Principal Economist, EL2, Specialist Advice and Services

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC); Adelaide; Remote; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) invites applications for the Principal Economist, EL2, Specialist Advice and Services. The role leads a small team of economists and delivers expert economic advice to support competition law enforcement, merger assessments and market studies.

You will analyse trends, forecast impacts, and prepare written papers and submissions, collaborating across teams to apply rigorous economic frameworks in investigations and regulatory work.

Qualifications

• Strong conceptual and analytical skills with practical experience in economics.
• Experience guiding an economics team in fast-paced, large organisations.
• Knowledge of competition economics and relevant economic frameworks.
• Ability to produce high-quality, tailored documents.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of economists and model leadership behaviours.
• Provide expert economic advice and quantitative/qualitative analysis to ACCC.
• Analyse trends and forecast impacts of economic changes.
• Prepare papers, reports, presentations and submissions on economic issues.
• Collaborate across teams to apply economic frameworks in investigations.

Skills

Competition economics

Team leadership

Analytical skills

Written & verbal communication

Data analysis

Education

Post-graduate degree in Economics

Job description

Principal Economist, EL2, Specialist Advice and Services (EA2026/222)

• Do you wantto work at an agency where each day reveals new opportunitiesto work on some of the biggest issues facing consumers andbusinesses and have opportunities to pursue new and excitingpathways?
• Do you wantto work at a place where smart and dedicated people from allwalks of life collaborate to work on meaningfulmatters?
• Do you wantto lead a team of economists and provide expert economic adviceand analysis that shapes competition law enforcement, mergerassessments, economic regulation and marketinquiries?

Then this isthe place for you! At the ACCC, we're proud of the impactwe can make together. We understand the responsibilities andchallenges that come with a fast moving and ever-changingenvironment. Our high performing culture is built on a foundationof care, support and inclusion. It's why we're driven by connectionand collaboration, sharing our skills, knowledge and support witheach other freely and frequently. It's why we prioritise thewellbeing of our people and empower them to work autonomously,flexibly and courageously. At the ACCC, we believe the best versionof you is the one that’s true to who you are – and that’s the youwe want working alongside us.

We valueflexibility, and all roles can be performed from any capital cityin a state or territory or Townsville and are available on afull-time, part-time or job-share basis.

Applicants fromdiverse backgrounds including First Nations peoples, people withdisability and those from different cultural backgrounds areencouraged to apply.

The successful candidate will be appointed as anongoing EL2 and may attract an additional allowance via anIFA depending on the skills and experience of thecandidate. Please note that all IFAs are reviewedannually in accordance with the IFA policy and are notongoing.

What you willdo as the Principal Economist:

TheACCC’s specialist in-house economists provide specific economicexpertise on best practice economic theory and analysis applying toinvestigation work in competition law enforcement, mergerassessment, the review of authorisation applications andnotifications, economic regulation functions and market studies andinquiries. These opportunities relate to providing economic advicewith respect to either or both of the competition and regulatoryroles of the ACCC.

Thepositions require strong conceptual and analytical skills togetherwith practical experience and an ability to draw insights based onanalysis of facts and data.

As thePrincipal Economist, you will:

• Lead a small teamof professionals, role modelling our leadership behaviours,supporting a professional and collaborative workingenvironment, coaching, giving continuous feedback, resolvingconflict and facilitating career development.
• Provide expertprofessional economic support and recommendations (economicadvice, carry out both qualitative and quantitative analysis,guidance and research) to the ACCC.
• Analyse economictrends and relationships, and forecast the impacts of economicchanges to inform advice and recommendations.
• Prepare writtenpapers, reports, presentations, speeches and submissions oneconomic issues for presentation within the ACCC, to theCommission and external parties.
• Workcollaboratively within teams to employ economic frameworks toassist in investigations and enforcement of the Competitionand Consumer Act 2010.

Aboutyou

Allcandidates are expected to meet the APS Integrated Leadership Profile (ILS) for the classificationadvertised. Follow the link for more information on the ILS. Thisrole in particular requires:

• Demonstratedexperience and/or expertise in competition economics or theability to demonstrate understanding and application of theeconomic frameworks relevant to competitioneconomics.
• Demonstratedexperience guiding an economics team or similar role in a fast-paced and large complex people-centredorganisation.
• Seven or moreyears' experience as an economic adviser and be capable ofleading the provision of economic advice to projects, under thegeneral oversight of the ACCC’s Chief Economist and DeputyChief Economists.
• Sound knowledge ofthe ACCC’s role in administering the Competition andConsumer Act 2010 and the economic principles relevant tothis.
• Very strongcommunication, advocacy and influencing skills, and the abilityto present in a clear, concise and persuasive manner withpeople at different levels.
• Exceptional writtencommunication skills, including the ability to produce highquality, accurate and tailored documents.
• Capacity to workeffectively and co-operatively in a teamenvironment.
• Ability to achievestrong results, showing self-motivation, organisation skills,collaboration and personal responsibility for the accuracy andquality of work produced.
• Apost-graduate degree in Economics in industrial organisation,applied microeconomics, econometrics or similarfields.

To findout more about us and the role, please read the CandidateKit.