Oxford Policy Management Ltd (OPM) is an international development consultancy that aims to help low- and middle-income countries achieve growth and reduce poverty and disadvantage through public policy reform. The company provides practical policy advice and solutions grounded in research to support governments, international organizations, foundations, and non-governmental organizations around the world.
What does Oxford Policy Management Ltd do?
OPM focuses on supporting policy reform processes in developing countries to help improve people’s lives. The main areas the company works in include:
- Economic growth and private sector development
- Social development, inclusion, and social protection
- Public financial management and governance
- Natural resource management
- Monitoring and evaluation of programs and policies
Some of the main services OPM provides include:
- Design, monitoring, review and evaluation of policies, programs, and projects
- Technical assistance and capacity building for governments to implement reforms
- Research, analytics, and evidence-based recommendations
- Tools, systems, and frameworks for data collection, analysis, and use
- Assessment and management of risks related to reforms
OPM works across all stages of the policy cycle – from identifying issues and problems, to designing interventions, implementing programs, monitoring progress, and evaluating impact. The company’s services aim to strengthen the capacity of governments to effectively formulate and implement policies.
Where does Oxford Policy Management Ltd work?
OPM operates globally and has undertaken over 700 assignments in more than 125 countries across the following regions:
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Asia and the Pacific
- Middle East and North Africa
- Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia
- Latin America and the Caribbean
Some of the specific countries OPM has significant experience working in include:
Afghanistan | Ghana | Nigeria |
Bangladesh | India | Pakistan |
Ethiopia | Kenya | Tanzania |
Indonesia | Malaysia | Philippines |
OPM often works closely with governments and key national stakeholders in these countries to ensure policy solutions are tailored to local contexts and needs on the ground.
Who does Oxford Policy Management Ltd work for?
OPM provides policy advice and technical assistance to a range of national and international clients including:
- Governments and government agencies
- Bilateral aid agencies like DFID, USAID, and GIZ
- Multilateral organizations like the World Bank, UN agencies, and European Commission
- Global partnerships and initiatives like GAVI, Global Fund, and Power Africa
- Foundations and philanthropic organizations
- Non-governmental organizations and civil society groups
By working with both governments seeking to implement reforms, as well as funding agencies supporting these reforms, OPM can ensure policy solutions are pragmatic and aligned with client priorities and needs at both the national and international level.
How does Oxford Policy Management Ltd work?
OPM adopts a collaborative approach to policy reform focused on facilitating lasting change. Some of the key ways OPM aims to work include:
- Grounding recommendations in evidence and analysis of the local context
- Leveraging local knowledge by partnering with national experts and institutions
- Promoting national ownership and government leadership of policy reforms
- Building practical government capacity for improved policy design and implementation
- Supporting participatory processes that engage citizens and consider marginalized groups
- Ensuring interventions are politically savvy and responsive to risks
- Focusing on sustainable results through ongoing learning and adaptation
OPM brings together multidisciplinary teams with a mix of international development experts and local consultants to promote knowledge sharing and locally-led reform processes.
OPM’s Capabilities and Expertise
OPM has grown to a team of over 300 staff members that bring deep expertise across a range of key sectors and practice areas relevant to policy reform in developing countries. This includes specialists in areas such as:
- Economics, private sector development, and trade
- Education, health, and social protection
- Public financial management and governance
- Climate change, environment, and natural resources
- Agriculture and food security
- Gender equality and social inclusion
- Monitoring, evaluation, and learning
- Politics, political economy analysis, and public sector management
OPM staff also include experts in economics, statistics, human-centered design, organizational development, communications and more to support technically robust and politically smart policy reforms.
OPM’s Tools and Approaches
OPM employs a range of proprietary tools and approaches to facilitate improved policymaking and implementation. Examples include:
- Problem-Driven Iterative Adaptation – An iterative approach to policy design and implementation that incorporates feedback loops for flexibility and improved results
- Political Economy Analysis – A framework to assess how power and institutions shape policy and identify reform opportunities
- Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Analysis – Tools to integrate gender and inclusion into all stages of policy work
- Value for Money Analysis – Methodologies for assessing the efficiency, effectiveness, equity and economy of public spending and policies
- Beneficiary Feedback Mechanisms – Channels for citizen engagement and participation in policy processes
- Monitoring Systems and Impact Evaluations – Custom M&E approaches to track results and promote learning
These tools and ways of working aim to strengthen the adaptiveness, inclusiveness, and evidence base of policy reforms.
When was Oxford Policy Management Ltd founded?
OPM was founded in 1987 by former Oxford University academics to provide practical policy analysis and advice informed by research. It was originally established as a spin-out company from Oxford University’s Public Policy Programme, leveraging the academic expertise within the University.
OPM was legally incorporated as a private sector consultancy in 1993. It has grown from its academic origins to become an influential global policy consultancy with a proven track record supporting policy reform around the world.
Where is Oxford Policy Management Ltd based?
OPM’s head office is located in Oxford, United Kingdom. The company also has regional offices in:
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Islamabad, Pakistan
- New Delhi, India
- Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Jakarta, Indonesia
In addition, OPM has permanent presence through local subsidiaries in Nigeria, Tanzania, Nepal, and Ethiopia. The overseas offices help facilitate close engagement with national stakeholders and on-the-ground implementation support.
Who leads Oxford Policy Management Ltd?
OPM’s Senior Management Team includes:
- Richard Manning – Chairman
- David Hallam – Managing Director
- Harry Jones – Deputy Managing Director, Research and Innovation Director
- Gareth Williams – Operations and Business Development Director
- Susan Smith – Associate Director, Social Development
- Jolana Makara – Associate Director, Public Finance Management and Governance
- Ralph Underhill – Associate Director, Economic Development
- Sara Shapiro-Garza – Regional Director for Asia and Global Portfolio Director
The Senior Management Team oversees OPM’s strategic direction, drives new business, and ensures operational excellence across the company’s global activities.
How is Oxford Policy Management Ltd funded?
As a consultancy, the majority of OPM’s funding comes through fees earned by working on technical assistance and advisory projects for clients. This includes contracts, grants, and consulting agreements funded by national governments, bilateral/multilateral agencies, foundations, and non-profits.
OPM also earns revenue through partnerships with organizations to conduct collaborative research and analytics activities. Additionally, OPM receives funding through its subsidiary organizations in countries like Nigeria, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.
What is Oxford Policy Management Ltd’s mission and vision?
OPM’s vision is to reduce poverty and disadvantage in low- and middle-income countries by supporting governments to implement effective public policies.
The company’s mission is to provide the highest quality policy advice and implementation support to enable practical policy reform focused on improving people’s lives. OPM aims to realize sustainable impact by working collaboratively with stakeholders to build national capacity and promote evidence-based policy solutions.
What types of projects has Oxford Policy Management Ltd worked on?
Over the past 35 years, OPM has delivered hundreds of development projects around the world supporting policy reform. Some examples of technical assistance provided includes:
- Malawi – Supported the Government of Malawi to design a new national social support policy to protect the poorest and most vulnerable households.
- Ghana – Assisted the Ministry of Education strengthen systems for school quality assurance and improvement.
- Somalia – Provided capacity building to the Ministry of Planning to enhance aid coordination and public financial management.
- Bangladesh – Developed a national social registry to improve targeting of safety net programs to the ultra poor.
- India – Evaluated government health insurance schemes across India to promote more equitable financing of healthcare.
- Indonesia – Designed and implemented a communications strategy to increase tax compliance.
In addition to technical assistance, OPM also frequently conducts research and analytics activities such as:
- Impact evaluations to determine development program effectiveness
- Economic and fiscal modeling to inform policy planning
- Data collection through large-scale surveys
- Institutional assessments of government capacity
- Political economy and context analyses
What are Oxford Policy Management Ltd’s technical areas of expertise?
OPM has expertise spanning a wide range of technical areas relevant to public policy and governance. The company’s main technical strengths include:
Economic Development
- Private sector development
- Industry, trade, and investment policy
- Labor markets
- Competition policy and consumer protection
- Economic modeling and forecasting
- Public financial management
- Domestic revenue mobilization and taxation
Social Development
- Education policy, planning, and finance
- Health financing and health systems strengthening
- Social protection systems and cash transfers
- Gender equality and social inclusion
Governance
- Anti-corruption and transparency
- Public administration reform
- Democratic governance and institution building
- Security and justice sector reform
- Decentralization
Environment and Climate Change
- Natural resource management
- Climate change adaptation and resilience
- Environmental sustainability
- Disaster risk reduction
Cutting across these themes, OPM also provides expertise in:
- Monitoring, evaluation, and learning
- Research and analytics
- Capacity building and training
- Communications, advocacy, and behavior change
- Risk assessment and management
- Policy and program design, implementation, and review
What is Oxford Policy Management Ltd’s approach?
OPM aims to support practical, sustainable policy solutions focused on real-world impact for citizens in developing countries. The company’s approach includes:
- Context-specific – Deep understanding of national and local realities, challenges, and political economies
- Politically smart – Navigating political constraints and opportunities to promote viable reforms
- Adaptive – Flexible, iterative way of working to accommodate uncertainty and change
- Inclusive – Participatory processes engaging citizens, marginalized groups, and equity issues
- Evidence-driven – Grounding recommendations in data, analytics, and learning
- Locally-led – Supporting national ownership and relying on local expertise
- Capacity building – Strengthening individual skills as well as organizational and institutional capabilities
OPM works as an active partner to governments, providing thought leadership but also hands-on implementation support to turn policy designs into impactful action.
What are Oxford Policy Management Ltd’s values?
OPM’s core values guide how the company approaches its work and interacts with clients and partners. Its values include:
- Commitment to impact – Passionate about making a difference to improve people’s lives through better policymaking
- Integrity – Honest, ethical, and transparent in all dealings
- Partnership – Collaborative spirit and respect for clients
- Quality – Technical excellence, professionalism, and pragmatism in all we do
- Equity – Belief in social justice and commitment to inclusion
- Continual learning – Supporting innovation and openness to new ideas
These shared values shape OPM’s organizational culture and guide decision-making at all levels.
Conclusion
Oxford Policy Management is a pioneering international development consultancy dedicated to public policy reform in low- and middle-income countries. For over 35 years, OPM has provided evidence-based policy advice, technical assistance, and capacity building to governments, donors, international organizations and NGOs across diverse regions and technical areas.
Grounded in academic excellence but evolved into a highly practical consultancy, OPM leverages world-class expertise in economics, governance, social development, environmental policy and more. The company’s success rests on its values of integrity, quality, and partnership combined with a focused mission to drive real-world improvements in people’s lives through policy change.
By providing hands-on, politically-smart support for policy design and implementation, OPM aims to realize sustainable impact – not just advise from the outside. The company’s collaborative approach, privileging local knowledge and national stakeholders, seeks to empower governments to translate evidence into action. With over 30 years of experience translating research into policy impact, OPM stands out as a leader in international development consulting.