JOB SUMMARY

The Lead Economist will manage and lead an interdisciplinary team of analysts and economists to empower audiences with actionable knowledge for impactful decisions through evidence-based insights. The Lead Economist will have a technical background in economics evidence creation that supports Zero Waste Scotland and its aim to rewire Scotland’s economic system to drive a reduction of our consumption of natural resources through increased circularity and zero waste. The role will be responsible for creating an inspiring team environment with an open communication culture and for setting and regularly reviewing team and individual objectives and deliverables.
The Lead Economist will support the Head of Research and Evaluation to develop Zero Waste Scotland’s programme of evidence and knowledge built on research, monitoring, evaluation, and innovation insights, seeking to maximise circular economy impact through strong alignment with policy and through partnership opportunities across the public and private sector landscape in Scotland. The Lead Economist will lead the team to deliver the evidence and knowledge programme, shaping team priorities to ensure that all work is planned, proportionate, and delivered on time to the agreed budget and quality.
As a member of the Research and Evaluation Management team, the Lead Economist will collaborate with Executive Leadership Team, Heads of Department and other Managers in embedding organisation and team vision and purpose, will contribute to decision making and engagement, and lead and champion operational excellence transformation projects.
The Lead Economist will role model Zero Waste Scotland’s core values, building and leading a high performing and motivated team, supporting and coaching team members, and encouraging collaborative working across Zero Waste Scotland.

JOB DESCRIPTION

• Lead, motivate, coach and develop your team to achieve quality outputs timeously and on budget in keeping with NDPB Best Value requirements
  • Build a supportive team environment, ensuring that all team members have clear goals aligned to organisational and team objectives, and encouraging collaboration, trust and respect between team members, across Zero Waste Scotland, and with external partners.
  • Drive continuous improvement and innovation within your team and across the organisation, ensuring alignment with evidence and knowledge transformation, and upholding and assuring relevant excellence standards.
  • Oversee your team in developing, managing, and delivering a portfolio of evidence and knowledge projects, including creating and commissioning impactful evidence partnerships that support organisational outcomes.
  • Deliver strategic advice and guidance on interpreting evidence findings to Zero Waste Scotland leadership, delivery teams, funders, partners, and external stakeholders.
  • Identify funding opportunities, engage with senior leaders across the public, private, and third sectors, and build external partnerships to leverage evidence and insights, driving Zero Waste Scotland’s strategic outcomes and assist the Head of Research and Evaluation
  • Champion excellence, effectiveness and efficiency in the embedding of transformation projects across Zero Waste Scotland’s evidence and knowledge activities.

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

Environment and Sustainability