Economist

About the role

Navan is seeking a driven, proactive and experienced Economist to join our growing team. This first-of-its-kind role is an exciting opportunity to shape the research and economic function at Navan, the leading all-in-one business travel, payments, and expense management platform.

Responsibilities

• Perform complex econometric and statistical analysis on travel and spending patterns to identify emerging macroeconomic trends, forecast future business activity, and understand the drivers of corporate travel and expense.
• Craft compelling data-driven stories and insights for multiple channels—including press releases, blog posts, white papers, and executive keynotes—to illustrate why business travel and spend are critical leading indicators for the global economy.
• Partner with our Marketing and Comms teams to serve as an internal expert and external spokesperson, presenting your findings to journalists, industry analysts, and at major economic and travel conferences.
• Continuously monitor the global economic landscape, linking external events (e.g., policy changes, supply chain disruptions, market volatility) to the proprietary trends you observe in Navan's data.
• Serve as a key economic advisor to leadership and strategy teams, translating your macro findings into concise, high-level briefings on risks, opportunities, and the business's competitive positioning.

Requirements

• We are looking for a "full-stack" economist who is as comfortable with complex econometrics as they are with presenting to an executive or a journalist. This means:
• 5-7 years experience with an advanced degree in Economics, Statistics, Data Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Deep expertise in econometrics, forecasting, and statistical analysis, with experience modeling complex, "messy" datasets.
• Required proficiency in SQL, a statistical language (Python or R), and common data visualization tools.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills translating complex economic findings with simplicity and clarity for executives, media, and the public. We’d love to see examples of previous writing, presentations and data visualizations.
• Voracious consumer of business news. Bonus points if you have previously established yourself as a voice on business, economics or data on e.g. Substack or X.
• A collaborative and approachable style, with a proven ability to build relationships and manage priorities with cross-functional teams.
• A practical, business-first mindset focused on driving real business results and supporting decisions, not just academic theory.

Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Economics, Statistics, Data Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Experience with econometrics, forecasting, and statistical analysis.
• Proficiency in SQL, Python, R, and data visualization tools.
• Strong communication and storytelling skills.
• Knowledge of business news and trends.
• Collaborative and adaptable work style.
• Business-focused mindset.

Skills

• Econometrics and statistical analysis.
• Data visualization and storytelling.
• Communication and presentation skills.
• Business news and trend monitoring.
• Collaboration and teamwork.
• Business decision-making support.

Benefits

Navan offers a comprehensive benefits program designed to support your well-being, financial security, and life outside of work. Our benefits, thoughtfully tailored by country to meet local needs, include healthcare coverage, insurance offerings, and wellness resources for you and your family.

Pay

The posted pay range represents the anticipated low and high end of the compensation for this position and is subject to change based on business need. To determine a successful candidate’s starting pay, we carefully consider a variety of factors, including primary work location, an evaluation of the candidate’s skills and experience, market demands, and internal parity.

About Navan

Navan (Nasdaq: NAVN) is the global AI-powered business travel and expense platform that makes travel easy for frequent travelers. From finding flights and hotels, to automating expense reconciliation, with 24/7 support along the way, Navan delivers an intuitive experience travelers love and finance teams rely on. See how Navan customers benefit and learn more at navan.com.

Culture of Excellence

Our team is our competitive edge — a high-performance group of smart, driven people committed to winning together. This dedication to excellence is why we’ve been recognized as a Best Place to Work by Built In (2023–2026), a G2 Best Global Software Company (2025–2026), Forbes Cloud 100 (2022–2025), and CNBC Disruptor 50 (2022–2025). At Navan, we provide an environment where top talent excels, offering the autonomy and fast-paced trajectory needed to build a defining career and do the best work of your life.

Workplace Policy

Navan believes in the value of in-person connections, whether that’s sitting down to have lunch with one another, taking a walking 1:1, or collaborating in a room together. The connections forged through face-to-face interactions improve company culture and drive business results. Navan invests in global office spaces — in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, among others — that feel welcoming. In-office perks such as company-provided lunches and happy hours create a strong team environment to help you do your best work. Our employees work from the office four days a week. Please expect this policy for all roles that are tied to an office.