About the job

Summary

We welcome applications from all communities and we don’t discriminate against any identity. We’re interested to hear from you, regardless of your background.

Are you a strategic thinker capable of providing high quality analysis?

Can you communicate efficiently, conveying and translating economic concepts to a variety of audiences?

Would you love the opportunity to influence high profile policies and change?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) implements the government's maritime safety and environmental policy in the United Kingdom and works to prevent the loss of life and occurrence of pollution on the coast and at sea.

Safer lives, Safer ships, Cleaner seas.

Our vision is to be the best maritime safety organisation in the world.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for a passionate and motivated individual to join the Directorate of Maritime Safety and Standards UK Maritime Services (UKMS) as an Economist.

The successful applicant will supporting the Government's drive to support a vibrant and economically successful maritime sector, working in partnership with industry to promote safe and efficient operations through proportionate and effective regulation.

The role holder will use their expertise and take an ‘in house consultant’ approach to provide robust and influential economic advice to shape and enable policy and operational delivery within the maritime sector and to take a proactive lead on analytical matters. Reporting to the Lead Economist, the Economist - UKMS will use their economic expertise to support and guide policy professionals to deliver objectives which range across safety and environmental arenas.

This is a unique opportunity to become an effective Business Partner, working across diverse areas within the business and in collaboration with other analysts both in MCA and other government departments to get to know and understand how the business operates and developing outputs to achieve objectives.

This role brings flexibility and autonomy with the opportunity to influence policy through your analytical input directly contributing to saving lives at sea and on the coast and making a big difference in the maritime sector, creating a more sustainable and greener future.

This role will be based in the Southampton HQ. MCA supports flexible working and operates a hybrid working model between home and office for this role, giving you greater flexibility over where and when you work. Details of the arrangement will be discussed further with your line manager.

There may be a requirement for travel on official duty within the UK, which may involve overnight stays away from home.

Responsibilities

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:
• Leading the analytical input on UKMS and Agency-wide projects to guide senior leaders in their strategic thinking and adherence to the Analytical Assurance Framework; and providing, where required, timely analytical input into the decision making on high profile issues, including input to ministerial briefings and Parliamentary Questions.
• Leading the development of a range of Impact Assessments and Post Implementation Reviews by undertaking robust analysis in accordance with the Better Regulation Framework Manual to deliver the implementation of Regulations, Codes of Practice, and guidance documents. Working closely with Department for Transport (DfT) economists, the role holder will act as focal point to MCA policy colleagues on analytical and economic guidance and advice, using analytical expertise and tools to guide delivery e.g. sourcing of information and research.
• Applying economics to influence a range of policy issues relating to the maritime sector providing analytical input to influence and underpin the development and negotiation of policies in both the international and domestic arenas, identifying new and novel approaches to meeting Better Regulation initiatives and analytical assurance.
• Leading the analytical contribution in meetings with external stakeholders in the areas of economic expertise and to maintain a positive and proactive role in liaison with appropriate stakeholders including Civil Society groups (industry, unions, Non-Government Organisations); certifying authorities, classification societies and Red Ensign Group Administrations; Department for Transport (Marine Accident Investigation Branch and maritime divisions) and Other Government Departments (OGDs).

For an in-depth insight into the role, please refer to the Role Profile attached to this advert.

About You
We are looking for an enthusiastic individual with a passion for economics and the ability to thrive working flexibly in a fast-paced project environment where priorities can change rapidly as needs dictate.

To be successful in this role you will be a holistic and independent thinker, good at understanding complex intertwining systems and able to pull together information from various sources to inform your analysis.

You will have first class communication skills, confident in your approach and own expertise and comfortable and adept in clearly articulating robust guidance and recommendations to influence policy and decision making. You’re able to adapt your communication style to suit diverse audiences, translating often complex technical information into an output that’s understood by non-technical colleagues and stakeholders.

Collaborating and engaging productively comes naturally to you and you enjoy building up strong and trusted working relationships, keeping an open mind and listening to views of others. You are self-driven and will welcome autonomy to your role with this opportunity to really make a mark as the economic expert in this directorate.

This post is open to Government Economic Service members, and applicants who aspire to join the profession, hence the academic requirements of the role are that you either hold a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree in Economics or a related subject with a strong economic component.

Qualifications

A minimum 2:1 undergraduate degree in Economics or a related subject with a strong economic component

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• GES Technical Framework – Level 2 Practitioner - Application of Knowledge – Applying economic theory and analysis.
• GES Technical Framework – Level 2 Practitioner - Analysis of Data – Analysing data.
• GES Technical Framework – Level 2 Practitioner - Effective Communication – Communicating to technical and non-technical audiences.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.