SG - Head of Economic Policy, SEO

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office; Singapore; On-site; SGD 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A government office in Singapore is seeking a Head of Economic Policy to lead efforts in UK-Singapore economic cooperation. This position involves driving significant economic policy strategies, engaging with various government bodies, and providing high-level analysis for the UK’s economic agenda in the region. The ideal candidate should have extensive experience in economic analysis and strong leadership skills. This is a full-time, permanent role with a salary of SGD 9,670 per month.

Benefits

23 days annual leave, increasing to 25 after 5 years

Medical insurance

Generous leave including maternity and paternity leave

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience providing economic analysis.
• Proficient in international economics and macroeconomics.
• Ability to draft documents at pace for various audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead the UK-Singapore economic policy cooperation.
• Provide strategic advice to the High Commissioner.
• Support economic engagement through events and dialogues.

Skills

Strong quantitative analysis skills

Excellent English drafting skills

Good knowledge of Singapore’s economic environment

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's or postgraduate degree in economics

Tools

MS Excel

Job description

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family‑friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and, to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.

Job Category: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Job Subcategory: Political, Policy
Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

Overview

This role leads the economics portfolio at the British High Commission (BHC) Singapore, driving forward the mission’s regulation and standards policy work to support UK growth and mutual prosperity, as well as strengthen UK and regional economic resilience from economic shocks and threats to economic security.

As Head of the Economic Policy for the mission, we are looking for an experienced economist and proactive self‑starter to lead the UK’s engagement with Singapore on a range of fascinating and high‑profile economic policy issues.

The jobholder sits in the Economics, Financial and Intellectual Property Policy and Programming Team, and will work closely with teams across the BHC and other UK Missions across SE Asia to deliver on our ambitious economic objectives.

In addition to being a core part of the BHC Team, the job holder will play an important role in the Southeast Asia Economics and Trade Policy Network, using their engagement in Singapore to support the delivery of the UK’s ambitious economic agenda in Southeast Asia.

The jobholder will join an existing team of economic, financial trade policy and intellectual property advisers based in diplomatic missions throughout the region, providing the opportunity for wider cross‑team working.

Responsibilities

• 1. Bilateral engagement (80%)
  Develop, progress and lead UK‑Singapore economic policy cooperation, and, in particular, delivering the UK’s Growth Mission in Singapore:
• Work with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Trade Policy and Science & Tech teams to develop and lead a pipeline of regulation and standards work that fully complements our market‑shaping campaigns across UK industrial strategy sectors.
• Enhance UK and Singapore economic resilience through government cooperation on economic security and resilience issues, particularly in the areas of investment security, research security, sanctions, strategic sectors.
• Support UK business resilience and mutual prosperity through enhanced G2B information sharing on geopolitical risks, security threats and possible mitigations.
• Deepen bilateral cooperation to support regional economic development (e.g. through engaging on shared priorities within ASEAN, G20 and other multilateral fora).
• Work closely with the Singaporean government in multilateral fora on issues of common interest and better coordinating policy approaches, including through competition policy.
• Identify and respond in an agile manner to new opportunities and challenges, in close consultation with UK businesses.
• Provide strategic advice to the High Commissioner, and cross‑mission Growth Board to improve internal governance and oversight on the mission’s performance on growth.
• Support the Growth Board secretariat to deliver an effective agenda that advances the mission’s growth campaigns.
• Support the Growth Board secretariat to update FCDO growth plans for FCDO HQ needs.
• Become the mission’s analytical champion by providing guidance and support to teams across the mission to help quantify the UK commercial opportunities in their work.
• Lead on cross‑mission coordination of FCDO Growth Directorate commissions and reporting requests.
• Deliver economic engagement with Singapore, including through representational duties, campaigns, set‑piece events, visits and dialogues, working in partnership with the High Commissioner, the SE Asia Regional Director for Economics and Trade Policy and other senior colleagues across the High Commission.
• Build and maintain an extensive network of contacts in government, academia, other embassies, and the private sector to develop deeper partnerships and promote UK economic policy objectives in Singapore.
• Lead and develop economic policy relationships with Singapore government agencies such as the Ministry of Finance (MOF), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Maritime & Ports Authority.
• Nurture and lead relationships with UK‑based colleagues in the FCDO, HM Treasury (HMT), the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), and Cabinet Office.
• Build up and develop relationships with organisations in SG, including the IMF, AMRO, think tanks, political risk consultancies and universities with presence in Singapore.
• Deliver set‑piece events, ministerial visits and dialogues. Lead on Ministerial and senior‑level visits to Singapore from UK agencies including HMT, FCDO and DBT.
• Support the delivery of the UK‑Singapore Economic and Business Partnership (EBP).
• Represent and promote the UK in external engagements, including with the Singapore government, industry and in other diplomatic mission engagements.
• Underpin bilateral policy cooperation through high‑quality economic analysis of the Singapore economy.
• Produce high‑quality analysis of Singapore’s economy, as well as other emerging issues related to Singapore.
• Coordinate and lead a cross‑Mission view of the political economy to produce reporting suitable for a non‑technical audience.
• Deliver economic briefings for senior UK government and industry stakeholders, including ahead of senior‑level visits and for organisations like the British Chamber of Commerce in Singapore.
• 2. Southeast Asia engagement (20%)
• In partnership with the Regional Director for the Southeast Asia Economics Network, support the UK government’s regional economic agenda.
• Support the Regional Director on strategic areas of UK economic interest for the region, contributing to secure and resilient growth. Facilitate knowledge‑sharing and upskilling across the regional network on these, presenting to seniors where necessary.
• Coordinate and lead economic reporting on Southeast Asia / ASEAN, targeting a Whitehall audience and supporting HMG efforts to improve understanding of the SE Asia economy.
• Produce the flagship Southeast Asia Economic Bulletin, as well as ad hoc thematic pieces on topical economic issues.
• Use economic analysis to inform UK positions towards ASEAN on priority issues.
• Resources managed (staff and expenditure)
  This role has line management responsibilities. You will line‑manage and be supported in your tasks by an Economic and Trade Policy Officer. The reporting line also works part of their time to the Bilateral Head of Trade Policy.

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Essential qualifications, skills and experience:
  
  • A bachelor's or postgraduate degree in economics or related social science subject. Degree must contain at least 50% economic modules.
  • At least 5 years of relevant experience providing economic analysis, advice and reporting in a comparable organisation.
  • Strong quantitative analysis skills, including familiarity with MS Excel.
  • Excellent English drafting skills and ability to draft at pace.
  • Strong leadership skills.
  • Good knowledge of Singapore’s and more broadly Southeast Asia’s economic, financial, business and political environment.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in international economics and macroeconomics: International economics (balance of payments, trade, aid, remittances, financial flows, debt, migration, institutions, regulation) and macroeconomics (growth measurement, trends, drivers, diagnostics, inflation, exchange rates, fiscal and monetary policy, financial sector and debt sustainability, labour, climate).
• Desirable qualifications, skills and experience:
  
  • Previous experience working for or closely with UK Government.
  • Previous experience of working in or closely with an international organisation or context, particularly within Singapore or Southeast Asia.
  • Previous line‑management experience.

Required behaviours

• Leadership.
• Seeing the Big Picture.

Terms of service

• Staff recruited locally by the British High Commission are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local Singapore employment law.
• Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre‑employment checks. Only short‑listed applications will be called for personal interviews.
• We have a generous leave offer including 23 days annual leave, increasing to 25 after 5 years’ service, with the option to carry over up to 12 days into the subsequent leave year; 14 public holidays; generous maternity and paternity leave; and childcare leave. We encourage volunteerism and offer up to 3 days paid volunteer leave.
• We also offer medical insurance to support staff with the high costs of healthcare in Singapore and periodic reimbursement for the cost of eye tests and replacement eye wear.
• The British High Commission is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on grounds of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation.
• In addition to the duties which this job normally entails, you may, from time to time, be required to undertake additional or other duties as necessary to meet the needs of the High Commission, including playing a part in the corporate life of the mission and supporting any crisis response.
• All successful candidates will be expected to serve a minimum of 6 months in their new role before being eligible to apply for further positions within the British High Commission.

Working patterns

Normal working hours are 37.5 per week: 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM from Monday to Friday. The team operates a ‘core hours’ policy of 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM with individual flexibility around that.

Benefits and conditions of employment

Other benefits and conditions of employment – Salary: SGD 9,670 per month; Start Date: 16 February 2026; Grade: Senior Executive Officer (SEO); Type of Position: Full‑time, Permanent; Working hours: 37.5 per week; Region: Asia-Pacific; Country / Territory: Singapore; Location (City): Singapore; Type of Post: British High Commission; Number of vacancies: 1.

Learning and development opportunities

We offer time and financial support for the successful candidate to take advantage of professional learning and development opportunities inside and outside of the organisation. The BHC has an active Learning & Development Committee which works hard to provide a comprehensive L&D offer. There is a wide range of options available for personal development including training courses, coaching and mentoring, job‑shadowing, presentations and learning sets. Staff have access to a wide variety of online resources through the International Academy and Civil Service Learning. Staff are strongly encouraged to take advantage of all available opportunities. The post holder can also access specialist funding to support the development of their economic capabilities. All new hires undertake a workplace induction and there are several mandatory e‑learning courses that must be completed to pass probation.