Economist (12 Month FTC)

Confederation of British Industry
London - United Kingdom
S: £30,000

Cover Letter and C.V. required

Role Summary

The Economist role within the Economic Projects team is a high profile, influential and exciting opportunity at the heart of the CBI, the UK's leading business organisation.

The CBI speaks on behalf of the business community with over 190,000 businesses in its network.

The economics directorate plays a vital function in helping our members to understand the latest intel on the economy, how to navigate the policy environment, as well as ensuring CBI policy positions are sufficiently grounded in logic and evidence.

The Economics directorate has also started offering bespoke consultancy services through our new "CBI Economics" business, to enable businesses to build their economic evidence base on specific areas of interest.

You will play a key role in the research and delivery of these projects, reporting to the Head of Economic Projects.

You will also work closely with the CBI's policy teams to provide economic support through both business surveys and analysis to help evidence policy work.

As such, this role will be project-based, supporting with the delivery of both internal policy projects and CBI Economics projects for external clients.

The role involves a high degree of interaction with CBI Economics clients, presenting analytical approaches and outputs of your research. This role is a 12-month fixed term contract, with the individual to be based at our London offices at Cannon Place (or remotely, subject to public health guidance).

Key Responsibilities

CBI Economics (70%)

•Support the CBI Economics team by conducting bespoke economic analysis and supporting work on business surveys and sponsored reports.

•Support the CBI Economics team in research for project proposals to help develop robust methodologies, as well as supporting with the production of pitch materials.

Economic support for policy projects (30%)

•Support the Economics directorate with robust economic analysis to help formulate CBI policy positions, working with policy colleagues to provide key economic insight.

Previous examples of such economic analysis could include evaluating the economic impact of COVID-19 on the UK's regions and devolved nations, and estimating the value of services trade to the UK economy.

•Assist in the analysis and interpretation of the CBI's business surveys and economic reports.

Working with others

•Building a strong working relationship with key CBI stakeholders and clients, representing the CBI as a highly credible, trusted voice and source of exceptional economic analysis.

•Collaborate with policy, commercial and communications teams to support organisation-wide goals and deliver your analytical projects.

Knowledge & Experience

What an individual must know or understand to be able to fulfil the role's requirements

Essential

•Degree or higher in Economics or a related discipline
•Keen interest in using economics to drive public policy, and the ability to work with a range of stakeholders to build support for economic policies
•Good quantitative skills, with experience using Excel for data analysis and economic modelling, as well as excellent working knowledge of MS PowerPoint and Word
•Ability to explain economics to a business audience through both presentations and written work

Desirable

•Experience of working in a commercial context, delivering bespoke economic analysis to support clients
•Understanding of the economic policy landscape
•Demonstrable knowledge of the current economic climate
•Awareness of politics and government
•Technical skills on fiscal accounting, cost-benefit analysis, economic impact assessments or macroeconomic modelling
•Proficiency in econometric software, such as R, Python, etc.

Behaviours

The behaviours and characteristics required to be able to fulfil the role's requirements are:

•Collaborative – Listening, seeking views and sharing information; constructively challenging when appropriate
•Taking ownership – Ensuring delivery and holding others to account; can influence, irrespective of hierarchy
•Agile – Proactive and responsive, particularly with regard to providing a strong commercial offering; responding positively to shifting priorities
•Commercial – Awareness of the wider business environment
•Innovative – Exploring, sharing and integrating best practice; generating new ideas and challenging a mind-set of "what we've always done”
•Analytical – gathering information and using logic to analyse, problem solve, evaluate risk and make decisions.

Diversity and Inclusion

At the CBI, we are committed to attracting diverse talent that represents the society we live in.

We encourage applications from all regardless of age, sexuality, socio-economic background, disability, ethnicity, gender, religion, or beliefs.

We are committed to building a culture of belonging and inclusion and this is reflected in our policies, practices, and internal employee-led networks and supported by our executive leadership team.

We are a family friendly organisation, and we encourage flexible working as we want our employees to achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Currently our employees are working flexibly (formally and informally) and remotely due to COVID-19, but we offer the opportunity to work in our offices in line with government guidance if somebody should need to.

Our employee-led networks are: BAME, LGBT, Women's and Working Families and we have qualified Mental Health First Aiders who support our employees in having good mental health.

Job summary