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Location
About the job
Job summary
About DBT
The Department for Business and Trade is the department for economic growth. We support business to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country.
Our responsibilities:
- Redraw our rules to ensure businesses thrive, markets are competitive and consumers are protected
- Secure investment from UK and international businesses
- Support and promote British businesses to grow and export
- Open up new markets for businesses by removing barriers and striking trade deals
- Promote free trade, economic security and resilient supply chains
This is an exciting time to join the newly-created Smarter Regulation Directorate (SRD) in the Department for Business and Trade. It was formed following the recent merger of the Better Regulation Executive and Brexit Opportunities Unit within the Competition, Markets, and Regulatory Reform Group. Its mission is to work to ensure that the UK’s regulatory approach is proportionate, targeted, transparent and optimised to support innovation and maximise growth, delivering better outcomes for the economy and society.
This advert is for two Grade 7 economists – one to join the Economic Regulation team within SRD, and one to join the Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) Secretariat.
The role of the Economic Regulation team includes supporting the delivery of the government response to the consultation on strengthening economic regulation in the energy, water and telecoms sectors, including subsequent implementation of any chosen ways forward. The team is also working with relevant departments across government and regulators on new approaches to economic regulation in the above key sectors, as well as others such as rail and aviation, to support growth and improved outcomes for consumers and businesses.
The Regulatory Policy Committee (RPC) is an independent arm’s length body sponsored by SRD that plays a key role in delivering the Government’s Better Regulation Framework. The RPC consists of eight independent committee members, supported by a secretariat of 14 DBT civil servants, who are responsible for assessing the quality of the evidence and analysis that underpin the development and evaluation of departments’ most significant Regulatory Policy proposals. The RPC produces and publishes independent opinions setting out its views on the strength of the analysis to inform ministerial and parliamentarian decision making, as well as informing external stakeholders including business and civil society organisations.
Job description
For the role within the Economic Regulation Team, your responsibilities will include:
- Expanding the evidence base on the UK’s regulatory environment — across water, telecoms, energy, rail and aviation —, proactively providing the insight required to continually improve UK Regulatory Policy and ensure the UK continues to be seen as an example of best practice globally.
- Working as an embedded analyst within an economically focussed policy unit, bringing and explaining key economic theory and analysis central to the work of the directorate.
- Synthesising evidence from a wide range of stakeholders in the regulated industries and across government, as well as economic data, to monitor the performance of regulated industries against a range of economic outcomes.
- Conducting economic impact assessments of any proposed changes to the UK’s regulatory regime, in a complex environment mixing natural monopolies in essential industries which unlock economic growth and to which the entire UK population are market participants.
- Establishing and maintaining relationships across government analytical communities, ensuring the wider policy team are supported by relevant analytical findings from across government.
For the role within the RPC, your responsibilities will include:
- Working with the Committee members to produce high-quality opinions assessing the strength of the evidence and analysis within departments options assessments, impact assessments and post-implementation reviews for regulatory measures submitted to the RPC for independent scrutiny
- Providing advice to departmental analysts and policy leads on appraisal and evaluation, often at a senior level, as they develop analysis to support regulatory proposals
- Leading within the team on key strategic issues as the RPC and departments transition to the new Better Regulation Framework in 2024, for example, developing updated and new RPC published guidance
- Being a pro-active member of the Secretariat’s management team and provide a positive contribution to continuing to maintain a great work environment where staff can develop and deliver a high-quality service
Person specification
Essential criteria
Please use your personal statement to demonstrate how you would be a great choice to perform the role responsibilities and meet the below essential criteria. Please also state preferences for either role – these will be taken into consideration for successful candidates, although the panel may offer the role that is the most suitable match to the candidate’s strengths.
To be eligible, you must be an existing member of the Government Economic Service (with both roles available on promotion), or if applying from outside government demonstrate you meet the requirements to become a GES member (see ‘Memberships’ section below), and also be able to demonstrate:
- Excellent understanding and practical experience of cost-benefit analysis and a range of evaluation methodologies.
- Clear and concise communicator of complex analysis and the ability to influence a variety of senior stakeholders, analysts and policy makers.
- Excellent time management skills to deliver a range of high-quality and timely analytical outputs.
- Ability to quickly get to grips with complex situations and analyse at pace - even when working with uncertainty and ambiguity.
- Strong network building skills, able to maintain links between the policy directorate and the wider analytical community, as well as fostering cross-government links.
Desirable criteria
- Experience and understanding of economic regulators, key regulated sectors, and/or regulatory issues affecting business.
Personal attributes & skills
We are looking for someone who is:
- Committed to continuous improvement and in delivering a high-quality service
- Can demonstrate excellent interpersonal skills and professionalism, showing genuine care for the team and other colleagues, creating an inclusive working environment and a clear commitment to civil service values and high standards.
- Can demonstrate leadership skills in managing and taking responsibility for analytical projects and workstreams, in a team where you will bring the analytical voice.
- Can confidently be the impartial voice of robust analysis, in a high-profile policy area dealing with complex trade-offs.
- Ability to understand a wider government perspective on developments, with the ability to scope the future for the analysis that will be required to support the team in its objective of ensuring economic regulation supports economic growth.
- Excellent written and presentational skills. In particular, the candidate should be comfortable with routinely communicating analysis to non-analytical colleagues.
Memberships
Applicants who are civil servants but not members of the GES and anyone applying from outside government 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 (GES) 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.
To hold full or associate GES membership, you must:
- 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.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- At interview, candidates will be assessed against the following area of competency within the GES Technical Framework: Application of Knowledge. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ges-technical-framework-2022
Benefits
- 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 average employer contribution of 27%
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
Please refer to the attached candidate pack for further information on our benefits.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
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.
After the closing date 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.
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 500 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.
In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your interview.
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.
Candidate Support
You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.
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.
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
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
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
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
Further information
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
