Economic Adviser

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 347591**Salary**:

- £52,120 - £64,380- National: £52,120 - £58,540, London: £57,316 - £64,380. In addition, this post is currently offering a temporary non-pensionable, non-consolidated Specialist Skills Supplement of £3000 per annum (pro rata as appropriate) For details of our pay on appointment policy, please see below under the heading ‘Salary’.- A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%**Job grade**:

- Grade 7**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- DEFRA - FBT - Future Farming & Countryside**Type of role**:

- Economist**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Bristol, London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, YorkAbout the job

**Job summary**:
We have a rare and exciting opportunity for an Economic Advisor to join the Farming Economics Team within the evidence and analysis division of Defra’s Farming and Countryside Programme. The post holder will gain first-hand experience of using economic analysis to inform domestic agricultural policy, as we transition away from the system of direct payments under the EU’s common agricultural policy towards a system of paying farmers and land managers for the provision of public goods. As we move away from the EU’s Common Agriculture Policy towards a wholly new approach for the agricultural industry, we are committed to working together with the industry to deliver one of the biggest industry changes to any sector anywhere in the UK. Farming is a sector that’s going through a once in a generation change. We are looking for an exceptional analyst who is a self-starter, ambitious and able to work at pace.

**Job description**:
Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food & farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink. We are responsible for England’s environment, our countryside and rural economy, the food and farming sectors and have lead responsibility for protection from a wide range of natural threats and hazards. Your role will be critically important to achieving our vision of ‘creating a great place for living’.

This role sits within the Farming Economics team in the evidence and analysis division of Defra’s Farming and Countryside Programme. The Programme is the principal mechanism for delivering policies and support to farmers to achieve our key goals for farming - productivity, Net Zero Strategy, 25 Year Environment Plan and animal/plant health and welfare. Delivery is through a mix of grants and other support and also regulations underpinned by the Agriculture Act and set out in our Agricultural Transition Plan (until 2028).

The Farming Economics Team aims to ensure the Farming and Countryside Programme optimises the social value of public spending, minimising unintended consequences, and ensures both an efficient and proportionate regulatory system. We aim to improve understanding of the incentives and market dynamics in farming such that the Department's goals of a thriving agricultural sector and an improved natural environment are achieved. We are seeking an ambitious economist to take up an Economic Advisor role.

In this role you will:

- Integrate yourself with policy to ensure we have the evidence available in a timely manner to help develop and appraise productivity-focused agricultural schemes. This will involve the full policy development cycle including production of relevant business cases where relevant.
- Lead the evidence base for the horticulture sector for the department.
- Lead relevant analysis on various productivity schemes required for the Spending Review and inputs to the Programme Business Case.
- Work in a fully integrated way with social research colleagues to ensure we are learning what we can from existing schemes and collating and producing the required evidence for specific policy areas.

**Person specification**:
This is a high-profile area with significant ministerial interest so the post-holder will need to be flexible, being able to adapt to changing priorities. This post will provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate and/or develop a wide range of general and profession-specific skills. The role would suit individuals who are keen to demonstrate analytical leadership and are capable of setting direction in a challenging and high-profile environment.
- Have an established record of using economics to inform policy or similar decisions.
- Have a proven track record on building strong teams, including, for example with policy and social research colleagues, to ensure understanding of needs and confidence in delivery.
- Work in partnership with other analys