Chief Economist

Institute for Government
Westminster, London - United Kingdom
S: Competitive salary

The Institute for Government is the leading think tank dedicated to helping make government more effective. Working with leading politicians from all parties in Westminster and senior civil servants, and drawing on best practice around the world, the Institute provides evidence-based analysis, advice and commentary to help government work better.

The Institute is strengthening its expertise with permanent appointments, secondments, and part time research posts. We are particularly interested in recruiting a Chief Economist. This will be the first time that the Institute, founded in 2009, has had someone in that role, and it is an opportunity to work with the Director and the senior team in a high-profile position to shape the Institute's work, thinking and public positioning.

The Chief Economist will be part of the senior leadership team at the Institute. Many of the Institute's projects involve a rigorous and challenging economic perspective, for instance recent work on infrastructure, performance of public services, outsourcing and contracting, accountability and Brexit.

There are four key aspects to this role:

- You will initially conduct a review of the Institute's existing economic capabilities and work with the Director and Director of Research to ensure the work programme is underpinned by rigorous economic analysis, helping to shape projects and ensure a high degree of rigour in the final outputs. Working with the Director and the rest of the senior team, you will help frame the Institute's future research programme.

- You will have responsibility for developing the Institute's capability to undertake quantitative economic analysis, including quantifying the cost of changing how government is organised and establishing the impact of Institute recommendations. This will involve developing ways to exploit and further analyse the data gathered in the Institute's existing data-based publications, Performance Tracker and Whitehall Monitor, as well as the Institute's collaboration with the International Civil Service Effectiveness Index (InCiSE).

- You will lead specific projects with substantial economic content. You will undertake your own research, providing economic analysis of the trends affecting government. You will be able to distil this research, overseeing and writing pieces of work, short and long, to a high standard of intellectual rigour and clarity, and to deliver them on time, in clear, jargon-free and compelling language, distilling the implications into clear, concise outputs.

- You will combine pieces of long research with short commentary on our website or in the media, and with public events and private roundtables. You will be proficient at convening these events with high level speakers, and at talking to the media yourself, as well as making the case for your recommendations with a wide range of stakeholders and ensuring that they have impact.

The Chief Economist will have a lively and informed interest in the Institute's wide-ranging programme of research, act as a supportive internal reviewer of others' work, and be able to work on new projects outside their prime area of expertise where appropriate. You will need to be able to work closely and constructively with colleagues leading the Institute's existing data publications, Whitehall Monitor and Performance Tracker. You will help members of staff use economic approaches with confidence. The Institute works in a highly collaborative way and it is essential that you can contribute to the internal debate.

Salary: Competitive salary will depend on skills and experience.

How to apply:
For further information and to apply for this post please download the chief economist application pack available via the following link: https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/job/chief-economist and email your cover letter and CV to recruitment@instituteforgovernment.org.uk.

Closing date: Monday 11 December 2017, 08:00.
Interviews: shortlisted candidates will be invited in for interviews in early January 2018.

Job summary