JOB SUMMARY

Can you lead a multidisciplinary analytical team across multiple locations to shape high-quality analysis influencing future transport policy, including connected and autonomous vehicles, international vehicle standards, and road safety?
Have you provided strategic leadership and expert oversight, taken responsibility for quality assurance of analytical outputs, and guided research agendas in a fast-paced environment?
Do you build relationships with internal and external stakeholders, foster professional development within your team, and play a key leadership role as the senior economist in your area?
If so, we’d love to hear from you!
DfT is a high-profile department at the heart of UK government. We work with agencies and partners to support the transport network that helps businesses and gets people and goods travelling around the country. We plan and invest to make journeys better.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!
Find out more about what it’s like working at DfT.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Are you an experienced economist ready to lead high-impact work shaping the future of transport? This senior role offers the opportunity to lead a multidisciplinary analytical team across multiple locations, influencing policy on connected and autonomous vehicles, international vehicle standards, and road safety. You’ll provide strategic oversight, ensure analytical quality, and guide research direction in a fast-paced environment. As the senior economist in the directorate, you’ll also build strong stakeholder relationships and support the professional development of your team.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Lead a multidisciplinary analysis branch spread across three DfT office locations: x3 Grade 7s, x4 SEOs and x1 HEO fast streamer.
• Play a critical leadership role across the wider Analysis Enablers and Strategy division and the Future Transport Systems Directorate as the only badged economist at Grade 6 level.
• Lead on and take responsibility for the fast-paced and demanding work of the branch’s policy teams which are the International Vehicle Standards division and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Some oversight of the analysis done by the Joint Air Quality Unit (a DfT-Defra partnership) has occasionally been required too.
• Provide wider thought leadership on future road transport, including but not limited to shaping the Directorate’s research agenda which is of considerable scale and high importance.
• Build and cultivate strong links with stakeholders across the DfT, Government, Arm’s Length Bodies, industry and academia.
• Take responsibility for assurance and quality control for the analytical outputs of the branch, which span across business cases, options assessment, post-implementation reviews, social and behavioural science and modelling for example.
• Take responsibility for the professional development of self and team.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.
For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

WORKING HOURS, OFFICE ATTENDANCE AND TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.
Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week.
This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.
The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.
Occasional travel to other offices (typically once a month minimum) will be required to engage with direct reports and key stakeholders, which may involve overnight stays.
If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

TECHNICAL SKILLS

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Application of Knowledge
• Analysis of Data
• Effective Communication

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)
• 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

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

• Lead a multidisciplinary analysis branch spread across three DfT office locations: x3 Grade 7s, x4 SEOs and x1 HEO fast streamer.
• Play a critical leadership role across the wider Analysis Enablers and Strategy division and the Future Transport Systems Directorate as the only badged economist at Grade 6 level.
• Lead on and take responsibility for the fast-paced and demanding work of the branch’s policy teams which are the International Vehicle Standards division and the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Some oversight of the analysis done by the Joint Air Quality Unit (a DfT-Defra partnership) has occasionally been required too.
• Provide wider thought leadership on future road transport, including but not limited to shaping the Directorate’s research agenda which is of considerable scale and high importance.
• Build and cultivate strong links with stakeholders across the DfT, Government, Arm’s Length Bodies, industry and academia.
• Take responsibility for assurance and quality control for the analytical outputs of the branch, which span across business cases, options assessment, post-implementation reviews, social and behavioural science and modelling for example.
• Take responsibility for the professional development of self and team

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Using appraisal and social cost benefit analysis, principally those set out in the HM Treasury Green Bookhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-green-book-appraisal-and-evaluation-in-central-government/the-green-book-2020
• Confidently and inclusively lead multidisciplinary teams, setting clear goals and a strong vision while supporting team development and delivery.
• Adapt effectively to change, manage shifting priorities and deadlines with flexibility and resilience.
• Apply economic principles to real-world challenges and communicate insights clearly to non-specialist audiences, while building strategic partnerships across internal and external stakeholders