Deputy Chief Economist

This is a rewarding, interesting and high-profile position. As one of two Deputy Chief Economist’s in FCDO you will take a leading role in ensuring FCDO Ministers and senior officials are equipped with the required economic and evaluative evidence across a wide range of UK’s foreign and development policy priority areas. More broadly the Deputy Chief Economist plays a critical role leading, developing and engaging with economic stakeholders across FCDO’s overseas network, counterparts in international agencies and foreign governments and academia, as a provider of quality and credible analysis, independent challenge and thought leadership on issues ranging from international macro risks to the most effective use of UK aid.

As one of FCDO’s Deputy Chief Economists you will oversee a team of economists and evaluation experts who work closely with FCDO geographic and thematic Directorates, supporting them to ensure decisions reflect the best evidence and analysis. The role has a broad mandate covering international macro-economics, economic development, Evaluation and reviewing major Business Cases through leadership of Quality Assurance Unit. To deliver against this remit, you will directly line manage and indirectly task manage a range of highly motivated economists and Social Researchers. You also provide leadership and work with a talented overseas network, providing excellent opportunities for joint working benefiting from local knowledge and insight. There is considerable flexibility to shape work areas within FCDO ministerial priority areas, focusing on the issues you think are critical and where economic and evaluation analysis can have the biggest impact. FCDO is committed to strengthening capability, you will be encouraged to continue learning and embedding a strong learning culture across your teams and the wider economics network within FCDO.

Against a backdrop of a shifting balance of global power, regional instability, climate change and setbacks to Sustainable Development Goals from C-19, this role puts you in the centre of HMG decision making with the opportunity to use economics and evaluative evidence for real impact.

If you would like to know more about the role please attend our Open Door Session which will take place on Wednesday 11 October at 1500-1600 (UK time). 

Click here to join the meeting.

As one of the two Deputy Chief Economists in FCDO you will work in the central Economics & Evaluation Directorate (EED), which sits within DG Economics, Science & Technology, supporting the Chief Economist in leading economic advice to the Foreign Secretary on all the UK’s foreign and development policy.

EED aims to be one of the leading UK authorities on the international economy. Increasing the impact of FCDO activities by delivering evidence-based analysis and advice for senior decision makers and Ministers and through advancing the practice and use of evaluation across FCDO.

EED is a friendly, highly motivated and inclusive place to work, where respect and kindness is paramount, and work is conducted within an environment that welcomes diversity of thought and approach.

You will play a critical role providing advice, analysis and thought leadership to FCDO Ministers and senior officials on issues ranging from economic growth in developing countries to the economics of conflict and championing the use of evidence and evaluation to ensure impact of our Official Development Assistance spend and Foreign Policy. 

As Deputy Chief Economist you will provide direct leadership to a team of economists and evaluation experts within EED and wider intellectual leadership for FCDO’s 400+ strong network of economists and evaluation advisors across the world.

There is a huge appetite for economic analysis within the FCDO and from our international partners. You will have access to the most senior levels of decision making in FCDO, across Government and in foreign partner governments. You will travel to Embassies and High Commissions around the world, work closely with counterparts in other international organisations and work to build an international community that draws on the best evidence and analysis in its decision-making.

Key Responsibilities:

• The role provides senior leadership for development economics and international macro within FCDO, leading provision of high quality, timely and impactful economic analysis that informs and shapes development and foreign policy. The role is directly responsible for leading EED analysis covering regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Caribbean and Middle East and North Africa, key themes on development and international macro, and Evaluation Unit, Quality Assurance Unit and Strategic Projects. The role may also involve overseeing and/or task-managing colleagues across FCDO on specific projects.
• Play a prominent leadership role in EED to ensure the team continues to deliver analysis to support organisational priorities, whilst maintaining a positive working environment, strong morale, and motivation.
• Provide effective line management to four direct reports and act as counter-signing officer to a further ten colleagues. Where appropriate, provide effective task-management of other colleagues on specific areas of work.
• Alongside the Chief Economist and fellow Deputy Chief Economist, provide strategic direction to the FCDO’s economics community and support EED’s capability objectives (economics and evaluation from foundation to expert level) as part of the profession’s Senior Leadership Team.
• Strengthen links between FCDO and the across Government analytical community, external experts, and international partners, with a particular focus on (i) across Government analytical coordination and (ii) analytical diplomacy to shape partners’ thinking.

It is important that in your application you provide evidence and examples of proven experience of these selection criteria. These responses will be developed and discussed with candidates invited to interview. The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following:

Essential Experience:

• Excellent track record of economic analysis of developing countries.
• Extensive experience of bringing analysis of development and macroeconomics issues to bear on policymaking.
• Strong leadership skills with experience leading and motivating a dispersed professional team and inspiring fellow professionals across organisational boundaries.
• Proven ability to communicate complex economic concepts and analysis to a non-specialist audience and to translate such analysis into practical policy recommendations.

Behaviours – to be tested at both application and interview:

• Leadership – playing a prominent leadership role both within EED and across the FCDO’s economics and evaluation communities.
• Seeing the Big Picture – identifying opportunities for analysis to inform and shape policy discussions and where non-economic factors should be incorporated into the analysis.
• Communicating and Influencing – being able to communicate economic concepts and analysis to non-specialists and use analytical conclusions to influence policy-making and others’ positions.
• Developing Self and Others – championing the role of economics and evaluation in FCDO, building capabilities across the organisation and expanding the demand for, and intelligent use of, analysis.

Technical knowledge – Experience working on development economics issues, international macroeconomics knowledge and using analysis to inform policymaking.

Applied Skills – Experience applying a range of quantitative analytical approaches to answer relevant policy questions and maintaining high standards of quantitative analysis across a team.

Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a really successful career with the Department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead. You’ll benefit from a wide range of training and development opportunities, regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you’ll be entitled to a large range of benefits.

This includes:

• 25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to 9 public and privilege holidays per year;
• A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension; where your contributions come out of your salary before any tax is taken; and where your pension will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire;
• Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers;
• Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle;
• The opportunity to use onsite facilities including fitness centres and staff canteens (where applicable); and
• Occupational sick pay.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above.
This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions.
Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and
conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your
personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any
absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you
to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Job contact :

• Name : SCS Recruitment Team
• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk