Economic Advisor

Job summary

The Economy & Strategic Analysis (ESA) team sits in the central analysis function of the Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade (BIST) and leads on economic growth and productivity analysis to shape and deliver the Good Growth agenda.

We deliver cutting-edge multidisciplinary analysis on economic growth, productivity, and industrial policy; provide insight into economic developments for the UK economy and BIST policy; and collaborate with experts outside government. The team provides day-to-day analytical support for the Industrial Strategy Unit and the Growth Policy Unit, as well as undertaking analytical projects and briefing for the Director of Analysis, Permanent Secretary, and Ministers.

Within ESA, this team functions flexibly to support the department to design policy in the context of immediate priorities and longer-term economic trends. It works both directly with policy teams on priority policy design, and indirectly as a consultant and think tank to provide critical analysis to support decision-makers. The team combines multiple analytical approaches and methodologies to support better decision making, including evidence synthesis, novel analysis and futures and foresight techniques.

This role offers the opportunity to work on a varied and evolving portfolio of analytical priorities that shape and align with the Good Growth agenda. In the near term, we anticipate this will involve projects to support the UK’s evolving economic geography, in light of the structural transitions that the UK is experiencing and the Prime Minister’s vision for growth in every postcode. In the longer term, we anticipate this will involve analysis to support at major decision points such as the Spending Review. More generally, this team flexes to the immediate demands of the department, and so should expect to work on a range of future economic priorities of the department.

The postholder will both help shape the team’s work programme through their own ideas, expertise and interests, alongside delivering analysis and projects that contribute to some of the most important economic and policy debates facing BIST and the wider government.

Job description

The postholder will:

• Partner with key policy stakeholders to influence and shape policy design in the context of immediate priorities and longer-term economic trends.
• Maintain and advocate a BIST view on ‘good growth’ and its key trade-offs, including at major decision points e.g. Spending Reviews.
• Lead and deliver high-quality analytical projects that inform policy development and implementation across a range of departmental and cross-government priorities.
• Work collaboratively with policy, strategy and delivery teams to co-design evidence-based policy interventions, ensuring analysis directly informs decision-making and implementation.
• Respond flexibly and proactively to changing priorities, providing rapid analytical support where required.
• Apply and advise on the most appropriate analytical approaches and methodologies to support decision making.
• Translate complex analysis and techniques for a range of stakeholders to influence outcomes.
• Help shape the team's programme of work by identifying knowledge gaps, emerging challenges and opportunities for further analysis.
• One of the two roles will include line management responsibilities.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

The below criteria are essential and will be assessed at application stage;

• Be currently or be eligible to be a badged member of the Government Economic Service (GES).
• Have strategic awareness and be able to work flexibly, across both a range of topics as well as immediate and longer-term workstreams, in order to influence policy outcomes.
• Be intellectually curious and have an interest in understanding the socioeconomic factors and trends that shape change and outcomes.
• Be proactive and able to operate in ambiguity, identifying opportunities, creating solutions, and applying judgement to make decisions with imperfect information.
• Be able to communicate with and influence a range of audiences, translating complex analysis into clear and compelling messages, and build support for new ideas and approaches.
• Build and leverage strong relationships to identify opportunities, generate demand and engagement, and secure collaboration on shared priorities.

Memberships

This role is open to existing members of Government Economic Service (GES) and those who are eligible to join the GES.

For GES members as part of your application (in their CV or personal statement) you will need to indicate to the Government Recruitment Service that you are already badged as a member of the GES.

For non-GES members you will undergo a badging assessment as part of the interview process. Eligibility for GES membership requires:

- Have a first or upper second-class honours degree in economics (or international equivalent), or a postgraduate degree in economics.
- If it is a joint degree, at least 50% of the course modules must be in economics.
- Have studied both macroeconomics and microeconomics.

Candidates will need to demonstrate the skills, knowledge and experience to succeed as a Government Economist at the grade applied for or be an existing member of the Government Economic Service. Technical skills will be assessed against the grade requirement of the Government Economic Service (GES). Details can be found in the GES Framework.

These will be assessed during the selection process, including at both sift of your written application and interview. Applicants who are civil servants but not members of the GES must be able to demonstrate you meet the requirements of the GES, as successful appointment will include membership of the GES.

For applicants applying after more than a couple of years after university, who are not an existing member of the Government Economic Service, relevant experience consists of experience working on economic analysis or research including for example in a research agency, market research agency or specialist research team. To enter the GES through this route you must make explicit the breadth and depth of your economic experience and skills covering the three components of the GES technical framework.

As this is an analytical post, the postholder will receive an analyst allowance of £4,515.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• The interview will assess against the GES Technical Framework and further information will be provided for the interview. The GES Technical Framework can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ges-technical-framework-2022.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £60,732, Department for Business and Trade contributes £17,594 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement of up to 750 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

Your application will be sifted against the Experience criteria of the Civil Service Success Profiles.

We aim to sift both the CV and the Personal Statement but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on the Personal Statement only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the Personal Statement will either progressed to a full sift where the CV is then assessed or progressed straight to further assessment/interview.

Candidates who pass the sift will be invited to interview, where we will assess you on the Success Profiles elements of Strengths, Behaviours and Technical. As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation; details will be provided prior to your interview.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

Please note, following a recent change to the Machinery of Government, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will be renamed to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) as of 20th July 2026. BIST will connect the UK’s world-class science and technology base directly to the businesses, places and workers that will drive good growth across the country. Such changes will not affect the selection process for this campaign; however, we wanted to take this opportunity to advise you of the recent changes to our department.

You can find further information here regarding recent governmental changes Machinery of Government changes: Fact Sheet - GOV.UK.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
• Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty. Any applicant who has details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
• A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
• Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
• Candidates that do not quite meet the standard for this role may be offered a position at a lower grade.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Stefan Schuller
• Email : Stefan.Schuller@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email: Resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.
For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints.

Attachments

DBT candidate pack July 2024 (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 943kB)DBT T&Cs 2025-08-18 Opens in new window (doc, 46kB)