Economic and Trade Analyst

Food and Drink Federation (FDF)
London - United Kingdom
S: Up to £25k

Our Organisation

We're the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) - the voice of the UK food and drink industry: the largest manufacturing sector in the country. We help our members operate in a highly regulated marketplace to maximise their competitiveness and profitability. Our job is to communicate our industry's values and concerns to Government, regulators, consumers and the media. We also work in partnership with key players in the food supply chain to ensure our food is safe, affordable and nutritious.

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity for a recent graduate to join the busy Competitiveness team at the Food and Drink Federation, the representative body of the UK's largest and most vibrant manufacturing sector. With various challenges and opportunities facing the industry, from COVID-19, the National Food Strategy, to exiting the EU, we are advertising an 8-month fixed-term role to support the Economic Research and Exports Policy Manager with raising the economic importance of the food and drink sector.
This role is crucial to FDF's credibility as an economic commentator, working with FDF's policy experts and media team, member companies, government departments, the media and stakeholders to help communicate the industry's economic importance and ensuring FDF's policy arguments are evidence-based and amplify the industry's strengths.

Principal Accountabilities

Economics

•Conduct quarterly business confidence surveys, working closely with FDF's Media team and Membership team to increase responses and provide a brief in preparation for media enquiries and FDF Managers to undertake interviews. Keep annual industry, regional statistics and internal economic presentations up-to-date.

•Work closely with FDF's Membership and Commercial team, FDF's Professional Affiliates and other relevant stakeholders to produce an annual economic report and quarterly export performance reports to support FDF's commercial agenda and raise the importance of the industry.

•Monitor the latest official data releases and update data trackers (on prices, output, wages etc.), presenting the results to the Economic Research and Exports Policy Manager and Competitiveness team. Work closely with FDF's media team to highlight the performance of the industry through social media platforms.

•Source official economic data, keep FDF databases up-to-date, conduct research and analysis to support FDF's overarching vision and the delivery of the Industry Growth Committee business plan and work programme.

•Support colleagues across various FDF teams, including FDF Scotland and FDF Cymru, by undertaking ad hoc research and member/industry surveys related to the economics of the industry, COVID-19 recovery, exports, trade, the National Food Strategy and EU Exit.

Trade

•Work with the Head of International Trade and EU Exit Policy Executive to support the effective delivery of FDF's trade policy agenda, including future trade agreements with the EU and other markets.

•Monitor key policy developments impacting on the economic performance of the sector, UK food and drink export growth and trade. Ensure that members, stakeholders and colleagues are kept informed by producing concise and informative briefings.

•Work with team administrator to effectively support the Food and Drink Sector Council Exports workstream to deliver the Council's strategic aims and objectives. Assisting with organisation and helping to maintain and grow member support as necessary.


Other

•Build and maintain links with key stakeholders relating to economic data, exports and trade including Defra, DIT, FDEA, ONS, HMRC, HMT, CBI, Santander and other relevant bodies.

•Draft articles for FDF newsletters, maintain and create relevant webpages on economic data and exports, ensuring information is up-to-date. Work with team administrator to ensure the database is maintained appropriately.

The Team

FDF's Competitiveness team is responsible for policy and market developments that impact UK food and drink manufacturers' ability to invest, grow and do business. The team covers a range of economic issues including: trade and workforce implications of the UK leaving the European Union; skills and employment; exporting; and working with supply chains.

Requirements
Essential
•A bachelor's degree in economics or a related subject with a strong foundation in quantitative analysis and statistical/econometric methods.
•Strong quantitative and qualitative research skills.
•The ability to gather data, compile information as well as handle and manipulate large amounts of numerical data, and present this analysis graphically.
•Attention to detail and ability to produce accurate, robust work within project timescales.
•Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
•Politically aware.
•Ability to work alone and as part of a team.
•Excellent written and spoken English.
•Excellent communication skills.
•Excellent organisational skills.
•Ability to deal with a variety of tasks and workload.
•Willingness to learn and show initiative.

Desirable
•Knowledge and interest in macroeconomics and trade, as well as familiarity with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) datasets.
•Experience of using STATA software.
•Experience of using a document management system.
•Proven work experience within a paid or voluntary role.
•Interest in the food and drink industry.

Our Benefits

FDF is a great place to work where we take wellbeing seriously and have a great benefits package to match, offering a pension scheme, life insurance, 25 days holiday, private healthcare, leisure travel insurance, gym subsidy, interest-free season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme.

Our Workplace

We're based in the heart of central London in a modern, bright open-plan office. We have a friendly work culture with great break-out spaces, quiet booths and opportunities for flexible-working. Our 'Feel Good for Life' team regularly organises events and activities to promote positive health and wellbeing.

Job summary