Research Fellow (West Africa) at Chatham House: Full-Time Policy Research Job in London
The Chatham House Africa Programme is inviting applications for a Research Fellow (West Africa) to contribute to independent policy research and convening activities focused on West Africa, with significant work on Nigeria and scope to expand regional coverage over time.
This is a full-time, permanent position based in London, offering an annual salary of £45,000. The successful candidate will join Chatham House’s Africa Programme and contribute to research covering governance, politics, economy and trade, security, and the wider regional and international relationships of African states.
The application deadline is Tuesday, 29 September 2026 at 23:59 BST.
About the Chatham House Africa Programme
The Africa Programme conducts policy research examining issues affecting individual African states as well as their regional and international relations. The programme seeks to produce research that is relevant to policymakers and contributes to discussions on major political, economic, governance and security issues affecting the continent.
As a Research Fellow, the successful applicant will contribute to this work through research projects, publications, stakeholder engagement, events and conferences.
The position is particularly focused on West Africa, including substantial work on Nigeria, while also providing an opportunity for the researcher to expand their regional coverage over time.
The role therefore combines academic and policy-oriented research with practical engagement with stakeholders and the wider policy community.
Research Fellow (West Africa) Role Overview
The Research Fellow will be expected to contribute to the development and delivery of a range of research and convening activities relating to West Africa.
The position covers several major thematic areas, including:
- Politics and governance
- Economy and trade
- Security
- Regional affairs
- International relations
- Policy research and analysis
The successful candidate will also contribute to significant research work concerning Nigeria and will have the opportunity to work across different issues affecting West Africa.
This makes the position suitable for an experienced researcher who can work across multiple policy areas rather than focusing exclusively on one narrow research topic.
Key Responsibilities
1. Designing and Delivering Research Projects
A major responsibility of the Research Fellow will be to help develop and deliver research projects that support the strategic objectives of the Africa Programme and Chatham House.
This includes contributing to research from the initial development stage through to the production and dissemination of findings.
The successful candidate will therefore need to be capable of identifying important research questions, developing research proposals and contributing to projects that have clear policy relevance.
Research projects will be expected to advance understanding of important developments in West Africa and generate findings that can contribute to policy discussions.
2. Producing Policy-Relevant Research
The Research Fellow will produce high-quality research relating to West Africa.
The position specifically covers research across areas such as:
- Politics
- Governance
- Economy
- Trade
- Security
The role requires more than simply producing academic research. The research should be policy relevant, meaning that the findings should be useful to people involved in understanding, developing or implementing policy.
The researcher will therefore need to demonstrate the ability to analyse complex issues, identify important developments and communicate findings clearly to a policy audience.
3. Research on Nigeria and West Africa
The role includes significant work on Nigeria, alongside broader research covering West Africa.
Nigeria is one of the major areas of focus mentioned in the position, meaning applicants should be prepared to engage deeply with developments affecting the country while also understanding the wider regional context.
The position also provides scope for the successful researcher to expand their regional coverage over time.
This means the role can involve developing expertise beyond an initial area of specialization as the researcher contributes to the broader work of the Africa Programme.
4. Developing Research Proposals
The successful candidate will be expected to have experience developing successful research proposals.
This is an important requirement because research at a policy institute often begins with identifying a relevant issue, developing a research question, establishing an appropriate research approach and presenting a convincing proposal.
Applicants should therefore be able to demonstrate previous experience turning research ideas into structured and deliverable research projects.
5. Supporting Research Events and Conferences
The role is not limited to written research.
The Research Fellow will also be involved in designing and supporting research events and conferences.
These activities are intended to maximise the diversity of voices, expertise and perspectives involved in discussions about West Africa.
Responsibilities may therefore involve helping to develop event content, identify relevant participants and support discussions that bring together different perspectives and areas of expertise.
Skills and Experience Required
Chatham House is looking for an individual with a significant track record of policy research on West Africa.
Experience in West African Policy Research
Applicants should have substantial experience conducting policy research relating to West Africa.
This should demonstrate an understanding of important regional issues and the ability to produce research that can contribute to policy discussions.
Experience developing successful research proposals is also specifically highlighted as a requirement.
Strong Analytical Skills
The role requires exceptional analytical ability.
The successful candidate will need to examine complex political, economic, governance and security issues, identify important information and develop clear conclusions that can be communicated to policy audiences.
Strong analytical skills are particularly important because the position covers multiple thematic areas across the region.
Excellent Writing and Communication Skills
The successful candidate will also need exceptional writing and communication skills.
This includes the ability to produce high-quality policy-relevant publications and communicate research findings effectively.
Applicants should be able to demonstrate a background in publications that have had demonstrable impact.
This indicates that Chatham House is looking for someone with an established record of communicating research beyond simply completing internal research assignments.
Ability to Manage Multiple Priorities
The Research Fellow will work across research projects, events, stakeholder engagement and other programme activities.
Applicants therefore need experience managing multiple priorities while maintaining a high standard of work.
The ability to deliver high-quality work within deadlines is specifically identified in the requirements.
What Kind of Researcher Is Chatham House Looking For?
The advertised position is aimed at an experienced policy researcher rather than someone entering research for the first time.
The successful applicant is expected to bring:
- A significant track record of research on West Africa.
- Experience developing successful research proposals.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Excellent writing and communication abilities.
- Experience producing policy-relevant publications.
- Evidence that their research has had demonstrable impact.
- The ability to manage several priorities simultaneously.
- The ability to consistently deliver high-quality work within deadlines.
- An understanding of political, governance, economic, trade and security issues affecting West Africa.
Employment Details
The position offers the following employment conditions:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Position | Research Fellow (West Africa) |
| Programme | Africa Programme |
| Organisation | Chatham House |
| Contract | Full-time, permanent |
| Salary | £45,000 per year |
| Location | St James’s Square, London |
| Working arrangement | Hybrid |
| Office requirement | At least 2 days per week onsite |
| Remote-only work | Not available |
| Application deadline | 29 September 2026, 23:59 BST |
Although the position is described as hybrid, applicants should note that this is not a fully remote position.
The successful candidate will be expected to work onsite at the London office for at least two days each week. Additional flexibility may also be required depending on event requirements.
Salary and Benefits
The advertised salary is £45,000 per year.
In addition to the salary, Chatham House lists a range of employment benefits.
Annual Leave
Benefits include approximately 37 days of annual leave, including public holidays and Chatham House closure days.
Pension
Employees can access a pension salary exchange arrangement.
Employee Assistance
The organisation provides an employee assistance programme as part of its employee benefits.
Parental Leave
Parental leave is also included among the benefits offered to employees.
Flexible Working
The position provides flexible working arrangements, although this should not be interpreted as fully remote employment because the role has a minimum requirement for onsite work in London.
Chatham House also states that it offers other benefits intended to support employees’ individual lifestyles and working needs.
Workplace and Equal Opportunity
Chatham House states that it is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity.
The organisation says it does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics and encourages applications from people from all backgrounds.
Applicants who require support or adjustments during the application experience can contact the Human Resources team at HR@Chathamhouse.org.
Visit HERE to learn more about the Research Fellow (West Africa) at Chatham House
Who Should Apply?
This opportunity is particularly relevant to experienced researchers with established expertise in West Africa.
The advertised requirements indicate that applicants should have a substantial policy research track record rather than simply an academic interest in the region.
Potential applicants should be able to demonstrate experience in:
- West African policy research
- Research proposal development
- Policy-relevant publications
- Research analysis
- Research communication
- Managing multiple research priorities
- Delivering projects within deadlines
- Producing research with demonstrable impact
Because the role focuses significantly on Nigeria and broader West Africa, applicants should have relevant regional expertise.
Geographic Eligibility
The provided vacancy information does not specify a nationality or citizenship restriction.
It describes the role as a position based at Chatham House’s London office and states that the successful candidate must work onsite at least two days per week.
Therefore, the source information does not establish that the position is restricted to applicants from a particular African country, European country, continent or racial/ethnic background.
Applicants who require specific UK work authorization should check the full vacancy information and relevant employment requirements before applying, as the provided description does not specify the visa or work-permission arrangements.
Race and Ethnicity Eligibility
The vacancy does not specify a particular race or ethnic group as an eligibility requirement.
Instead, Chatham House states that it is an equal opportunity employer, values diversity and encourages applications from all backgrounds.
Why the Role Is Relevant to West Africa
The Research Fellow position provides an opportunity to work on issues that affect both individual countries and the wider region.
Its thematic scope includes governance, politics, economy and trade, and security, allowing the researcher to examine West African issues from multiple policy perspectives.
The role’s significant focus on Nigeria also provides an opportunity for the successful candidate to contribute to research concerning one of the region’s major countries while maintaining a broader West African focus.
The stated possibility of expanding regional coverage over time also means that the position is not limited to one country or one narrowly defined policy issue.
Application Deadline
Applicants must submit their applications by:
Tuesday, 29 September 2026 at 23:59 BST.
Candidates interested in the position should allow sufficient time to review the complete job description and prepare their application before the closing time.
How to Apply
The full job description and application process are available through the Chatham House careers portal.
Full Job Description and Application:
Chatham House – Research Fellow (West Africa)
Applicants should review the complete vacancy information carefully because the information provided above is based on the opportunity details supplied for this article.
Conclusion
The Research Fellow (West Africa) position at Chatham House is a full-time, permanent research opportunity focused on policy research concerning West Africa, with significant work on Nigeria.
The successful candidate will contribute to research projects, policy-relevant publications, stakeholder engagement, research events and conferences across areas including politics, governance, economy and trade, and security.
Chatham House is seeking a researcher with a significant track record in West African policy research, experience developing successful research proposals, strong analytical and communication skills, evidence of impactful policy publications and the ability to manage multiple priorities while meeting deadlines.
The role is based in London, operates on a hybrid basis and requires at least two days of onsite work each week. It offers a salary of £45,000 per year, alongside approximately 37 days of annual leave and other employment benefits.
Interested applicants should ensure they meet the experience requirements and review the complete vacancy before applying.
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