Senior Economist - Adaptation - Climate Change Committee

Job summary

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) is recruiting an experienced senior economist to join our climate adaptation team. The climate adaptation team is responsible for:

• Advising on the government’s Climate Change Risk Assessment. The adaptation team is responsible for preparing the Committee’s independent advice to inform the Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) that the government lays before Parliament. To understand what the CCC has produced for previous assessments, see A Well-Adapted UK and the CCRA4-IA Technical Report.https://www.ukclimaterisk.org/publications/technical-report-ccra4-ia/#publication-downloads
• Progress Reporting on adaptation. The adaptation team is responsible for delivering reports assessing progress by the UK Government and devolved administrations in adapting to climate change. For example, the CCC prepared the 2025 report on UK adaptation progress for Parliament.
• Providing adaptation advice. The CCC is the Government’s independent advisor on climate change risks and adaptation. The Government, or devolved administrations, may request advice from the CCC outside of the 5-year CCRA cycle. For example, the CCC https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/letter-ccc-letter-to-minister-hardy-advice-on-the-uks-adaptation-objectives/https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/progress-in-adapting-to-climate-change-2025/advised the UK Government on setting adaptation objectives.

Job description

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) is an independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008. Our purpose is to advise the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets and to report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for and adapting to the impacts of climate change.

The Climate Change Act formalised the UK’s approach to tackling climate change – both on mitigation (reducing emissions) and adaptation (increasing resilience to climate change). It established the Climate Change Committee to ensure that the assessment of progress and advice provided can be evidence-based, independently assessed, and long-term in its advice. Under the Climate Change Act 2008, the Committee is required to produce statutory reports to government and Parliament. The key reports are:

• Advice on carbon budgets and long-term emissions targets.
• Progress reports on meeting carbon budgets and targets.
• An assessment of UK climate change risks.
• Progress reports on adapting and preparing for climate change.

In addition, Ministers can request CCC advice on specific issues and topics. Our conclusions, analysis, and underlying data are all available in the publications section of our website. CCC recommendations are frequently referenced in the Northern Ireland, Scotland, UK, and Welsh parliaments and assemblies. They are also commonly a source of information for business and industry, academia, the national and international media and, increasingly, the public.

Climate Change Committee members are appointed by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, with Adaptation Committee members appointed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The Committees are supported by a small secretariat of expert analytical, communications, and operations staff.

Role description

The adaptation team is dynamic and multi-disciplinary, with a highly supportive, friendly and motivated working culture. The role holder will have responsibility for:

• Leading the CCC’s analysis into adaptation investment. The CCC published supplementary analysis to A Well-Adapted UK which estimated the scale of investment required to deliver key adaptation actions. The role holder will be responsible for further developing this analysis going forward.
• Owning the “Economy and Finance” system. The role holder will be expected to conduct the analysis, engagement and drafting of all outputs relating to this system.
• Overseeing the modelling of cost-effective adaptation. The CCC is looking to develop its technical capabilities for modelling cost-effective adaptation to individual adaptation challenges, building on the research projects commissioned for A Well-Adapted UK (for example, on heat-related health risks). The role holder will be expected to oversee the and ensure the analysis is Green Book compliant.
• Supporting more broadly as the lead economist in the team. This will include:
  • Overseeing the economics components of any other analysis done within the team, including quality assuring any research delivered by contractors.
  • Maintaining expertise in the economics of physical climate risk and adaptation.
• Engaging with external stakeholders on relevant topics. This includes stakeholders in government (for example, at the Office for Budget Responsibility, HM Treasury, and Defra), as well as the business, finance and academic communities.

In addition, the role holder will be expected to support the work of the adaptation team more broadly depending on the team’s needs and their capacity.

Person specification

Essential criteria

• Professional qualification: postgraduate degree in economics or related subject, or undergraduate degree with experience working as a professional economist. We would welcome applications from members of the Government Economic Service, and its analysts can maintain GES membership at the CCC.
• Quantitative analytical skills:
  • The ability to apply appropriate quantitative analytical tools and techniques.
  • Experience in quality-assuring models, including challenging input data and assumptions.
  • Experience working on collaborative modelling projects, including coordinating the inputs of others.
  • Skilled in interpreting output data for delivering evidence-based advice.
• Qualitative analytical skills:
  • Experience synthesising evidence from a range of sources, as appropriate.
  • The ability to assess the reliability and relevance of evidence.
• Written communication: experience in drafting clear, well-evidenced and engaging outputs on complex topics, tailoring outputs to a policy audience.
• Technical skills: excellent spreadsheet skills.

Desirable criteria

• Familiarity with the Green Book: experience conducting cost-benefit analysis.
• Adaptation experience: knowledgeable
• Project management skills: ability to manage high-priority modelling projects, shaping the direction of the work, and managing consultants.
• Knowledge relevant to the Economy and Finance system: familiarity with the UK business and financial sector in relation to sustainability topics, including an understanding of the policy and stakeholder landscape.
• Stakeholder engagement: demonstrated ability to engage with wide and diverse stakeholder groups, including those in business, academia, and Government.
• Technical skills: experience in building models using programmes such as Python, including ensuring code is clean, well-documented and efficient.
• Verbal communication: experience delivering presentations on complex topics, including to non-experts.

Qualifications

Professional qualification: postgraduate degree in economics or related subject, or undergraduate degree with experience working as a professional economist.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Economics

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £62,024, Climate Change Committee contributes £17,968 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%

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, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your Personal Statement to outline your motivation for applying and how your skills and experience make you well-suited to this role (750 words max).

Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

The Personal Statement will be assessed using two elements of the Civil Service Success Profile framework: technical skills and experience as highlighted in the person specification above.

Interviews will be used to assess performance against behaviours in addition to technical skills and experience. Further information will be provided about assessment at interview for candidates invited to interview. Planned interviews dates are w/c 14 December.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

The CCC is registered as stage 1 Disability Confident, this has replaced the Guaranteed Interview Scheme (GIS) often referred to as the “two ticks” (√√) scheme, Disability Confident is compliant with The Equality Act 2010.

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.

We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

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

A reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for a maximum of 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

The CCC cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. The CCC does not hold a Visa sponsorship licence.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note the information for candidates attached.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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.

The CCC office is based in Canary Wharf, London, with staff expected to attend the office for 40% of their contracted hours. The pay band for this role is £62,024 to £69,006 and the expectation is that the successful candidate will join on the lower bound of the CCC G7 pay band.

We support a wide variety of working patterns such as compressed hours, hybrid working, flexi time, and part-time working and job-share (where applicable). National pay bands may be used where staff apply to work from home for more than 60% of their working hours and live outside London. Regular attendance at our London office, for example for meetings and training, will still be required. The national pay band for this grade is £57,323 to £64,809.

The Climate Change Committee are committed to creating a workplace culture where all staff feel valued, supported and can develop their potential. We work hard to ensure all staff can flourish and succeed, working with and respecting people’s different backgrounds and personal circumstances. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for this position. For more information on our EDI commitments, please read our strategy here: https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/.

Feedback

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.

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

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 : HR@theccc.org.uk
• Email : HR@theccc.org.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles and wish to make a complaint you should in the first instance contact ccc.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If not satisfied with the response you receive from the CCC, you may bring your complaint to the Civil Service Commission who will consider complaints where the principle appointment on merit through fair and open competition, and recruitment princes have not been met. 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

Information for Candidates Sept 25 Final v1 Opens in new window (pdf, 115kB)