international issues to support the Center’s focus.
Operations and Faculty Director Partnership: Partners with the Faculty Director on high-level editorial posts. Drafts and edits editorial letters, op-eds, and policy briefs aimed at global finance ministries and central banks. Directs the recruitment, interviewing, and selection of a global pipeline of predocs, postdocs, and visiting scholars. Serves as the primary mentor/manager for research assistants. Manages the payment and onboarding of all Center-affiliated scholars. Oversees the Center’s social media strategy, including real-time updates of media, interviews, and the production of Rhodes/GLL research podcasts. Manages the full Rhodes Center budget and the Director’s start-up funds. Leads the planning of the Annual Rhodes Conference, coordinating international visitors and multiple global calendars.