Head of Behavioral Economics and Retirement Research

Lead Vanguard’s Behavioral Economics and Retirement research in Europe to establish Vanguard as the authoritative global voice on retail investors—shaping industry thinking, informing policy, and driving better financial outcomes for investors worldwide.

Lead Vanguard’s Behavioral Economics and Retirement research in Europe to establish Vanguard as the authoritative global voice on retail investors—shaping industry thinking, informing policy, and driving better financial outcomes for investors worldwide.

This role combines thought leadership, people leadership, and business influence. You will set the research agenda, lead a high-performing team, and translate insights into tangible impact across Vanguard’s products, advice, and client experience

What you will do:

1) Set the research agenda and drive insight

• Define and execute a multi-year research strategy across behavioral economics and retirement
• Identify high-impact questions at the frontier of:
  • Retail investor behavior and decision-making
  • Retirement accumulation and decumulation
• Leverage large-scale administrative, market, and survey data to produce breakthrough insights
• Position Vanguard research at the intersection of data, policy, and client outcomes

2) Lead and develop a best-in-class team

• Build and lead a multi-disciplinary research team (economists, data scientists, policy researchers)
• Coach and develop talent, creating a strong pipeline of future leaders
• Set a high bar for intellectual rigor, storytelling, and impact
• Foster a culture of ownership, innovation, and collaboration across regions (US, UK, Europe, AUS)

3) Translate research into business impact

• Partner with senior stakeholders in the UK and Continental Europe across:
  • Investment Strategy Group
  • Product and Marketing
  • Public Policy
• Turn research findings into actionable recommendations that influence:
  • Product design (e.g., retirement solutions)
  • Advice frameworks and client experiences
  • Business strategy and positioning
• Ensure research outputs translate into measurable investor outcomes

4) Serve as a public voice for Vanguard

• Act as a senior spokesperson for Vanguard on retail investor topics
• Engage regularly with:
  • Financial press and media
  • Policymakers and regulators
  • Industry bodies and conferences
• Deliver compelling, plain-language narratives that reinforce Vanguard’s mission
• Build Vanguard’s brand as the trusted authority on retail investors globally

5) Influence policy and industry direction

• Lead research that informs debates on:
  • Retirement systems and policy (e.g. savings, defaults and decumulation)
  • Investor protection and behavioral design
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to shape policy outcomes
• Ensure Vanguard has a clear, evidence-based voice in public discourse

What success looks like (12–24 months)

• Vanguard is recognized as the go-to authority on retirement and investor behavior
• Research directly shapes:
  • At least 2–3 major product, advice, or policy decisions
• Strong pipeline of externally visible thought leadership (press, conferences, policymaker engagement)
• A high-performing, engaged team with clear succession depth
• Clear integration of research into client-facing insights and actions

What it takes:

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in:
  • Economics, behavioral science, finance, or public policy
• Proven track record of:
  • Leading teams and complex research programs
  • Publishing impactful research using large datasets
• Experience engaging with media, policymakers, or industry audiences

Capabilities

• Strategic leadership: ability to set a vision and mobilize teams around it
• Research excellence: rigorous analytical and empirical skills
• Storytelling & influence: translate complex insights into compelling narratives
• Stakeholder leadership: ability to shape decisions across senior business partners
• External presence: credible, confident spokesperson in public forums

Education

• Advanced degree (PhD or Master’s) in economics, finance, public policy, or related field preferred

Special Factors 

• European Designations: Certified, MiFiD II, T&C.
• Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.
• This position is hybrid and would require you to work in the office location Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

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.