Household Finance Researcher

We are seeking a Researcher focusing on topics related to household finance, which in broad terms relates to understanding the decisions on how much individuals should consume, save and invest in their lifetime. Our current research agenda relates to understanding retirement outcomes and investor behaviour.

The Investment Strategy Group (ISG) is a global team that serves as Vanguard’s in-house research team, with subject matter experts based in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. The team produce industry-leading papers and publications that help shape perspectives, play a central role in developing Vanguard’s investment and advice methodology, and inform decisions about our investment offerings and strategies.

We are seeking a Researcher focusing on topics related to household finance, which in broad terms relates to understanding the decisions on how much individuals should consume, save and invest in their lifetime. Our current research agenda relates to understanding retirement outcomes and investor behaviour. Your work will generate thought leadership with applications to Vanguard business, media, public policy, and the academic research community. In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to work with senior business partners to inform Vanguard products and services as well as collaborate on surveys and experiments to study how people make decisions for retirement savings and generating income in retirement.

Vanguard has incredible people and an inspiring mission: To take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success. If you are interested in making a positive impact on the retirement outcomes of households and have a passion for data, research, and working in teams, this is a great opportunity for you. Vanguard is fully committed to having a diverse and inclusive working environment. This role will be based in London, UK.

In this role, you will:

• Conduct research and analysis on household finance topics, with special focus on retirement outcomes and investor behaviour.
• Analyze a wide range of microdata from surveys, experiments, third-party and public datasets, distilling data into compelling visualizations and “killer charts” to tell differentiated stories.
• Help shape Vanguard’s house view on household finance, retirement savings and spending, financial advice, and public policy. Distill insights into high-impact written materials, including research memos, articles, and academic papers.
• Serve as an ambassador for Vanguard by presenting your research to a wide range of audiences, from internal business partners to investors, advisors, and industry and academic conferences.
• Participate in group discussions designed to identify and debate investment and household finance topics and potential research projects. Develop recommendations on new research topics or methodology issues.
• Proactively identify opportunities to enhance team research capabilities, such as new data sources or analytic techniques.
• Keep up to date with the academic and practitioner research literature on your research field.

What it takes

Please do not be put off from applying if you do not meet all the criteria in the below.

• A PhD in economics, finance or another relevant quantitative subject.

• Minimum of two years work experience in a research-related role.
• Be proficient at analysing large datasets, identifying trends, and assessing the significance of changes.
• Be able to work on your own, in teams, and across boundaries.
• Exceptionally strong writing skills and the ability to explain complex concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Be capable of producing high-quality analysis to tight deadlines. Excellent time management and organisational skills.

Background

• ISG’s Retirement Research team studies global retirement planning, savings, spending, and access, with the goal of providing solutions and education that enhance people’s chances of achieving retirement success.

Special Factors

• Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.
• Hybrid work model.

About Vanguard

Vanguard is an investment company unlike any other. It was founded by Jack Bogle in the US in 1975 on a simple but ground-breaking idea: that an investment company should handle its funds solely in the interests of its clients. Jack helped bring investing to the masses with the index fund. Index funds do not pick individual shares or bonds to beat the market. They supervise the performance of the entire market. Or as Jack put it, "Don’t look for the needle in the haystack. Just buy the haystack!”. We have stood for low-cost, uncomplicated investing ever since. Over the last 45 years people have come round to our way of thinking and more than 30 million investors worldwide now trust us with their money.

Inclusion Statement

Vanguard’s continued dedication to diversity and inclusion is firmly rooted in our culture. Every decision we make to best serve our clients, crew (internally employees are referred to as crew), and communities is guided by one simple statement: “Do the right thing.”

We believe that a critical aspect of doing the right thing requires building diverse, inclusive, and highly effective teams of individuals who are as unique as the clients they serve. We empower our crew to contribute their distinct strengths to achieving Vanguard’s core purpose through our values.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.