Economic systems foresight lead

The Economic Systems Foresight Lead is the senior economic specialist within RPC’s Macro Systems & Foresight function, translating major structural disruptions into coherent economic and macro-financial interpretations that help CFA Institute understand how global finance, markets and investment practice may evolve.

The role focuses on the economic implications of material structural changes already reshaping the industry, such as artificial intelligence, private markets, geopolitical fragmentation, changing capital formation, regulatory shifts and institutional redesign, while contributing to longer-horizon analysis as new disruptions emerge. It does not focus on forecasting near-term economic outcomes or producing cyclical market commentary.

Working closely with the Head, Macro Systems & Foresight and other specialist members of the team, the role examines the transmission mechanisms through which structural change may affect capital flows, growth, labor markets, inflation, financial conditions, market structure and institutional behavior. It develops economic framings, hypotheses, regime logics and conditional pathways that help ground shared foresight priorities in credible economic dynamics.

A core purpose of the role is internal enablement. The Economic Systems Foresight Lead partners with research, standards, advocacy and other RPC teams where economic expertise is needed to challenge assumptions, stress-test scenarios or positions, and assess how structural change may affect the continued relevance of existing work. The role contributes to RPC’s living-readiness approach while ownership of broader strategy, functional readiness and substantive work remains with the relevant leaders.

The role also translates economic analysis into timely internal framing and high-quality external thought leadership, ranging from concise landscape assessments and executive briefings to deeper structural outlooks. It requires strong economic and quantitative grounding, systems thinking, intellectual independence and the ability to translate complex economic dynamics into clear implications for non-specialist and senior audiences.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

The responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited, to the following:

• Analyze the economic and macro-financial implications of major structural disruptions, prioritizing material changes already reshaping finance while maintaining disciplined awareness of longer-horizon developments.
• Map transmission mechanisms through which structural forces affect capital flows, growth, labor markets, inflation, financial conditions, market structure, institutions and investment practice.
• Translate structural change into clear economic questions, hypotheses, critical uncertainties, regime logics and conditional pathways that inform shared Foresight priorities and subsequent RPC investigation.
• Contribute economic expertise to scenario development and stress-testing, defining relevant drivers, constraints, second- and third-order effects and conditions under which alternative economic trajectories may emerge.
• Use macroeconomic, financial, capital-flow, policy and cross-country evidence to substantiate, challenge and update structural assumptions.
• Identify relevant economic thresholds, breakpoints, sensitivities and reassessment triggers that may indicate structural conditions are changing or existing assumptions require review.
• Assess how structural disruption may challenge economic assumptions embedded in investment theory, market practice, research, standards or advocacy positions.
• Partner with RPC functional teams to stress-test existing work where changing economic conditions or structural dynamics may affect its continued relevance or fitness for purpose.
• Support RPC’s living-readiness discipline by identifying material economic developments or evidence that should trigger reassessment of existing assumptions, positions or assets.
• Produce timely economic landscape assessments, executive briefings and contributions to broader Foresight outputs, alongside deeper structural analysis where appropriate.
• Develop high-quality external thought leadership translating structural economic change into accessible, decision-relevant implications for finance and investment practice.
• Engage economists, market practitioners, policymakers, academics and other relevant experts to challenge assumptions, incorporate diverse evidence and strengthen the team’s economic analysis.
• Respond to priority questions from the Head, Macro Systems & Foresight and RPC functional leaders where economic expertise is needed to assess structural developments, challenge assumptions or inform time-sensitive decisions.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION / EXPERIENCE

• Deep expertise in macroeconomics, political economy, economic systems analysis or a closely related field.
• Strong understanding of how economic systems interact with financial markets, institutions, capital allocation and investment practice.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze structural economic change rather than relying primarily on cyclical or short-term forecasting frameworks.
• Strong understanding of economic transmission mechanisms and ability to construct coherent pathways, regime logics and conditional interpretations under uncertainty.
• Quantitative fluency and ability to work critically with macroeconomic, financial, capital-flow and cross-country data.
• Strong empirical judgment, including the ability to distinguish what available evidence supports from what remains hypothesis or uncertainty.
• Strong systems thinking, connecting economic dynamics with technological, geopolitical, regulatory, market and institutional change.
• Ability to identify second- and third-order effects, critical assumptions and conditions under which economic relationships may change.
• Ability to translate complex economic developments into clear questions, hypotheses, scenarios and implications for non-specialist audiences and other subject-matter experts.
• Strong collaborative skills and ability to operate effectively within a multidisciplinary Foresight team, contributing specialist expertise to shared questions rather than operating as an independent economics function.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills, including the ability to engage constructively with senior internal stakeholders, practitioners, policymakers, academics and other external experts.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex economic dynamics clearly and concisely.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees, including health coverage, generous time off, competitive retirement plans, flexible work options, and wellbeing and development programs. You can learn more on our careers site: Working at CFA Institute | Comprehensive Benefits

About CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global leader in investment excellence and ethics. With nearly 200,000 charterholders across 160 markets, we promote professional growth, uphold ethical standards, and help advance better financial markets. Join a global organization committed to putting investors first.

Follow CFA Institute on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | WeChat | Weibo

Important Message: Your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirements as CFA Institute cannot make assumptions about your education, experience, or location. We thank all those who apply.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. CFA Institute prohibits both discrimination and harassment with regard to all identifying characteristics: any individual employee, group of employees, or prospective employee on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, creed or belief, age, marital or partnership status, marital or family status, care giver status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, physical abilities/qualities, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, predisposing genetic characteristic, military or veteran status, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence or sex offense or stalking, unemployment status, infectious disease carrier status, migrant worker status, educational background, socio-economic status, geographic location and culture or any other basis protected by applicable law. This policy impacts all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, development, promotion, demotion, layoff, recall, furlough, transfer, leave of absence, and dismissal. This is a global policy that applies to all CFA Institute employees, regardless of location.

If, due to a disability or current medical condition, you need an accommodation or assistance to complete a job application, you can request one at any stage of the recruitment process. Please send an email to TAHelpdesk@cfainstitute.org noting the accommodations or assistance you are requesting. Please do not include any medical or health information in this email. We will review your request and contact you to discuss the possible options and arrangements. We will try our best to provide you with an accommodation or assistance that meets your needs and respects your preferences.