Policy Economic Analyst

UK Research & Innovation

Salary: 45272
Hours: Full Time / Part Time (Min 0.8 FTE)
Contract Type:Open Ended
Location: Polaris House Swindon (Hybrid working available)

Closing Date:Sunday 22nd June 2025

Job Overview:

This exciting role will deliver analysis evidence and insight to support UKRI cross-cutting policy areas across the policy lifecycle. Initially the role holder is expected to work on commercialisation and economic impact metrics as well as on analysis to support UKRIs place priorities although there will be opportunities to work across a wider breadth of domain areas. You will be developing the evidence base on UKRIs place priorities through applying economic principles and approaches including building the evidence base on areas for intervention understanding the effectiveness of UKRIs current approaches and supporting monitoring and evaluation of existing investments. You will work with analysis and policy colleagues in UKRI and government departments to support policy development. Work on commercialisation will include taking forward the work on key impact indicators working with colleagues across UKRI to develop stronger evidence on how UKRIs research leads to economic impacts through spinouts job creation and other economic outcomes including regional outcomes of UKRI funding. As an economist in the Policy Analysis team you will play a highly visible and influential role within the organisation responsible for forming close working relationships with our Investment Strategy team UKRIs councils external experts and researchers. You will be championing the use of economic principles and approaches to develop insight and evidence-based decision making.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading and / or managing the delivery of quality assured analysis to build our insight and evidence of organisational impact in cross-cutting policy areas
• Scoping and delivering high-quality analytical projects from inception to completion to communicate key evidence and data in impactful and succinct ways for senior stakeholders across the organisation and externally while maintaining analytical rigour
• Working with experts across UKRI and steering/influencing others to implement analytically approaches and embedding the same principles in evaluation
• Working with external stakeholders including DSIT academics and other experts to gather understand and disseminate evidence sharing best practice and learning to shape the work programme
• Line management of an economist apprentice supporting their workplanning and development as well as building your skills of delivering through others

We are committed to supporting each others personal and professional development and will support your learning and development ambitions in this role.

Person Specification:

(S) Shortlisting Criteria (I) Interview Criteria (S & I) - Shortlisting Criteria & Interview Criteria

Essential

• Degree (or equivalent experience) ideally in a subject such as economics mathematics sciences or engineering.(S)
• Knowledge of R and/or SQL or willingness to learn(S)
• Analytical Skills experience managing complex economic analysis employing innovative and rigorous analytical methods. Ability to apply and communicate core economic principles/frameworks to analytical projects meeting strategic and policy needs. (S & I)
• Making effective decisions clarifying your own understanding of partners needs and expectations before making decisions; ensuring that decision making happens at the right level; encouraging both innovative suggestions and challenge from others. Ability to analyse and accurately summarise data from various sources to support decisions. Finding the best option by identifying positives negatives risks and implications. Communicating reasonable conclusions from a wide range of incomplete evidence. (S & I)
• Leadership - experience of leading analytical projects including identifying relevant analytical approaches scoping analyses applying relevant analytical techniques managing delivery and quality motivating teams to be fully engaged in their work and dedicated to their role. Ensure colleagues and stakeholders have a clear understanding of objectives activities and time-frames. Consider the impacts of own and teams activities on stakeholders and end users. Recognise and praise the achievements of others to drive positivity within the wider UKRI team. Effectively manage conflict and non-inclusive behaviour raising with senior managers where appropriate.(S & I)
• Communicating and Influencing - The ideal candidate will ability to explain sophisticated issues to technical and non-technical audiences and to consider customers individual needs. Ensuring clear and effective communication across the team explaining the implications of your analysis. Communicate with clear purpose in a straightforward honest and engaging manner being confident and persuasive when required. Ensure that important messages are communicated to colleagues and stakeholders respectfully taking into consideration the diversity of interests. and takes into account peoples individual needs sharing information as appropriate and check understanding. Show positivity and enthusiasm towards work. (S & I)

Desirable

• Familiarity with economic appraisal methodologies including insight and evidence to support public-sector intervention and HMT Green Book principles. (S & I)
• Ability to work with large datasets and link them effectively (S & I)
• Awareness and familiarity of the role that analysis and economic approaches can play to support the policy lifecycle. (S & I)
• Strong communication and presentation skills to non-technical audiences including developing effective visualisations (e.g. maps and other types of visual tools) (S & I)
• Knowledge of (or willingness to learn) dashboard creation software such as Tableau and appropriate application of them (S & I)

You will have an economic analytical background. This role is open to all analysts with the relevant skills and experience and you do not need to be badged to a Government Analytical Profession such as the Government Economic Service (GES) to apply for this role. We can support the successful applicant to become badged.

Application Guidance:

Applicants are invited to submit a CV and a cover letter. The cover letter should provide examples that clearly demonstrate the following four most pertinent behaviours (We use the Civil Service Behaviours and success profiles please refer to level HEO and SEO of the Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours):

Your cover letter should cover each of the behaviours listed above with a total word count of no more than 1000 words. We recommend that you apply the STAR approach when evidencing each behaviour describing the (1) situation (2) task (3) action and (4) result. The evidence you provide will outline the situation and context present the task you were responsible for summarise what course of action you took to deliver the work and finally explain the results you achieved and the impact of the work.

For each behaviour you will need to use one specific example which can be drawn from any part of your life or career. Please remember we select people to interview based on the strength of the evidence supplied in the covering letter. We recommend that you invest some time in making your covering letter as strong as possible as that is the main source of evidence for the sift not the CV.

Please note that if we receive a large number of applications sifting shall be done on the lead competences analytical skills and making effective decisions.

Failure to submit a cover letter will result in the application not being taken forwards.

If you would like an informal chat to find out more before applying for the role please contact the hiring manager: Lyuba Dimitrova UKRI ().

Benefits

We recognise and value our employees as individuals and aim to provide a favourable pay and rewards package! We are committed to supporting employees development and promote a culture of continuous learning! A list of benefits below;

• An outstanding defined benefit pension scheme
• 30 days annual leave in addition to 10.5 public and privilege days (full time equivalent)
• Employee discounts and offers on retail and leisure activities
• Employee assistance programme providing confidential help and advice
• Flexible working options

Please click here for more details on the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)

UKRI launched in April 2018 UKRI is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT).

Our organisation brings together the seven disciplinary research councils Research England which is responsible for supporting research and knowledge exchange at higher education institutions in England and the UKs innovation agency Innovate UK. Together we build an independent organisation with a strong voice and vision to ensure the UK maintains its world-leading position in research and innovation. More information can be found .

Choosing to come to work at UKRI means that you will have access to a whole host of benefits from a defined benefit pension scheme excellent holiday entitlement access to employee shopping/travel discounts and salary sacrifice cycle to work scheme. For more details visit Benefits of working for for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

The role holder will be required to have the appropriate level of security screening/vetting required for the role. UKRI reserves the right to run or re-run security clearance as required during the course of employment.

How we support EDI in the workforce

At UKRI we believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups organisations and the wider community. For further information please visit How we support EDI in the workforce.

Disability Confident Employer

As users of the disability confident scheme we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy/ies. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process to perform essential job functions and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

How to apply

Online applications only preferred for this role. Please submit a CV and covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for UKRI and the role. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit an application without a covering letter may result in the application not being considered. Assessment will only be based upon the content of your submitted covering letter and CV and not the experience section of the application.

UKRI seeks to ensure it creates and maintains a system of openness fairness and inclusion a collaborative trusted environment which is attractive to and accessible to everyone who is interested in developing their career with us.