Economic Adviser, Financial Services Strategy

North East Combined Authority; Tees Valley; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 67,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave + 8 public hols

Flexitime

Job share flexibly

Job summary

North East Combined Authority is seeking an Economic Adviser to lead the Financial Services Strategy analytical function from Darlington (Feethams House). The role focuses on shaping evidence and policy through quantitative and qualitative analysis to inform Ministers and policy colleagues.

Responsibilities include developing the analytical workplan, building the evidence base for the Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, and delivering high-profile projects while engaging with regulators and

Responsibilities

• Leading the Group's analytical function and developing the workplan for the financial services sector.
• Developing the evidence base to support the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy using economic analysis and data.
• Leading high-profile analytical projects and presenting findings to Ministers and senior officials.
• Responding to Ministerial commissions and shaping inputs for Mansion House speeches and fiscal events.
• Building a wide analytical network across government, regulators and external stakeholders.

Job description

Economic Adviser - Financial Services Strategy

Salary: National: £59,690 - £66,500. If the successful candidate is a current Civil Servant joining on level transfer, HM Treasury will honour their current substantive salary if higher

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: This post is available on a full time, part time or job share basis, and flexible working hours can be accommodated.

Location: Darlington (Feethams House)

This is an exciting and unique analytical opportunity to lead and shape economic analysis across Financial Services Group, overseeing the evidence base for one of the UK’s most strategically important sectors.

About the Team

The Financial Services Strategy (FSS) team is a friendly and inclusive team responsible for setting strategic direction and ensuring a coordinated approach to the department's overarching financial services strategy, including through key events such as Mansion House, Budget and the Industrial Strategy. We are responsible for Treasury's strategy for financial services regulation, including leading the overall relationship and accountability mechanisms for the FS regulators, as well as cross-cutting redress issues. FSS owns the governance structures and programme management processes to monitor and support the implementation of the government's financial services priorities and leads on the department’s overarching approach to engagement with the sector. FSS comprises four units:

The Financial Services Strategy & Analysis Unit, where this role sits. We lead on the government’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, deliver major set pieces including the Chancellor’s annual Mansion House policy package and speech, produces economic insights, evidence and analysis to inform the Group’s work, and lead on cross cutting policy issues including tax and regional growth for financial services.

The Regulatory Strategy Unit, which is responsible for HMT’s strategic oversight of the FS regulatory environment, holds the independent financial services regulators – the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) – to account for delivering against their objectives, and leads on high profile regulatory policy issues and reforms such as reforms to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

The Business Engagement & Delivery Unit, which is responsible for setting the strategic direction of engagement for the FS group, as well as overseeing the Group’s delivery of key priorities - capturing, reporting on, and mapping progress against public commitments to ensure that the government delivers its stated policy aims in financial services.

The Legislative Strategy Unit, which leads the Group’s strategic approach to primary legislation and is currently focused on preparing to deliver a major planned Financial Services Bill that is key to delivering a number of Chancellor priorities.

About the Job

As the economist leading the Group’s analytical function, you will have significant scope to shape the analytical agenda, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis to inform policy, strategy and Ministerial decision-making. The role offers exceptional variety, ranging from long-term strategic analysis and evaluation through to responding to fast-paced Ministerial priorities, working closely with policy colleagues and economists across government, regulators, and external stakeholders.

In this role you will be responsible for:

1. Leading the Group's analytical function, developing and delivering the analytical workplan related to one of the UK's most strategically important sectors. You will have significant scope to identify emerging analytical priorities, bring new evidence and approaches into policy development, and shape the Group's strategic direction.
2. Developing the evidence base underpinning the delivery of the Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, through a range of analytical approaches including economic frameworks, policy appraisal, data analysis, sector and market intelligence, and monitoring and evaluation. This will prioritise key areas of focus for the Chancellor and build on recent metrics publications, and policy analysis which the previous postholder led including for the Financial Services and Markets Bill Impact Assessment.
3. Leading high-profile analytical projects on Ministerial priorities and presenting your analysis to Ministers, Special Advisers and senior officials. Early priorities are likely to include AI and regional growth with scope to shape analysis across the Group's wider portfolio.
4. Responding to Ministerial commissions and supporting senior officials and Ministers across the Group's wide-ranging portfolio. This includes shaping analytical input to the Chancellor's annual Mansion House speech and package, fiscal events and wider government growth priorities.
5. Building and delivering through a strong analytical network across HMT, across government including with DBT on the Industrial Strategy, and externally with regulators and academia. This includes representing the Group in internal and external forums, bringing economic thinking and evidence into policy development, and helping strengthen the impact of analysis in this area. The role does not currently have direct line management responsibilities, although there may be opportunities to oversee and task manage temporary analytical staff in support of priority analytical projects.

The FS Strategy and Analysis Unit is a friendly, inclusive unit that values curiosity and bringing a wide range of perspectives to bear to inform our work. We encourage applications from a wide range of individuals with an enthusiasm and interest in applying analysis to shape policy and strategy on financial services issues. Previous financial services policy or sector experience is not required to succeed in the role.

About You

We are looking for candidates who have strong analytical skills and ability to deliver an analytical project from start to finish, applying sound economic theory, selecting the right methodology, and communicating results with impact. We want you to be able to communicate clearly in written and verbal communications and have the ability to respond to changing environments. As well as being able to apply strong judgement and use imperfect data and evidence to effectively inform analytical plans and policy development, and to support senior or Ministerial decisions.

Some of the Benefits our people love!

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King’s birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant). Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees to take up to an additional 2 days off each month
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)
• Generous parental and adoption leave packages
• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions of 28%
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme and season ticket advances
• A range of active staff networks, based around interests (e.g. analysts, music society, sports and social club) and diversity