Professor Jennifer Lees-Marshment
Chair of Political Marketing and Management
Management and Marketing, School of Business
Contact
Biography
Jennifer Lees-Marshment is Professor of Political Marketing and Management in the School of Business. Professor Lees-Marshment is a world-renowned scholar in the field of Political Marketing, and also pioneering new research in the emerging field of Political Management.
Professor Lees-Marshment is a practice-oriented academic and passionate about research impact and employability. Author/editor of 20 books, she has interviewed over 350 political practitioners including government ministers and staffers/advisors to Prime Ministers and Presidents in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Experienced in commentating in the media, she advised TVNZ on Vote Compass in the 2014/2017/2020/2023 New Zealand elections.
Jennifer previously worked at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, as well as the Universities of Aberdeen and Keele in the UK.
Research
Professor Lees-Marshment has a pragmatist research philosophy, seeking to use research to uncover the realities of political practice and generate best practice advice.
Jennifer’s research firstly focuses on political marketing in elections in the UK, US, Canada and New Zealand. She co-edited the book Political Marketing and Management in the UK 2024 election.
Secondly she explores political management, particularly in government. One aspect is managing political advisers and politicians, covering orientation, training, performance management, and well-being. Her most recent monograph is the Human Resource Management of Political Staffers, for which she interviewed advisors to former Prime Ministers Boris Johnson, Jacinda Ardern and Scott Morrison and current Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Teaching
Professor Lees-Marshment's teaching philosophy is future-focused, seeking to develop future capabilities but also help students envisage who they may become. This involves developing students’ employability so that they are future ready for, and employable as, researchers or practitioners.
Jennifer teaches International Marketing Strategy, Political Marketing and Political Management, and has developed new Postgraduate courses Management and Political Management MSc and International Marketing and Political Management MSc.
Jennifer would welcome applications from prospective graduate students interesting in researching the use of management and marketing in parties, campaigns, elections and government.
Previous doctoral students have explored the delivering of political brand in Ghana; youth, online political communication and political knowledge; political marketing and nation branding in New Zealand and Australian advocacy groups; managing public servants’ attitudes to reform and communication by political leaders once elected in government.