Senior Economist – 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Financial Conduct Authority; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial regulatory agency in the UK is seeking a Senior Economist for a 12-month fixed-term contract. The role involves delivering high-quality research and providing actionable insights to influence strategic direction at senior levels. The candidate should have a degree in Economics and demonstrable economic experience, with skills in collaborating with stakeholders and using statistical packages. This position offers a salary ranging from £52,400 to £65,500 based on skills and experience, plus a range of benefits including a non-contributory pension and private healthcare.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Hybrid model with up to 60% remote work

Non-contributory pension

Private healthcare

Paid volunteering annually

Flexible benefits scheme

Qualifications

• Proven economic experience from a degree in Economics with at least 50% modules in Economics.
• Experience conducting policy-relevant research and identifying actionable insights.
• Ability to engage and collaborate effectively with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality research using advanced quantitative methods.
• Translate findings into actionable insights for FCA seniors.
• Guide economic analysis on policy implications for growth.

Skills

Proven Economic experience

Engaging with stakeholders

Experience with economic growth concepts

Ability to work collaboratively

Education

Degree in Economics or relevant modules

Tools

Statistical/econometric packages (e.g., R)

Job description

Senior Economist – 12 Month Fixed Term Contract

Division: Operations
Department: Economics

• Salary: National (Edinburgh and Leeds) ranging from £52,400 to £65,500 and London from £57,700 to £72,000 (salary offered will be based on skills and experience)
• This role is graded as: Senior Associate
• Your recruitment contact is Riley Fox via [e-mail]. Applications must be submitted through our online portal. Applications sent via social media or email will not be accepted.

About the FCA and team

We regulate financial services firms in the UK, to keep financial markets fair, thriving and effective. By joining us, you’ll play a key part in protecting consumers, driving economic growth, and shaping the future of UK financial services.

The Economics Division is formed by a vibrant mix of backgrounds and works closely with colleagues across the FCA to ensure high-quality and effective choices across all aspects of FCA regulation.

We are seeking Economists for the following positions:

• Growth Strategic Research and Analysis (Strategic Economic Analysis – Growth and Markets Team)
• Risk and Rebalancing – Economic Strategy Team

Role responsibilities

Growth Strategic Research and Analysis

• Deliver High-Quality Research: Use advanced quantitative and qualitative methods—such as econometrics and causal inference—to uncover how regulation drives growth
• Turn Evidence into Action: Translate findings into clear, actionable insights for FCA seniors and the wider policy community, shaping choices that matter
• Influence Strategic Direction: Guide economic analysis on policy implications for growth, informing choices at the FCA’s most senior levels, including the Executive Committee and Board
• Champion Growth Strategy: Support and communicate the FCA’s Growth Strategy by contributing to speeches, parliamentary hearings, and major industry events

Risk Rebalancing Economics Strategy Team

• Own Key Risk Initiatives: Guide elements of the FCA’s work on Risk Rebalancing and Tolerable Failure by refining analytical frameworks and ensuring their effective use across the organisation
• Showcase Real-World Impact: Develop case studies that demonstrate how the framework applies to authorisation, supervision, and enforcement, influencing critical regulatory choices
• Drive Adoption and Understanding: Champion the rollout of the Analytical Framework internally and externally through briefings, guidance, and consistent implementation across teams
• Innovate for the Future: Contribute to systems-thinking projects and explore AI-driven solutions to enhance economic insight and regulatory effectiveness

Skills required

Minimum

• Proven Economic experience from a degree in Economics or with at least 50% of the modules in Economics
• Prior experience applying appropriate economic tools, techniques and methods to a range of analytical problems or research questions, drawing on relevant economic theory
• Demonstrable experience engaging and collaborating effectively with stakeholders (project colleagues, external collaborators, and users and commissioners of project work), to maximise the impact of project outputs

Essential

Growth Strategic Research and Analysis

• Experience with economic growth and productivity as economic concepts and preferably applying them in a professional context (for example, in strategic analysis, or in empirical research)
• Experience conducting policy-relevant research, and identifying actionable insights off the basis of this research
• Experience using statistical/econometric packages (e.g. R) to conduct empirical research, or knowledge of experimental methods, would be an advantage

Risk Rebalancing

• Experience in identifying and analysing different sources of information to inform analysis and the ability to apply economic/analytical principles to issues you are not familiar with
• Ability to make a strong personal impact, persuading with well-reasoned arguments and challenging where appropriate
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with internal and external stakeholders, developing and maintaining working relationships
• Willingness to explore new techniques and approaches to economics work, including systems thinking and the role of AI in economic insights

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Hybrid model with up to 60% remote work
• Non-contributory pension (8–12% depending on age) and life assurance at eight times your salary
• Private healthcare with Bupa, income protection, and 24/7 Employee Assistance
• 35 hours of paid volunteering annually
• A flexible benefits scheme designed around your lifestyle

For a full list of our benefits, and our recruitment process as a whole visit our benefits page.

Our values and culture

Our colleagues are the key to our success as a regulator. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture: one that’s free from discrimination and bias, celebrates difference, and supports colleagues to deliver at their best. We believe that our differences and similarities enable us to be a better organisation – one that makes better choices, drives innovation, and delivers better regulation.

If you require any adjustments due to a disability or condition, your recruiter is here to help - reach out for tailored support.

We welcome diverse working styles and aim to find flexible solutions that suit both the role and individual needs, including options like part-time and job sharing where applicable.

Disability confident: our hiring approach

We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, and therefore, people or individuals with disabilities and long-term conditions who best meet the minimum criteria for a role will go through to the next stage of the recruitment process. In cases of high application volumes we may progress applicants whose experience most closely matches the role’s key requirements.

Useful information and timelines

Timeline:

• Job advert close: 14th January
• CV Sift: 16th January
• First Interview: w/c 19th January
• Please can you submit a short cover letter (no more than 400 words) outlining your motivation for applying and specifying which roles you are interested in. If you would like to be considered for more than one role, please state this clearly and provide an indication of your order of preference.
• Your Recruiter will discuss the process in detail with you during screening for the role, therefore, please make them aware if you are going to be unavailable for any date during this time.