Principal Adviser

Do you want to apply your expertise of economics, government policy, and markets to benefit the public good?
Can you build trusted relationships with key officials and provide robust advice on the effects of government policy on competition, consumers and markets?
Join the Advocacy, Nations and External Relations team and play a key role advising on the best ways to promote competitive markets for the benefit of consumers.
About the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)
We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.
The Advocacy, Nations and External Relations team is the CMA's centre for stakeholder engagement. A core part of its work involves providing advice and recommendations to the UK government and the devolved administrations.
What you will do
You will lead the delivery of advice, analysis, and support to the government on the impact of current and future policy (including regulation, law and other interventions) on competition, consumers and markets.
You will need to develop and deliver effective plans to promote awareness among officials and elected representatives of how government action can affect competition and consumer outcomes. This will involve a range of approaches, including training, published guidance, submissions to government consultations and parliamentary inquiries.
You will also support colleagues across the CMA to identify opportunities to advise the government that might arise from their work and will need to maintain awareness of the CMA's casework and proactively identify and capitalise on opportunities that might arise to support and advise the government.
What you will need
Demonstrable expertise in applying economic concepts to policy appraisal and evaluation is essential.
A strong understanding of government policy priorities, and of the processes by which policy and law is made and implemented and how it can affect market outcomes is equally important.
You will also need the ability to acquire, at speed, a detailed knowledge of unfamiliar markets or policy areas.
Experience in communicating and presenting complex material to a range of audiences, both orally and in writing, is also essential.
What we can offer you
The CMA is a hugely diverse, rewarding and stimulating place to work - an opportunity to work for the public good and to stretch and develop yourself in doing so. We offer generous benefits, including an excellent pension scheme with an average employer contribution of 27%, at least 25 days leave (increasing to 30 over five years), and generous maternity/paternity leave provision. You can also take advantage of interest-free season ticket loans, a cycle to work scheme, our employee assistance programme, and our extensive flexible working options.
To find out more about this opportunity and about working for the CMA, please click on the APPLY button.
Closing date for applications: 11:55pm, 25 th March 2024.
The CMA, like many other organisations, operate 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. Our staff work at least 40% of their time from their office location.
The CMA are an accredited Disability Confident Employer, and we are an equal opportunities employer, welcoming suitably qualified applicants from all backgrounds.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.