AddressSalary:£81,679 up to £95,000 dependent upon experience
Contract Type: Permanent, Full-time
Security Level: BPSS
We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in our field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.
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The team
The Economic Regulation and Competition Policy (ERCP) team is a vital part of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Consumers and Markets Group (CMG). The focus of the team is to protect consumers by ensuring that airports and air traffic service providers do not exploit their market position. Understanding the impact of policy options and our actions is essential in ensuring we protect the interests of consumers while allowing a fair investment opportunity for investors.
The team has responsibility for the economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) and the monopoly air traffic services provider for the UK, NATS (En Route) Plc (NERL). This includes the development, oversight and enforcement of price control arrangements and other licence obligations. The team is also responsible for discharging the CAA’s concurrent competition responsibilities relating to the provision of airport operation and air traffic services.
The role
We are looking for a Head of Economic Analysis to play a key role and lead significant elements of our work in setting price controls and developing the regulatory frameworks for airports and air traffic services. This will include work on incentives, efficiency assessments, regulatory investigations, and mechanisms to set regulated charges. Reporting to a Programme Director, the Head of Economic Analysis will lead on the economic assessment of key policy issues and initiatives across the HAL, GAL and NERL price controls, and competition projects. This will involve working across the team to review and challenge submissions from the regulated companies (including the assessment of business plan information) and the work of external consultants. It will also involve work on new issues, driving forward key workstreams, the drafting of high-profile policy documents and working effectively with our own external advisors and consultants.
These issues will have a highly material impact on the price control proposals we will make in coming years and are central to our statutory duties to protect consumers. The decisions also have the potential to be highly contentious and are likely to be subject to legal challenge.
This role is a permanent position and offers the opportunity for professional development, through working within a highly experienced team, directly influencing and engaging with senior leaders, and working across a wide variety of high profile and interesting policy issues. We understand that work life balance is key and would be happy to consider those seeking part time work and/or a job share as well as those seeking a full-time role. We operate (and are committed to) a hybrid working model, with the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. The team currently requires attendance in the office around one and half days per week on average and we will keep this under review based on team needs.
Core accountabilities
- Overseeing and driving forward key elements of the Economic Analysis and assessment that supports our work on price controls and other aspects of the regulatory frameworks for airports and air traffic services.
- Ensuring that the analysis that supports the CAA’s decisions is robust to external challenge and scrutiny and supported by appropriate quality assurance processes.
- Ensuring that leading edge economic thinking is brought to the CAA’s approach to policy development and the analytical work that supports this policy.
- Actively engaging and leading key stakeholder relationships at senior level meetings on a wide range of issues.
- Commissioning and overseeing the work of our technical advisors and consultants and providing a critical review of the analysis provided.
- Reviewing and challenging regulatory business plans and submissions from other stakeholders.
- Ensuring key deliverables are provided on time and to high quality (including drafting consultations, working papers and other external documents such that they provide a clear exposition of technical issues and are prepared to a standard consistent with publication, as well as contributing to submissions to the CAA Board).
- Providing advice to the Programme Directors, Chief Economist, the CAA Executive Committee and the CAA Board as required.
- Translating technical economic and other issues into simple explanations, analysis and presentations that will be suitable for non-technical audiences.
- Development and empowering of team members, through opportunities to develop skills and training, as a senior leader in the team.
- Championing CAA values and D&I policy.
You will also be expected to support the delivery of other parts of the regulatory and price control framework as required and may need to work with other regulators and represent the CAA at external groups, such as the UK Regulator Network.
About you
Essential criteria for the role
- High level of expertise in regulatory economics.
- Experience working at a senior level on economic regulation issues, for example within a government department, regulator, regulated company or consultancy (or other relevant experience).
- Excellent analytical skills and the ability to design and oversee complex analysis.
- Strong programme management and organisational skills, including the ability to develop effective work programmes to design and successfully deliver analytical work.
- Skilled communicator with the ability to explain complex information to a wide range of audiences including non-economists.
- Ability to write clearly and produce persuasive written documents for publication.
- Experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams, delivering work through team members and developing team members.
Desirable criteria
- Experience of regulatory finance and accounting issues.
- Knowledge of aviation and transport.
In the event of receiving a large volume of applications, we will use the first four essential criteria above to sift CVs from applicants. We will consider all the essential and desirable criteria during the first interview stage.
What Can We Offer You?
In the role, you will have the opportunity to be involved in high-profile programmes of work to set future price controls for HAL and NERL, as well as further developing our approach to the economic regulation of GAL. You will also have opportunities for training and skills development, as well as making contributions to the team and CAA to improve ways of working.
The salary for the position will depend on the level of experience of the candidate.
The CAA is committed to offering flexible working arrangements. Many members of ERCP already work a variety of non-standard working patterns and that flexibility would also be available for this role. The CAA also has an accommodating policy relating to international working such that, with certain conditions, colleagues are able to work from other EEA countries for up to 2 weeks in any rolling 6-month period, or outside the EEA with further approval.
Additional information
For many appointments within the CAA, roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance.
To be vetted you must have the right to work in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken.
If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.
For more information on BPSS clearance please visit - BPSS clearance
The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.
Working with us
We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more!
We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us.
We have embraced hybrid working and offer flexible working patterns, being open to having a conversation about what works for you. We know where and when we work is important in achieving a work-life balance.
We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We provide equal opportunities and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone.
Please submit a CV and cover letter as part of your application.
Closing Date: 29th April 2024
Interview Date: w/c 6th May 2024
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
No recruitment agencies please.
