Sanctions Relief Initiative Policy Fellow (2025)
The Bourse & Bazaar Foundation is seeking a policy fellow to support its research and advocacy on issues related to sanctions.
Key Details
Title: Policy Fellow
Type: Full-Time Position (Fixed-Term Contract)
Compensation: $45,000
Location: Remote
Application Deadline: September 5, 2025
About the Opportunity
The Bourse & Bazaar Foundation (B&BF) is seeking a Policy Fellow to lead its research, convening, and outreach for the Sanctions Relief Initiative. This initiative includes research and convenings related to the global economic impact of sanctions. The Policy Fellow will also contribute to the Foundation’s broader engagement activities and organisational development. This senior role blends thought leadership in sanctions research with strategic communications and resource development, contributing directly to B&BF’s mission to advance economic development, economic diplomacy, and economic justice in West Asia.
The ideal candidate is an accomplished researcher and communicator who can operate as both a public-facing expert and an effective institutional strategist. They will lead original research, coordinate convenings ranging from high-level expert roundtables to major public conferences, grow B&BF’s digital audience through social media and newsletters, and contribute to grant writing, donor engagement, and partnership development.
Key Responsibilities
Sanctions Research and Convening (50%)
Conduct original research and produce reports, analytical articles, and policy briefs on the design, implementation, and impact of sanctions.
Lead the design and delivery of convenings, including expert roundtables, public conferences, and webinars, ensuring high-quality content and outcomes.
Represent B&BF as a public-facing expert, including speaking at conferences, engaging with media, and briefing policymakers.
Engagement (25%)
Develop and implement a content strategy to increase audience size and engagement among policymakers, journalists, academics, civil society, and the private sector.
Manage and grow B&BF’s digital presence, including X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Bluesky, and the email newsletter.
Support production and marketing for The Sanctions Age podcast and Substack newsletter.
Create and maintain a regular publication schedule for social media and newsletter output.
Collaborate and assist the team on similar work related to other initiatives at B&BF.
Grant Writing & Organizational Development (25%)
Lead and co-author grant proposals.
Proactively identify new funding opportunities and cultivate relationships with existing donors.
Develop partnerships with think tanks, NGOs, government agencies, and private sector actors.
Participate in meetings with partner organizations and potential collaborators as part of the B&BF team.
Qualifications
Master’s degree in economics, political science, international relations, or related field.
Demonstrated experience in sanctions-related research, including publications or policy outputs.
Proven ability to convene and engage expert and policy audiences through events and public speaking.
Strong writing skills for both analytical and public-facing outputs.
Experience in managing social media platforms and newsletters for institutional growth.
Track record of success in grant writing and partnership development.
Comfortable working independently in a remote setting and managing multiple priorities while also willing and open to collaborate with the B&BF team.
Able to travel at least once per quarter to various regions.
How to Apply:
Applications will be accepted through Friday, September 5, 2025
Candidates should upload a cover letter, curriculum vitae, writing sample, and one letter of reference.
Applications should be emailed to Esfandyar Batmanghelidj at yar [at] bourseandbazaar [dot] org.
Please include the word APPLICATION and your LAST NAME in all caps in the subject line of your email. Your application will be acknowledged when received.
About the Sanctions Relief Initiative
The rapid increase in the use of sanctions has spurred detailed studies of their design and their punitive effects. Yet the question of how sanctions should be suspended or terminated has received far less systematic attention. This initiative advances research and advocacy related to sanctions relief in three areas: (1) partial relief from sanctions harms, such as humanitarian licenses, (2) immediate relief from sanctions pressure through their termination, and (3) relief from the long-term effects of sanctions through effective remediation.
About the Bourse & Bazaar Foundation
The Bourse & Bazaar Foundation is a think tank committed to economic development, economic diplomacy, and economic justice in West Asia. Established in October 2020 as a non-profit entity in the United Kingdom, the Foundation began as a digital publisher of the same name in 2015. Our work imagines security, prosperity, sustainability, and cultural flourishing in the region spanning from Turkey to Afghanistan and from Yemen to Kazakhstan. This region, which we call West Asia, is home to around 600 million people. Today, West Asia is charting a new course as a politically ambitious, economically integrated, and socially dynamic region. Against this backdrop, our research and convenings help policymakers, business leaders, and civil society stakeholders to understand critical events and trends and to identify further pathways for inclusive and sustainable development.
