Principal Economist – Competition and Research Full time/Part Time Salary: £55,591 - £62,793 pa, with potential for further progression to £70,907 pa with our pay progression scheme. Location: Flexible hybrid working across the UK Contracted to our Wilmslow, London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast office, however, through hybrid working we offer flexible home and office-based working opportunities. There will be times when you will be expected to attend the office to collaborate with colleagues or travel due to business need. Why work for the ICO? Pay progression scheme. Hybrid and flexible working options. 25 days paid holiday per year, plus privilege and public holidays. Flexi leave (up to 26 additional days leave per year). Pension (employer contribution around 26.6%). Online discount scheme to save money at major supermarkets, retailers, gyms, restaurants, insurance providers and many more. Health Cash Plan. Fantastic development opportunities to learn and progress. Further details can be found on the benefits section of our website. About us The ICO is the UK’s independent regulator for information rights, promoting data privacy for individuals and openness in public bodies. We regulate under a wide range of legislation, including responsibilities for data protection and freedom of information. With economists located across the UK (Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Wilmslow), we offer an inclusive environment and provide flexible working conditions and a range of training and development opportunities. This includes: a structured economics profession including targeted learning and development opportunities, and visibility of career development pathways; membership of the Government Economic Service (GES); networking opportunities and a mechanism for social learning, sharing insight and good practice opportunities to do work to enhance diversity and inclusion within economics. The ICO’s work is interesting and immensely rewarding – it is of national importance and increasingly in the public eye. We are at the forefront of information rights policy development, providing direct advice to the public, and enforcing the UK’s data protection and freedom of information laws. We hold a unique position as a regulator across the whole of the private, public and third sectors. As an employer, we are passionate about making a positive difference to the lives and careers of our people, and we empower you to be curious, impactful, collaborative and inclusive. We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to pursue a fulfilling and engaging career, able to acquire new skills and enjoy a supportive working environment. Further details about being an economist at the ICO can be found on our website: Economic Analysis | ICO About the role Do you want to be part of the team that produces economic analysis and research to support decision making and regulatory policy development? We have an opportunity for a Principal Economist to join our team to take a leading role in our work related to understanding and measuring economic growth, competition and innovation and their interaction with data protection, in the markets we regulate. The team’s work includes: Using economic principles and theories to identify and measure existing and emerging markets, including exploring barriers to entry and barriers to growth; Developing and carrying out research and providing inputs to estimate the economic, social and public costs, benefits, and trade-offs of our policy decisions; Applying behavioural economics thinking to explore consumer decisions and preferences about use of their personal data; Developing economic models to inform and support legislative changes; Providing Quality Assurance for analysis, following the Aqua Book; Providing learning resources and training across the organisation, to ensure there is common understanding of the interactions between economic growth, competition and innovation and data protection, and increase awareness of the role of analytical Quality Assurance; Engaging and developing relevant external stakeholder networks, via engagement with regulatory counterparts, government and academia. Whether the issue is understanding the value of data, the interaction of privacy and competition or the impact of measures to protect children online, economics is vital to our understanding of data and privacy issues. As a Principal Economist you will support the ICO’s work across the full range of our responsibilities, ensuring that our actions are underpinned with high quality economic analysis. Reporting to the Head of Economic Analysis you will provide robust and impartial economic outputs, collaborating with other experts in multidisciplinary teams. You will work flexibly across a range of projects, identifying the key economic issues, producing high quality economic analysis and research and anticipating and considering alternative points of view and counter-arguments. You will communicate your findings to a range of internal and external audiences (including non-technical stakeholders) using a variety of approaches. You will be responsible for supporting more junior members of the team through line management and work management, helping to motivate, set direction, and support high-quality performance and professional development. This is a fast-paced job with very tight deadlines and varying demands. You will need to be comfortable working under uncertainty and adapting quickly to new demands. About you Essential criteria that will be assessed at application stage Experience relevant to the role requirements, as described in the role responsibilities and person specification, and accumulated through any combination of academic or vocational qualifications or experience. An academic or working background in industrial organisation, competition or regulatory economics, particularly digital regulation. Experience in carrying out economic analysis, using a range of statistical tools and analysing big datasets. Experience of providing high-quality economic advice on regulation and/or public policy matters. The ability to deal with a demanding workload which may include conflicting demands on time Keeps up to date with relevant academic literature, developments in data science, techniques (e.g. behavioural insights) and contributes to wider debates within the organisation and economic profession Can explain and apply a variety of economic tools, techniques, and methods to a range of work/policy areas, making use of relevant economic theory to develop/oversee the evidence base for policy development. Essential criteria assessed at interview stage Designs, develops and conducts primary and secondary research, taking in consideration appropriate research approaches to address policy questions. This will include sampling approach, questionnaire development, analysing the findings and using them to inform policy positions. Leads development of analysis and synthesises evidence from a range of data and complex information sources, combining and developing these as appropriate, with the ability to undertake constructive, timely and insightful problem solving. This will include building an understanding of data sources, applying analytical techniques and analytical debate relating to specific policy areas. The ability to take ownership of workstreams. This includes anticipating possible challenges and objections, preparing thoroughly and looking to influence through formal and informal channels, tailoring approach to a range of audiences Analyses and handles data for the purposes of producing evidence to directly advise decision makers as well as the wider team. This includes the ability to be proactive and innovative in considering how the data / analysis will be used by non-economists, such as lawyers, technical experts and policy specialists. Effectively communicates the main findings from economic analysis in an inclusive way, bringing out the depths of analysis to colleagues and stakeholders from different backgrounds, using various written, data visualisation and oral channels. Builds relationships and collaborates with senior and junior colleagues to understand evidence needs, and with the analytical community to gather input and feedback on analysis and evidence development. Demonstrates full awareness of and sensitivity to the wider socio-economic and political contexts that might impact and influence the appropriate policy response within and across own projects. Equality, diversity, and inclusion The ICO is committed to promoting and enhancing equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are focused on developing a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve and together we are building an inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference. We are championing this through our Equality Diversity and Inclusion Board together with a number of staff networks. Read more about our commitment on our website. If you have a disability or impairment and have difficulty using our online application system, please email the HR team at recruitmentico.org.uk who can arrange for you to submit an application via an alternative method. Closing Date Please submit your CV and cover letter by 23:59 on Sunday 23rd March 2025 We reserve the right to close this vacancy before this date should we receive sufficient applications. Please apply as soon as possible to ensure your application is considered.