Economist (X2)

**Key information**:
**Salary**:£45,210 per annum**Grade**:7**Contract type**:Permanent, Full Time**Reference**:044496/044498**Interview date**:18th December to 20th December 2023**Application closing date**:Sun, 03/12/2023 - 23:59**About the role**:
Working for City Hall makes a difference to the lives of Londoners. Our staff are at the centre of long-term planning and development for our great city.

We are recruiting for two Economists (Grade 7): one working in the Skills & Employment Unit to support the delivery of the devolved Adult Education Budget (AEB); and one in the City Intelligence Unit to support the Labour Market research and analysis function of GLA Economics.

***Job purpose (Skills & Employment)**:
The devolution of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) to the Mayor has generated extra demands on the GLA’s need for reliable skills and labour market data. The role of the Economist is to assist in the analysis and provision of this information to support skills policy and funding decisions by the GLA.

This role exists to support the delivery of the devolved AEB. It will require considerable cross team collaborating with the senior economist, senior data analyst and supervisory economist to deliver the Mayor’s vision for adult education in London. In particular the role will:

- Give high quality economic information and advice to inform the GLA’s skills strategy and policy development, with a focus on supporting the GLA’s initial and on-going responsibility of skills provision and funding under the Adult Education Budget
- Help the GLA identify its needs for data and other information to re-shape post-16 skills provision in London, and to support the work of the Funding Policy & Systems team to ensure these needs are met. Help develop a more ‘open data’ approach to skills, qualifications, progression, and earnings that would bring benefits to and improve choices for learners and employers
- Help maintain the GLA as an authoritative and well-regarded source of reliable information and data on London’s education and skills system and labour market including drivers and trends. Support colleagues with data analysis, appraisal and evaluation and help with the dissemination of this information to policymakers and others
- To contribute to special projects and initiatives commissioned by the GLA. These are likely to involve joint working with other organisations and sectors

**Job Purpose (GLA Economics)**:
At GLA Economics our analysis and advice inform key decisions at the Greater London Authority (GLA). This role is an opportunity to produce high-quality economic and statistical analysis to ensure that GLA strategies and projects are based on sound evidence.
- To provide high quality research and analysis across a range of economics topics to inform policy development and service delivery by the GLA group.
- To assist in analysing official statistics to understand and communicate trends in London’s labour market in a way that is accessible and impactful.
- To help clients identify their needs for data and other information, and to support the work of GLA Economics to ensure these needs are met.
- To contribute to special projects and initiatives commissioned by the GLA and its functional bodies. These are likely to involve joint working with people with different professional backgrounds, and with other organisations and sectors.
- To develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders in the GLA, its functional bodies (including TfL), and externally (such as London boroughs, academics, and other researchers).

**Principal Accountabilities**:
**Skills & Employment**:

- Develop expertise in relation to education and skill provision in London and give high quality analysis, evaluation, and appraisal to support decision making on the direction of skills policies and funding, with a focus on the AEB
- Support the external publication of the Adult Education Budget’s programme data, and other large and complex educational data sets, ensuring that this is presented in informative, transparent, and statistically robust releases
- Conduct objective analysis and meta-analysis (e.g. lessons learnt on what works, performance, impact etc.) of evidence from evaluations and other performance-related data /information. Undertaking cost benefit analysis, return on investment and unit cost calculations as well as providing information on comparators where applicable
- Help the grade 9 Economist, Supervisory Economist, and other staff members in reviewing and analysing economic data and information to identify key issues and trends of relevance to education and skills policy development and service delivery
- Maintain an up-to-date understanding of London’s education and skills system and labour market including the forces and trends at regional, national, and international levels
- Help present data and commentary to colleagues and other stakeholders through written material, verbal prese