CMA2016 Economic Advisor – Research, Darlington

The Competition and Markets Authority is undergoing an exciting expansion with the establishment of new offices and a Microeconomics Unit in Darlington. We are seeking Economic Researchers to join our growing team.

The Microeconomics Unit leads the CMA’s economic research programme, set out in its Economic Research Strategy. The Unit provides analysis and expertise on the issues of UK competition, consumer rights, supply-side reforms, innovation and productivity. The ambition is for the Unit to become a microeconomic sibling for the Bank of England’s well-established public macroeconomic role.

What you will do

You will be responsible for carrying out and supervising quantitative analysis across a variety of research projects. This will include identifying key open research questions, designing and conducting analysis, drawing conclusions and presenting them to colleagues and decision makers.

Projects that you may work on in the Microeconomics Unit include:

• Assessing how well competition is working in the UK, through the regular State of Competition report.
• Empirical research into live issues in competition policy and structural reforms aimed at improving UK productivity – such as the nature and extent of employer market power in labour markets.
• Quantifying benefits the CMA generates for consumers in the annual Positive Impact report and looking for ways to improve how we measure the CMA’s impact.
• The CMA’s ongoing programme of ex-post studies into past competition policy interventions.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Working with the Assistant Directors of Economics and Econometrics to determine the key areas for investigation and the quantitative analysis required to assess them.
• Planning and managing the delivery of quantitative economic analysis across several long-term and short-term research projects.
• Contributing to the management and intellectual development of the team of professional economists and the CMA’s Darlington office.

We are looking for keen, enthusiastic economists with experience of carrying out theoretical or empirical microeconomic analysis, with a preference for experience in industrial organisation, corporate finance, trade or the economics of innovation and productivity.

CMA prides itself on being a great place to work and strives to ensure that staff have the opportunity to grow and expand their skills portfolio. As well as being a hugely rewarding, diverse and stimulating place to work, you will have an opportunity to work for the public good and to stretch and develop yourself while doing so.

To find out more about this opportunity and about working for the CMA, please see below and click on the APPLY button.

Further details on the CMA can be found on the CMA’s YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter pages.

Application closing date: 11.55pm on Monday 15th January 2024.

Key responsibilities will include the following:

• Working with the Microeconomics Unit’s Assistant Directors, determine important open research questions of interest to the CMA and wider government, and the appropriate analysis required to address them. Develop the scope of projects; identify and gather appropriate data; and conduct analysis that contributes to the overall state of knowledge on issues of competition, innovation and productivity.
• Plan and manage the delivery of quantitative economic analysis across several long-term and short-term research projects. Provide a detailed specification of analysis to be undertaken and identify the resources required to deliver it; agree timetables for delivery and decide on the allocation of work within the team; monitor progress and review the work plan as the project develops; and ensure that analysis is delivered on time.
• Ensure that analysis is delivered to a high standard. Critically assess and interpret the evidence available and the weight that can be attached to it; identify risks related to analytical approaches and propose mitigations for them; present analysis clearly and accurately both orally and in writing; and review and provide constructive feedback on work produced by colleagues.
• Communicate effectively and establish effective relationships within the research team, with others across the CMA (including senior management) and external stakeholders (including academics and the rest of government). Ensure that managers are kept abreast of relevant analysis and their attention is drawn to important issues.
• Contribute to the development of the CMA’s economic and analytical capability, through knowledge sharing, providing peer review of others’ work and representing the CMA at public events including conferences.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Developing Self and Others

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Microeconomic analysis

As well as the interesting and varied work you’ll do to contribute to effective competition in the UK, and to ensure consumers get a good deal when buying goods and services, you’ll also benefit from:

• An exceptionally generous pension scheme with a significant employer contribution and range of options, including a tax-free lump sum at the point of retirement and injury, ill-health and life assurance benefits
• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work.

Any move to the CMA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/ .

If you’re already a civil servant being appointed on level transfer, you’ll retain your existing terms, including annual leave. Where you’re being promoted, however, you’ll receive the greater of a 10% pay increase or the new grade minimum. Applicants new to the civil service may be considered for appointment at a salary higher than the starting point indicated above (depending on skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications).

The CMA, like many other organisations, have moved to a hybrid working model with a mix of office and home working. We believe this supports us to deliver our best work while allowing the flexibility to maintain balanced and healthy lives.

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We want a diverse workforce that reflects the consumers we serve. We welcome applications from under-represented groups, including ethnically diverse people, people with a disability, people with diverse gender identities and from people of different ages.

The CMA is an accredited Disability Confident Employer. Disabled applicants meeting the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

Job contact :

• Name : CMA Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk
• Telephone : 0208 738 6808

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk