SEO Economist

Are you passionate about helping create the safest and best learning environments for our children and future generations? If so, this may be the job for you! You will be supporting and leading aspects of the economist work within the Condition and Cost Intelligence Analytical team, within the Education Estates Directorate. The team provides high quality data, economic advice, analysis, and modelling to help DfE and those responsible for the school estate maintain an environment that is safe, sheltered, and pleasant, enabling world-class teaching and learning.

You will use your skills to strengthen and improve Education Estates business cases and work alongside analysts in the team to help DfE develop a deeper understanding of the condition of the school estate, the money spent on maintaining and improving its condition and how best to allocate around £2.5 billion per annum budget spent on 65,000 buildings in 22,000 schools. Your work will support Responsible Bodies to better manage existing estates, making a real difference to the lives of children, families and teachers. The environment within which a child learns and develops can make an immense difference to them in reaching their potential and to their wellbeing and sense of self-worth.

In DfE, economists support the development of education policy, building assessments of value for money and developing and overseeing policy evaluations, supporting strategy and undertaking detailed technical data and econometric analysis. Some economists are embedded in strategy teams or in mixed-discipline analytical teams supporting a policy area; others work in a team with other economists undertaking projects.

GES economists are supported to undertake 100 hours of continuous professional development a year as a mixture of on-the-job training, formal training and self-guided study. You will also be eligible to apply for the Masters Apprenticeship Scheme (EMAP), which provides study leave to undertake a masters qualification in Economics while working.

DfE is a supportive organisation, committed to your learning and development with a strong team culture and a passion for evidence. Our economists come from a diverse range of backgrounds. We are interested in all types of economists and a variety of experiences. However, we also particularly welcome applicants with experience of one or more of the following disciplines: econometrics and/or advanced modelling skills, policy appraisal or cost benefit analysis, particularly applied microeconomics or experience of developing and leading policy evaluations with a strong value for money component.

Job description

Job Responsibilities:

• Leading the work to develop the theory of change that underpins the economic case for investment to improve education estates alongside the team.
• Supporting the work on the condition Net Present Value (NPV) model that feeds into our Spending Review (SR) condition business case. This evidence is fundamental to underpinning the condition business case to HMT and is worth billions of pounds annually.
• Support the work on a wide range of improvements to this model in areas such as the impact on attainment due to poor condition of school buildings, productivity, thermal comfort, air quality and natural light in classrooms.
• Working closely with policy and delivery colleagues on developing and framing our economic evidence within the business cases across Education Estates.
• Supporting the development of all business cases across Education Estates directorate that are reviewed by the DfE’s investment committee.
• Continually assess our capital investment plans from an economic perspective to ensure we are getting the best value for money for every pound spent.
• Engaging with other government departments and the wider sector on best practice for capital investment and estate management to improve further our Education Estates business cases.
• Work with analysts within the team to contribute to the development of a centre of expertise and knowledge within the department on the condition of the school estate and provide analytical evidence and advice to help address the condition need within the estate.
• Seek out and implement opportunities for the use of Artificial Intelligence in all areas or our work, with a particular focus on economic modelling and forecasting.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• (Lead criteria) Strong analytical skills with experience of applying economic concepts to problem solving and options appraisal and cost benefit analysis.
• Experience of delivering business-critical analytical work while also juggling other competing priorities.
• An ability to build strong and productive relationships with people from a wide range of professional backgrounds and the ability to communicate complex concepts succinctly and with impact.
• Developing and leading evaluations with a strong value for money component.

Desirable Criteria:

• Ability to analyse large data sets using a programming language e.g. R or SQL.
• Experience of one or more of the following areas:
  • Econometrics and/or advanced modelling skills
  • Experience of using Theory of Change.

Desirable criteria will only be assessed at interview, in the event of a tie break situation, to make an informed decision.

Qualifications

Applicants for this role must be a member of the Government Economic Service (GES) or be prepared to become a member of the GES via the application process. Civil servants who are currently a member of a government analytical profession will retain their professional membership in this role.

If you are applying without a GES membership, you must meet the academic entry requirements for the GES:
- Have achieved at least 2:1 honours degree in economics, or postgraduate degree
- Have studied both macroeconomics and microeconomics .

Demonstration of skills, knowledge and experience to succeed as a Government Economist at the grade applied for or be an existing member of the Government Economic Service. Technical skills will be assessed against the grade requirement of the Government Economics Service (GES). Details can be found in the GES framework, which will be assessment during selection process, written application sift and interview.

For applicants applying who are not existing members of the Government Economic Service, relevant experience must involve economic analysis or research. To become a badged GES member though this option, you must demonstrate the breadth and depth of economic experience and skills covering the three components in the GES technical framework.

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Application of Knowledge
• Analysis of Data
• Effective Communication
• Qualifications

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Qualifications

Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 5th February 2025