Senior Analyst - Economics, Finance & Trade

Senior Analyst - Economics, Finance & Trade

The Opportunity

The Center on Economic and Financial Power - one of three Centers on American Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies - is looking for an Senior Analyst - Economics, Finance & Trade to join our growing team.

This role is a unique opportunity to be on the front lines of economic security, working on high-impact research related to national security policy. Our team tackles everything from sanctions evasion networks and illicit finance risks to strategic supply chain vulnerabilities and economic coercion. The ideal candidate is someone who brings entrepreneurial energy, intellectual curiosity, and strong analytical skills - someone who is eager to dive into complex issues and deliver data-driven insights that make a difference.

We recognize there is no one perfect career path to this role. Candidates from government (Treasury, Commerce, intelligence, law enforcement), financial institutions (compliance, risk analysis), strategic consulting, or other policy-relevant fields may all bring valuable expertise, even if they don't have a traditional think tank or academic background.

Scope of Work

This role provides the opportunity to work across multiple workstreams, issue areas, and methodologies, giving candidates a rare chance to contribute to a broad and high-impact economic security portfolio. Responsibilities may include:

• Illicit Finance & Sanctions Evasion: Develop country-specific illicit finance risk matrices to assess how sanctioned entities evade financial controls and move illicit funds.
• Trade & Commodity Flows: Analyze global trade data, FDI flows, customs records, and financial transactions to identify patterns in sanctions circumvention and trade diversion.
• Supply Chain Security: Develop replicable supply chain risk reports, focusing on vulnerabilities in critical industries, emerging technology sectors, and high-risk trade routes.
• Strategic Trade & Economic Coercion: Examine how economic statecraft tools - such as sanctions, export controls, and investment restrictions - impact global power dynamics.
• Real-Time Policy & Risk Analysis: Produce data-driven policy briefings, white papers, and risk assessments for audiences that include government agencies, corporate risk officers, and national security officials.
• Opportunities for Thought Leadership: Write and contribute to long-form reports, policy memos and other written products and participate in high-level policy discussions on economic security and financial power.

This is not a narrowly defined role. We are looking for someone eager to take initiative, bring analytical depth to structured research efforts, and engage in fast-moving policy discussions.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct quantitative and qualitative research on economic statecraft and illicit finance.
• Work with large datasets to analyze trade flows, financial transactions, and economic vulnerabilities.
• Build risk matrices, dashboards, visuals, and analytical tools to track illicit networks and economic threats.
• Collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders, including government agencies, financial industry experts, and security professionals.
• Balance structured, long-term research projects with timely policy analysis.
• Synthesize technical findings into clear, actionable reports and briefings for policymakers and industry leaders.

What We're Looking For

• 8 years of experience in economic research, data analysis, financial intelligence, trade analysis, or a related field.
• Strong proficiency in data analysis tools (Python, R, SQL, Stata, Tableau, or similar).
• A deep understanding of economic and financial security issues, such as sanctions, illicit finance, supply chains, and trade controls.
• Proven experience working with large datasets and applying economic analysis to real-world policy questions.
• Ability to balance independent research with collaboration, working across multiple issue areas while maintaining analytical rigor.
• Entrepreneurial mindset - someone who can navigate complex, evolving policy challenges and identify new research angles.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with a demonstrated ability to translate technical findings for policy and non-technical audiences.
• Advanced degree preferred.

Work Environment & Flexibility

• Hybrid work arrangement available with preference for candidates based in the greater Washington, DC area.
• Collaborative but Independent: This role requires both structured teamwork and intellectual independence - ideal for someone who enjoys both deep-dive research and dynamic policy engagement.
• Mission-Driven Work: The research produced in this role will have real-world national security impact, shaping how governments and industry tackle illicit finance, sanctions enforcement, and strategic economic threats.

Please submit a cover letter, CV, and a recent writing sample on a topic relevant to the work of CEFP. Interested candidates should apply here.