About the job

Job summary

Are you a strategic thinker capable of providing high quality analysis?

Can you communicate efficiently, conveying and translating economic concepts to a variety of audiences?

Would you love the opportunity to influence high profile policies and change?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) implements the government’s maritime safety policy in the United Kingdom and works to prevent the loss of life and occurrence of pollution on the coast and at sea.    

Safer lives. Safer Ships. Cleaner Seas.    

Our vision is to be a world-leading organisation, accelerating the transition to sustainable shipping with non-negotiable safety standards. We put our people, our customers and our planet at the heart of everything we do.   

We welcome applications from all communities, and we don’t discriminate against any identity. We’re interested to hear from you, regardless of your background.

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for a passionate and motivated individual to join the Directorate of Maritime Safety and Standards UK Maritime Services (UKMS) as an Economist.

The successful applicant will supporting the Government's drive to support a vibrant and economically successful maritime sector, working in partnership with industry to promote safe and efficient operations through proportionate and effective regulation.

The role holder will use their expertise and take an ‘in house consultant’ approach to provide robust and influential economic advice to shape and enable policy and operational delivery within the maritime sector and to take a proactive lead on analytical matters. Reporting to the Lead Economist, the Economist will use their economic expertise to support and guide policy professionals to deliver objectives which range across safety and environmental arenas.

This is a unique opportunity to become an effective Business Partner, working across diverse areas within the business and in collaboration with other analysts both in MCA and other government departments to get to know and understand how the business operates and developing outputs to achieve objectives.

This role brings flexibility and autonomy with the opportunity to influence policy through your analytical input directly contributing to saving lives at sea and on the coast and making a big difference in the maritime sector, creating a more sustainable and greener future.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Leading the analytical input on UKMS and Agency-wide projects to guide senior leaders in their strategic thinking and adherence to the Analytical Assurance Framework; and provide, where required, timely analytical input into the decision making on high profile issues, including input to ministerial briefings and Parliamentary Questions
• Providing robust evidence, appraisal, and evaluation into the MCA's analytical strategy, focusing on improving decision making in the agency.
• Leading the development of a range of Impact Assessments, De Minimis Assessments, and Post Implementation Reviews by undertaking robust analysis in accordance with the Better Regulation Framework Manual to deliver the implementation of Regulations, Codes of Practice, and guidance documents. Working closely with Department for Transport (DfT) economists, the role holder will act as focal point to MCA policy colleagues on analytical and economic guidance and advice, using analytical expertise and tools to guide delivery e.g. sourcing of information and research.
• Liaising with DfT Analysts and teams across the MCA to develop an evidence base in support of robust and up-to-date impact assessments and business cases relating to all impacts of any proposal.

For an in-depth insight into the role, please refer to the Role Profile attached to this advert.

The role holder will also have line management responsibilities for a HEO Assistant Economist.

Additional information 

This role will be based in the Southampton HQ or London. MCA supports flexible working and operates a hybrid working model between home and office for this role, giving you greater flexibility over where and when you work.   

The expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your working time based at your principal workplace or out on official business. Details of the arrangement will be discussed further with your line manager. 

There may be a requirement for travel on official duty within the UK, which may involve overnight stays away from home.

Person specification

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual with a passion for economics and the ability to thrive working flexibly in a fast-paced project environment where priorities can change rapidly as needs dictate.

To be successful in this role you will be a holistic and independent thinker, good at understanding complex intertwining systems and able to pull together information from various sources to inform your analysis.

You will have first class communication skills, confident in your approach and own expertise and comfortable and adept in clearly articulating robust guidance and recommendations to influence policy and decision making. You’re able to adapt your communication style to suit diverse audiences, translating often complex technical information into an output that’s understood by non-technical colleagues and stakeholders.

Collaborating and engaging productively comes naturally to you and you enjoy building up strong and trusted working relationships, keeping an open mind and listening to views of others. You are self-driven and will welcome autonomy to your role with this opportunity to really make a mark as the economic expert in this directorate.

This post is open to Government Economic Service members, and applicants who aspire to join the profession, hence the academic requirements of the role are that you either hold a minimum of a 2:1 undergraduate degree in Economics or a related subject with a strong economic component.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.  

Click here to get a copy of the MCA Staff Benefits Brochure    

Find out what it's like to work at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency   

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

How to Apply    

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Within your CV and Personal Statement please demonstrate your knowledge and experience of:   

• Using analytical techniques to influence and enable policy or operational delivery.
• Drafting high quality documents and providing clear and coherent explanations of often complex issues.
• Communicating and explaining analytical information to non-analytical audiences.

Your Personal Statement will be limited to a maximum of 1000 words.   

It is essential when submitting your Personal Statement that you provide as much detail as possible, and utilise the full word count given, against the essential criteria outlined as this will be used in conjunction with your CV to assess candidate suitability to move to the next round in the recruitment process.   

Sift and Interview Dates

The sift is due to take place from Thursday 4th January 2024. 

Interviews are likely to be held from Monday 15th January 2024. 

This interview will be conducted online via Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.   

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.   

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:  

• An interview and presentation.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.