Senior Economist

Senior Economist

Application Deadline: 26 July 2024

Department: Delivery

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Milton Keynes

Description

A little bit about us:

East West Rail is an infrastructure programme linking communities between Oxford and Cambridge. The area is currently let down by a lack of transport choices, and we have a once in a generation opportunity to fix that – improving prosperity for people and places along the way.

East West Railway Company (that's us) was created by the Department for Transport (DfT) to oversee the delivery of East West Rail from construction through to wheels in motion, making sure the railway comes together in the right way.

Role Summary:
Unique opportunity to support the development of a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project by taking responsibility for developing the company's economic analysis and shaping how it drives decision-making across the project, including through high-quality business cases.

Team dimensions:
East West Rail operates a matrix structure. Senior Economist within the EWR Business Case team, reporting to the Chief Analyst.

Key Responsibilities

Provide critical analytical advice, support evidence-based decision-making and develop EWR business cases. There is a breadth of priorities we face as a team and the post-holder will be expected to autonomously lead on wider economic impacts and support on other business critical workstreams. These priorities are most likely to include, but are not limited to:

• Supporting the Economic and Strategic Case through leading on wider economic impacts.
• Dependent development (housing) analysis that will shape decision-making across the company, for example identifying preferred locations.
• Embedding a new programme of analysis on Social Value to consider wider social, economic and environmental benefits.
• Leading EWR's Evaluation Strategy through effective planning, governance, and responsibility for procurement activities.
• Engage with a range of stakeholders within the DfT, DLUHC and other government departments to ensure that EWR Co's plans and activities support the government's overarching ambitions for the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, including realising the potential growth and housing opportunities identified by the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC)
• Support the early work to prepare the supporting evidence base for the Development Consent Order (DCO) application that will authorise the construction of the railway.
• Scope out the content of the Outline Business Case (OBC) that will be submitted for government approval (DfT and HMT) and enable EWR Co to submit the DCO application.
• Commission, shape, and influence analysis from the consultants that EWR Co is procuring to model the wider economic benefits of the EWR scheme.
• Support EWR Co's commitment to customer service and an excellent customer journey, for example by using economic analysis to inform design decisions (e.g., station design)
• Work with experts in the business and across government departments to develop strategies and carry out cost benefit analysis for workstreams such as freight, traction, fares and rolling stock.
• Take responsibility of your own and others' health and by adopting and working to the EWR Co Health and Safety principles
• Champion and act as a role model for EWR Co's vision and values, behaving in ways that are in alignment with EWR Co's Ways of working, encouraging and supporting others to do so too.
• Promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace and adopt appropriate behaviours when interacting with colleagues.
• The role will involve management of two assistant economists.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• Experience of and a passion for developing and using analysis to support robust decision-making
• Evidence of working proactively and flexibly within a dynamic environment to influence policy and decision-making.
• An ability to communicate analysis clearly, concisely, and effectively, including to senior decision-makers.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills, and are comfortable in pushing back and providing direction to internal and external colleagues.
• Strong project management skills (or a willingness to develop this in the role), experience in managing multiple work streams and aligning project work with business priorities.
• The ability to give credible advice even when the evidence is incomplete or ambiguous.
• The ability to proactively seek opportunities robust evidence to impact investment decisions, giving well-judged analytical advice to a range of stakeholders.
• Previous experience of working on wider economic impacts and/or dependent development would be beneficial.
• Previous experience of developing and/or reviewing business cases within a government context, or in a closely related field, i.e., appraising or evaluating investment decisions or regulatory change would be beneficial.
• Knowledge of the rail sector is not essential, although experience of transport policy or related economic development area (e.g., housing, local growth) is desirable.

Benefits

What we offer:

• Competitive base salary
• Up to 12% employer's pension contribution
• 36 days holiday a year (including bank holidays) + up to 2 days to buy
• Life assurance
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Perks platform with hundreds of discounts and freebies
• On-the-spot and annual awards
• Advanced learning and development programmes
• Flexible working opportunities
• Enhanced family-friendly policies
• Exceptional IT tools

EWR Co strives to embrace a flexible working environment, where a degree of flexibility is maintained to accommodate both the needs and preferences of employees and what is required to achieve business objectives. EWR Co will always work with any individual to assess and accommodate an individual's work life balance and style.

Diversity and inclusion:
To discover the best solutions, it's important we embrace diversity of thought. That's why we aim to ensure our colleagues feel included, engaged, and valued. Inclusiveness is not a buzzword, but a way of being. Our approach to diversity is simple – a workplace where everyone is welcome, and everyone is encouraged to be themselves. It helps fuel our innovation and connects us with the customers and communities we serve.

If you want to connect lives and unlock the future, then we'd love to hear from you

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