Dr. Varda Shiffer is a senior research fellow at the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute. Her research focuses on the development of models of collaborative governance in the field of education as well as on issues of education policy, privatization and regulation in the education system, and management of education systems in local authorities in Israel.

Shiffer served as the president of the Mandel Foundation-Israel (2010–2012), founded the Mandel Center for Leadership in the Negev, and was the director of the center (2004–2010). She also directed the Mandel Leadership Institute in Jerusalem (1999–2003). Shiffer served as the chief scientist of the civil service (1995–1996) and was in charge of oversight of the Ministry of Education in the State Comptroller's Office (1987–1993). She engaged in research and teaching at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in the program for Nonprofit Management (2004–2009) and she edited the academic journal Hevra Ezrahit ve-Migzar Shlishi be-Yisrael (Civil Society and the Third Sector in Israel).

At the Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, Shiffer headed (2013–2020) the program for developing models of collaborative governance in local authorities.