Senior Economist

GSMA Intelligence
London - United Kingdom
S: Competitive

GSMA Intelligence is a relatively new team, which is working to position the GSMA as the intelligence powerhouse of the global mobile industry. GSMA Intelligence provides primary industry data and thought leadership on the mobile industry ecosystem and its wider impact. In the last quarter, our research has featured in publications such as the FT, The Wall Street Journal, CNBC, Reuters and dozens of industry press articles.

GSMA Intelligence is also the internal supplier of choice for research and analysis across the GSMA's programmes and advocacy activities. This had previously relied heavily on top-tier management, strategy and economic consultants, and GSMA Intelligence is now providing a high quality alternative, bringing benefits of increased quality, consistency, visibility and cost effectiveness. A few of our most recently completed projects for internal clients are highlighted below:

http://gsmamobileeconomyeurope.com
http://gsmamobileeconomylatinamerica.com
http://www.gsmamobileeconomyafrica.com
http://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/digital-inclusion-report-2014

GSMA Intelligence is looking to hire a talented and highly-motivated economist. This is an exciting new role where the candidate will have a unique opportunity to drive innovative economic analysis to influence the industry in the most strategic and cutting-edge topics, areas and challenges. The senior economist will work on a range of projects for GSMA Intelligence's internal clients - the GSMA's programmes and advocacy initiatives. This is effectively an internal economic consulting role and areas of work could include, to cite a few, socio-economic analysis of the key enablers and drivers of mobile take-up in different countries; the development of benchmarking tools to track consumer demand and connectivity across the globe; cost-benefit analysis of regulatory change in the digital and internet industries; and economic modelling and forecasting of the impacts of the sector and its ecosystem.

The senior economist will ensure that robust economic thinking underpins all socio-economic analysis across the GSMA, and contribute to other GSMA research projects as required, working across a range of subject areas (e.g. Internet of Things, Future of Regulation, and Mobile Money).

The ideal candidate will be a self-starter with a strong knowledge of applied economics, experienced in designing and developing complex economic impact models, and strong track-record in effectively communicating analysis to non-specialists. The team is growing fast and there is also an important role to play in building the team's activities, taking a lead on internal economic consulting work and winning and developing new proposals and projects with internal clients.

The GSMA encourages personal and professional development and this is an excellent opportunity for the right candidate to develop within the organisation and the wider telecommunications industry, and to help grow the GSMA Intelligence business.

Selection criteria

Academic

· MSc (or PhD) degree in economics, finance or related field.

Functional

· Domain expertise. The candidate will have demonstrable experience working as an applied economist in a consultancy, a strategy department, international organisation, or government. Strong quantitative skills are essential, as well as a proven track record in the application of economics to regulation and competition issues. A good working knowledge of other areas of economics is a plus, in particular macroeconomics, innovation, finance, and development economics. The candidate will be business minded, but with good technical literacy and a knack for seeing through complexity. Detailed understanding of the telecommunications and/or digital industries is highly desirable, but strong applicants with background in a different sector will also be considered.
· Research and analytical skills. The candidate will have a strong quantitative skillset and will be extremely proficient at Microsoft Excel including complex modelling and forecasting. The candidate will have experience in cost-benefit analysis, impact assessment, and statistical and econometric analysis. The candidate will also be adept at primary and secondary research.
· Presentation and gravitas. The candidate will be an exceptional, clear and persuasive communicator, both in writing and in person. The outputs of their work will include public facing reports and compelling, actionable insights which are ready to be embedded into the GSMA's programmes. They will have the ability to get consistent internal and external buy-in for their work.
· Consultative approach. The candidate will be an inquisitive and creative problem solver, a strong listener driven to solve the needs of internal clients. Strong interpersonal skills are required, working well with team members, providing proactive support to team members, and the ability to influence senior stakeholders and build consensus around an approach.
· Global outlook. International and global experience is an advantage although not essential.


Behaviours

· Highly organised individual with excellent attention to detail and a proactive attitude
· Ability to manage own time effectively as well as that of others
· Confident in dealing with a range of internal and external stakeholders, including senior management and board level individuals
· Collaborative, serves as best practice/quality resource and shares knowledge and expertise with others

Job summary