Date posted: 22 October 2026. Date closes: 15 November 2026. Annual salary range: GBP 50,000-55,000 (UK-based). Fixed term (12 months, extension pending funding), full-time, hybrid. Reporting to: Head of MEAL.
Location: Global Lumos role based in the UK (London); also possible US-based, or contractable from Lumos offices in Kenya, Moldova or Colombia. For candidates in other eligible locations, remuneration is benchmarked to the local market.
About Lumos: Lumos works around the world to transform care and protection systems so that every child can grow up in a safe, loving family. For 20+ years it has partnered with national governments and enabled more than 280,000 children to grow up in families rather than institutions. By 2036 it aims to enable over 500,000 children in care to thrive in families.
Job purpose: Lumos plays a distinct global role in analysing the economics of care system transformation through its Lumos Shapes pathway, which applies data, evidence and AI-supported tools to mathematical and financial modelling of care reform. This new role provides economic, statistical and analytical leadership for Lumos Shapes, leading investment-modelling work including AI-supported tools that generate real-time investment scenarios, and producing analysis and thought leadership for governments, donors and partners on costs and financing pathways for reform. Based in the Evidence team; a technical leadership role without line management.
Key objectives:
- Political economy and costing analysis: lead analysis of the political economy of childcare provision across countries; design costing analyses of the transition from institutional care to family-based prevention and alternative care at local, regional and national levels; support country programmes and governments to develop credible costings of national care reform strategies.
- AI-supported investment modelling: lead development of AI-supported tools producing short-, medium- and long-term investment scenarios; ensure rigorous testing, validation and transparency, and ethical, data-protection and safeguarding standards.
- Thought leadership and external engagement: represent Lumos on the economics of care through publications, conferences and technical working groups; build relationships with economists and research institutions; provide costing and value-for-money input to donor proposals.
- Collaboration and capacity building: integrate economic analysis into Lumos' evidence agenda, programme design and quality assurance; support advocacy; build internal capacity through training and mentoring; international travel as required.
Success after 12 months: an AI-supported tool to analyse funding flows applied to Kenya and Colombia; scoped costing and investment-modelling analysis for priority countries; analysis on the financing of care transformation.
Person specification (essential): degree or higher degree in economics, finance, health economics, statistics, mathematics or another quantitative field; significant experience in mathematical or epidemiological modelling, health economics, or costing and budgeting of public services; significant demonstrated experience using AI tools for economic analysis and real-time costing or investment modelling; experience applying modelling tools to inform investment or policy decisions in a public service, international development or health context; strong quantitative skills and ability to communicate to non-technical audiences; experience producing publications and policy insight; familiarity with innovative finance for public services; excellent communication skills. Desirable: engagement with governments, donors or international financial institutions; knowledge of social protection economics.
Lumos is committed to safeguarding and equality, diversity and inclusion; offers hybrid and flexible working, 30 days annual leave and a pension.
Date closes: 15 November 2026
Closing date: 2026-11-15
Application link: https://recruitment.cezannehr.com/job/application/economics-of-care-transformation-senior-9dd32