GES Sandwich Student scheme 2020-21
Job descriptions
Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (B EIS)
Number of vacancies: 8
Salary Payable: £26,500 (London EO base salary as of Sept 2019)
Role Location: All London
Res Requirements: Right to work in UK
Coming to BEIS offers sandwich students a great opportunity to work at the heart of an analytically intensive Department. Specifically, we are offering a group of roles whereby students will have the chance to get involved in and often, take the lead on key pieces of work. Day-to-day students will be:
Using existing data (including management information), to quantify and analyse the impact of policy proposals
Working with colleagues across Whitehall (such as HM Treasury and the British Business Bank) as well as others
Developing and delivering analysis products that will assist Ministers in making effective decisions on many matters such as EU and trade arrangements with third countries, major Spending Reviews, energy and energy security issues, labour markets, national minimum wage matters and more
Our posts offer opportunities to develop strategic thinking and influencing skills whilst learning how to really deliver at pace. A placement student joining BEIS will be working with many internal and external stakeholders and will get a great grasp of how the analysis and policy communities work across government.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
About DCMS
DCMS is an influential Whitehall department supporting the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. DCMS also provides strategic leadership to a much larger group of sponsored bodies.
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is here to help make Britain the world’s most creative and exciting place to live, visit and do business. We protect and promote our cultural and artistic heritage and help businesses and communities grow by investing in innovation and highlighting Britain as a fantastic place to visit. We help to give the UK a unique advantage in the global race for economic success.
DCMS is a modern Whitehall department and provides the opportunity for GES students to work across a span of challenging and high-profile policy areas, including media, security & online harms, digital infrastructure, broadband roll out, arts and culture, the creative industries, gambling, sport, tourism and the digital economy.
As well as offering high-profile and exciting policy context, DCMS is a fun and friendly place to work. DCMS offers a range of networks, social clubs and sports clubs for staff to join, including a DCMS choir, bake club, comedy creatives, softball team and football club!
There is also a buddy scheme which matches new starters with more experienced members of staff to help them settle into the department.
The DCMS Analytical Community
The DCMS Analytical Community (DAC) is a friendly and welcoming network of around 100 analysts, around 25 of whom are based in the Central Analytical Team (the hub) while the remainder are based in smaller teams embedded in policy directorates (the spokes). There are 6 economists in the Central Analytical Team (CAT) with about 50 economists embedded across policy teams. Other analytical professions include statisticians, social researchers and operational researchers. Joining DAC gives an insight into the types of work that other analytical professions cover, and provides opportunities to become a well-rounded analyst.
CAT provides a range of analytical services to DCMS, including evaluations of the department’s key programmes, statistics providing insight on DCMS sectors and activities, and cost-benefit analyses underpinning the department’s plans. CAT provides leadership and support on analytical issues to analysts embedded in teams across DCMS. Directorate-embedded analysts have in-depth expertise in their policy area and lead on the majority of analytical requirements for their team.
Economics in DCMS
Economists in DCMS undertake a wide variety of tasks. Examples of work include:
● Working with policy teams to identify market failures within a policy area, creating options to tackle market failures and carrying out cost benefit analyses to arrive at optimal solutions. These principles are used for both spending initiatives and regulation, where Business Cases and Impact Assessments are produced.
● Assessing and writing Business Cases for capital investment and providing advice on the Economic Case to the department’s Finance Committee and HM Treasury. Recent cases have included the Commonwealth Games, 4G mobile coverage, and the Rugby League World Cup.
● Producing Impact Assessments to ensure regulatory policies are based on robust evidence that withstands scrutiny from the Regulatory Policy Committee. Recent Impact Assessments have included reducing the stake limits on FOBT gambling machines, reducing the amount of advertising that children see for high fat, sugar & salt products and raising the minimum age of national lottery instant win games.
● Using evidence to inform various aspects of policy development. This includes gathering and understanding the current evidence base, engaging with sector experts, industry and academia, and commissioning research to fill any evidence gaps. A current example is the development of the Online Harms policy area where economists have helped shape plans to regulate the online sphere.
● Supporting Spending Review preparations. This includes building up the evidence base on the rationale, impact and value for money of DCMS policies and spending, and creating an economic framework on the different types of capital (physical, human, social, community, cultural etc.) which will underpin the rationale for DCMS initiatives.
● Developing new ways of valuing the impact of cultural and heritage assets using economic valuation techniques. Through our work on cultural and heritage capital cultural economists are developing new methodologies to understand the value of museums and historic sites.
● Conducting awareness-raising activities and training sessions to policy officials on the use of evidence and economics in policymaking. An example includes holding training on ‘economics for non-economists’.
Training and Development
Learning and development needs will be agreed between students and their line manager, and reviewed on a regular basis. As members of the Government Economic Service, DCMS economists have access to a range of training courses and development opportunities. Ad hoc training is available on a range of topics such as Business Cases and there are also opportunities to attend seminars, shadow and receive mentoring.
Pay and Conditions
GES student salary is £21,789
42 hour working week (including lunch breaks) with flexible working hours
26.5 days annual leave, plus 9 days public holidays
Location
100 Parliament Street, London, SW1A 2BQ
Number of vacancies: 2
Further information
Please contact Alexander Wilkinson - [email protected]
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
You will work with economists and wider analysts in developing the evidence base to inform Defra policy, drawing from a wide
range of expertise and providing robust analytical advice. Responsibilities will vary according to post, but could include:
Conducting and reporting analysis, to ensure policy options are underpinned by careful synthesis of available evidence
and forward-looking analysis;
Communicating with and advising policy colleagues on what the latest evidence and analysis tells you;
Managing stakeholder engagement, analyzing and reporting on outputs;
Contributing to scoping of new projects, the development of monitoring and evaluation strategies and project
management of externally delivered work;
Addressing policy needs through development, testing and application of advanced Excel models;
Develop research skills and other economic analysis techniques.
Defra is looking for placement students to work across a range of areas, including the following:
EU & International trade teams help shape the UK’s future relationship with the EU from the perspectives of Defra’s objectives
and develop Defra’s positions on relevant international trade issues.
Environmental Quality (Chemicals & Pesticides) develops policies and approaches around activities that can impact on
environmental outcomes, including measures to improve regulation and future policies around the use of chemicals and
pesticides and waste management, many of which will be affected by EU exit.
International Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Evidence provides a strong, influential UK voice on global environmental issues,
working with global partners to inform policy in areas such as Illegal Wildlife Trade, Trophy Hunting, G7/G20, UN Environment
Pact, International Conservation and the Convention on Biological Diversity (incl. setting post-2020 biodiversity targets).
Environmental Land Management - an interdisciplinary evidence team with a strong economics focus, helping to shape future
environmental and agriculture policy once we leave the EU. ELM is the main vehicle for delivering the Government's ambitions
of the 25 Year Environment Plan and the flagship policy to implement a Natural Capital approach.
Department for Exiting the European Union (DEXEU)
Number of Vacancies
3 Vacancies
Job Description
The Analysis Directorate is the analytical core of the Department and sits at the centre of DExEU’s work. The Directorate’s key objective is to lead Whitehall’s EU Exit analysis, bringing the right evidence together and coordinating and challenging across Government. We work with other government departments and DExEU directorates to generate and combine the best analysis of DExEU and Whitehall, to support the UK’s negotiations and preparations for EU Exit. Analysis and evidence is at the heart of economic partnership negotiations and EU exit preparedness. The directorate’s work will involve:
Shaping strategy and priorities for negotiations and preparedness across a range of scenarios;
Modelling the impacts of trade, customs, and labour mobility options in the future economic relationship;
Evidencing our proposals to the Commission and Member States, directly addressing their interests;
Supporting decision making within live negotiations; Engaging with Ministers, with the public and with Parliament on the potential impacts of
the different scenarios; and Ensuring analysis is well governed, linked up across Whitehall and centralised where
necessary.
Salary Payable
Grade B1 Salary, staring at £27,692.
Specific Requirements for Residency:
Every employee at DExEU will have to undergo SC clearance. Throughout the security checks, the candidate will have to provide previous UK or overseas addresses for the last 5 years, including military, overseas or temporary accommodation.
Candidate will need to have lived in the UK for a minimum of three years.
Department for Transport (DFT)
ECONOMIST STUDENT PLACEMENTS 2020-21
The Department for Transport is a key Ministerial department that works with 18 agencies and delivery partners to support the transport network and plan and invest in transport infrastructure to keep the UK on the move. This is an exciting time for the Department as it plays a central role in delivering some of the Government’s key priorities to achieve the Department’s three main objectives: boosting economic growth and prosperity; improving journeys; and making transport safer and more sustainable. The analysts' role is fundamental to their achievement.
The Department has a wide and varied agenda ranging from large infrastructure projects, such as Crossrail and the development of a high-speed rail network, through to reforming and improving our strategic road network and developing airport capacity.
Priorities include encouraging the use of new technology, such as smart ticketing and low carbon vehicles; maintaining high standards of transport safety and security; encouraging sustainable local travel; tackling congestion on our roads; and supporting the development of aviation, improving the passenger experience at airports.
At the end of your placement in DfT, not only will you have an excellent grasp of what it is being an economist in the Civil Service, you will also have developed your wider skills such as:
Appraisal and analysing data Communicating complex analysis in non-technical language to non-economists Working independently but cooperatively Managing projects Being able to see how your work can add value to wider department and cross-government priorities.
Aviation and Maritime Analysis
Aviation and Maritime Analysis is a multidisciplinary Division made up of over 50 economists, transport modellers, statisticians and social researchers. It plays a pivotal role in shaping policy relating to the aviation and maritime sectors, and to a range of strategic cross-cutting issues, through the provision of expert analytical advice and critical challenge. We are a friendly and highly motivated Division that prioritises the development and well-being of our staff.
Areas of focus currently include:
Playing a leading role in the development and implementation of the Aviation Strategy, setting out a strategic vision for the sector to 2050;
Providing analysis to inform the UK’s negotiating position in relation to aviation and shipping emissions in international discussions, including those relating to reforming the EU Emissions Trading System;
Leading the development and operation of the DfT’s aviation modelling suite, to ensure it remains fit for purpose to inform aviation policy into the future;
Delivering analysis to inform the development and implementation of policy relating to aviation capacity constraints – both on the ground and in the air;
Providing fast paced analytical work to support the aviation and maritime security teams, both during crises and on strategic planning;
Delivering analysis of the impact of the UK exiting the European Union on trade flows and of associated policy options; and
Taking forward the recommendations of the Maritime 2050 Strategy to ensure the UK remains competitive in the global Maritime market.
Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC)
The number and location of vacancies: 3 vacancies, Locations in Leeds and London
The salary payable: Leeds £18,507, London £22,217
If there are any specific requirements for residency: No specific residency requirements
Job summary
Overview area of work and post
The role is based in the Department of Health and Social Care, working with an experienced government economist on issues relevant to developing and current government policy.
Students will have the opportunity to gain experience working alongside a professional government economist to understand how academic knowledge of economics is applied in the public sector.
The team works on several topics analysing the performance of the NHS in both historical and international context and understanding the future challenges the NHS may face. In this role, the placement student will have the opportunity to work on a variety of projects and will directly contribute to briefing documents for ministers and senior civil servants.
Students are fully supported in developing the knowledge and skills they require to contribute to the work of the team, this includes support in learning analytical techniques used by government analysts and developing existing I.T. skills.
Many previous placement students have joined the GES as fast stream analysts following graduation. In this role the placement student will have the opportunity to meet and work with current fast streamers to gain understand and gain experience in the work they do.
Key objectives for this role
Key objectives for the role include:
Gaining knowledge and skills of government economics Experience of working in the Civil Service Working alongside an experienced government Economist. Raise awareness of the Department of Health Fast Stream.
Responsibilities and tasks
Data analysis using MS Excel and other statistical software
Competences working on your own initiative, organising and prioritising time; producing results/determination
Key interactions: who will the role work closely with?
All students will be a assigned a designated line manager to work with during their duration of the placement who will be responsible for their professional development.
Department for International Trade (DIT)
Location: London
Number of posts: 4
Salary: TBC
Job description:
DIT is an international economic department working across the government and its extensive overseas networks to help UK businesses win valuable deals. DIT supports UK businesses to take advantage of the global appetite for British goods and services, as well as to assist international companies to collaborate with UK suppliers. We are building significant new trade negotiating capacities and bringing a new Government focus on the way businesses access international markets, taking on the responsibilities of UK Trade & Investment, along with the relevant trade functions of the former Department for Business Innovation and Skills.
We also have oversight of DIT’s Defence and Security Organisation and UK Export Finance, the UK’s export credit agency.
To deliver an outward-looking trade diplomacy strategy, the Department’s key priorities are:
To promote UK exports of goods and services, to support a growing economy that creates wealth for all, supports jobs and meets our wider national interests;
To deliver the best international trading framework for the UK outside the EU, including through building our capacity to negotiate and administer a national trade policy;
To maximise opportunities for wealth creation through supporting Foreign Direct Investment, with a renewed focus on outward FDI (overseas direct investment) to support the Current Account;
Through UK Export Finance, to ensure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance and insurance
We are looking for talented economists to join our Analyst Group. We offer a variety of roles where you will be placed in one of our Analyst teams. In your placement you can be expected to work with staff across the UK and our international network to:
Develop the evidence base for analysis of DIT policy positions and outcomes, to deliver on our mission Use high-quality evidence to support decision-making for effective DIT policy and delivery in a timely fashion Communicate analysis with impact, building effective working relationships with senior policy colleagues,
other analytical professions and relevant stakeholders both across Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) as well as externally
Department for Work & Pensions (DWP)
Locations: Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield
Salary: Outside London – no less than £20,499, London – no less than £24,498;
Number of placements: up to 15
Job description:
DWP is the largest government department, employing more than 80,000 staff across the country. Our community of more than 150 Economists play a pivotal role in providing high quality, influential analysis for Ministers and policy makers. We inform decisions on delivering ground breaking initiatives to improve the welfare of the most vulnerable people in society, whilst ensuring value for money for the tax payer.
We go beyond the theory and apply our economics knowledge to real-world problems. We analyse data, build models and trial the latest thinking in economic and behavioural theory, to ensure that high quality evidence is brought to bear on all aspects of policy and delivery design, implementation and evaluation.
In doing so, we help the department to tackle a huge range of interesting and high-profile policy challenges such as:
What will be the behavioral effects of increases in contribution rates following Automatic Enrolment?
How can we most effectively support people to move into employment and achieve financial independence?
How can we halve the disability employment gap by supporting disabled people and people with long term health conditions to get in and stay in employment?
How can we create a fair and affordable welfare system which improves the life chances of children and of adults?
How can we ensure value for money for the taxpayer by reducing our operating costs over the Parliament, whilst continuing to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our services and delivery?
Student economists are a thoroughly valued part of DWP and have the chance to work on high profile areas. They will be part of our thriving economic community, with regular economist debates, economic discussion groups, annual conference and socials across all our hub locations.
As economists, we are also part of the analytical community and will often work in teams with a mixture of analysts, including not just other economists, but also statisticians, social researchers and operational researchers.
The exact roles which students will be placed in will be decided nearer the time, depending on departmental priorities. Our previous student cohort worked on a range of high-profile topics such
as EU Exit analysis, Universal Credit data development and fraud & error modelling, so you can expect to contribute to our most influential analysis.
During their time in the Department, we support students to develop, providing training to help them gain the skills they need to become an effective economist, such as:
Technical analytical skills including how to undertake applied data analysis using statistical software.
How to communicate analysis clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, to a wide range of stakeholders ranging from ministers to the general public.
The ability to work with a huge range of stakeholders of various professions, from across DWP, other government departments and beyond.
DWP recruits a large student cohort each year, so you will have lots of opportunities to build links with each other and shape your placements to get the most out of them.
Lots of our students return to us after graduating as Assistant Economists, which is a testament to how much our students enjoy their time with us at DWP. Many cite the breadth of roles available to analysts in DWP – and therefore the range of new challenges available – as a reason for choosing to return. Indeed, 100% of our previous cohort would recommend the DWP placement scheme, and in their feedback specifically mentioned how much they enjoyed the work, how strong the DWP Economist Community was, and how much they valued being treated as full members of staff.
Useful Information:
Locations: if successful, you will provide a preference for which office you would like to be based from. We usually give people their first preference, however as Manchester is a newly established hub, our ability to offer placements in Manchester will be dependent on the size of the analytical community there in September 2020.
Nationality requirements: Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non-EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here .
Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO)
Location: London
Indicative salary: £25,962
The purpose of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is to work to achieve UK interests in a safe, just and prosperous world. Economists in the FCO have an exciting opportunity to promote this agenda by providing analysis and advice on a wide range of foreign policy issues.
The FCO has recently taken a number of steps to promote the role of economics in decision-making. The Economics Unit is a core part of this and is responsible for providing ministers and senior officials with economic advice in support of foreign policy. The Unit leads the wider network of economists embedded in teams around the Office in London and in posts around the world and is made up of three teams covering a mix of geographic and thematic areas of work.
As an FCO Economist, you would be involved in many of the organisation’s most pressing and high-profile topics. These go beyond the traditional definition of economic policy and recently have included contributing to agendas on climate change and energy, aid and development, the illegal wildlife trade, and women’s economic empowerment.
We are looking for four placement students to work in the central Economics Unit, or within teams such as the Economic Diplomacy Directorate and Europe Directorate.
The successful candidates will be expected to assist members of their team in their duties. This includes helping produce briefing for Ministers, Ambassadors and senior officials and collating, presenting and disseminating data and other information. All roles require the jobholder to build and maintain a strong network of contacts in the FCO and across government. You will work closely with economists around the world to get to the root of economic issues, and you will have excellent opportunities to develop key skills in economics and political economy.
NB: You have been resident in the UK for at least two of the previous ten years, at least one year of which must have been a consecutive twelve-month period, unless you have served overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of Her Majesty’s Government, or have lived overseas as a result of your parent’s or partner’s Government employment. Furthermore, to enable the appropriate security checks to be carried out, you must have resided for at least three consecutive years in one country.
Food Standards Agency (FSA)
Salary: £21,733 p.a.
Duration: 12 months
Location: London
Positions: 1
Background
The Analytics Unit provides central analytical support to the Agency. It includes economists, statisticians, operational researchers and social science research. The Unit sits within the Science & Evidence Research Division (SERD) and is led by a G6 Head of Analytics and Chief Economist.
The economics team is comprised of four Assistant Economist (AE) posts at HEO level supporting two G7 Economic Advisers. All economists, including Assistants, are recruited through and members of the Government Economic Service (GES).
The Post
Working at the FSA is challenging but exciting. The post holder will work within the economics team, supporting AEs in providing general economic advice and economic inputs to briefings including ad hoc pieces of economic analysis and data gathering. The position is focused on the food safety policy area, guided by priorities within the strategic plan and emerging issues. Flexibility and the ability to think through problems from first principles are essential as well as a capacity for original thinking and an ability to apply existing economic theory and knowledge. The post holder will be expected to undertake a discrete project in an area that is of strategic importance to the FSA. High profile areas for the Agency include benefits realisation; emerging risks across the food chain; and a review of regulatory models.
The main responsibilities are to:
Undertake a discrete economics research project and write a final report documenting key findings; Give presentations to policy colleagues and external stakeholders from a range of backgrounds; Analyse and interpret data to provide the basis for sound economic advice and recommendations; Provide ad hoc support in preparing economic briefs.
Person Specification
Essential Criteria
Experience of micro-economics and its application; Proven experience of quantitative and numerical analysis skills; Experience of communicating economic and other technical analysis effectively to policy colleagues
and external stakeholders from a range of backgrounds;
Demonstrable interpersonal skills – the role requires developing and maintaining good working relationships with internal and external colleagues;
Desirable Criteria
Knowledge of the theoretical application of economic appraisal/ evaluation is also an advantage. Good with Excel Familiar with STATA/ Eviews/ R
Intellectual Property Office (IPO)
Number of posts: 1
Location: London or Newport
Salary: £22,301 (+ London weighting, if applicable)
Basic security clearance will be required for this post.
About us
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO, the trading name for the UK Patent Office) is an executive agency of the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) fully funded through the patents, trade marks and design rights it grants and administers. It is responsible for grant and renewal of these registered rights, and also for policy development across the whole range of intellectual property rights, including copyright and unregistered designs.
The role of economics in ensuring that the incentives provided by intellectual property rights are focused on innovation and growth and that there is an appropriate balance between the interests of rights owners and rights users is crucial. So too is ensuring that, in addition to the exclusive rights that IP brings, markets remain open to competition which is important to incentivise successful innovation.
The team is relatively small (16) but growing, with a mixture of analytical professions represented which reports to the Chief Economist. Our analysis supports and informs colleagues across the IPO’s policy and operational directorates as well as other colleagues across Whitehall, so communication skills will be important.
Job description
There is a wide variety of analytical work being undertaken at the IPO, but it is not possible to say with certainty what projects this role would undertake in 2020. There is ongoing work to manage projects as part of our research programme, support to policy in completing impact assessments, and continuing to develop our knowledge of the role IP plays in the innovation landscape. There are opportunities to undertake applied work as patents bring large data sets allowing in-depth quantitative analysis. By contrast, copyright has relatively little data thus requiring thinking from first economic principles to qualitatively outline the rationale for government intervention and assess the likely impacts of changes affecting sectors from across the creative industries. Analysis will likely be required to support international negotiations on intellectual property as part of Free Trade Agreements. Analysts at the IPO are provided with opportunities to work on specific projects, work autonomously and are given the required support to ensure their continued professional development.
This role would suit someone who likes to see the bigger picture, would like to work on a range of interconnected issues and wants to understand how to weigh the quality of evidence from a wide variety of sources in order to influence policy.
HM Revenue & Customs
Location: London, Manchester Number of posts: 4 - 3 in Manchester - 1 in LondonSalary: National £19,550, London £23,420
Job description
Economists in HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) primarily work in partnership with HM Treasury on development of tax policy. In addition, some apply their skills to help improve the way HMRC administers and enforces the tax system.
In your placement, you can expect to work on a number of different projects developing the evidence base to guide future tax reforms and analysing the impacts of specific changes. Alternatively, you may work on cost-benefit analysis of investments to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of HMRC’s operations. Examples of economic analysis that our student economists may undertake are as follows:
- Researching the impact of taxation on the level and type of personal savings- Analysing the behavioural responses of wealthy taxpayers to changes in tax rates- Estimating elasticity of demand for goods with special taxes, e.g. alcohol and tobacco- Evaluating the effect of past reforms, e.g. changes to stamp duty on house purchases- Valuing taxpayers’ time spent complying with the tax system- Quantifying various types of tax avoidance, the size of the ‘tax gap’ and the hidden economyOur main office for these roles are in the Parliament Street / Horse Guards Road building shared with other departments including HM Treasury. There are excellent facilities such as staff restaurant, café, deli, gym and other activity rooms, and there is an active social and sporting scene. Some of the London posts may be moving to a new location at Canary Wharf. The Manchester post will be located in HMRC’s new Manchester regional Centre.
We also recruit sandwich students from other analytical professions and have a tailored development programme with regular activities for all our students to ensure they get the most out of their placements.
HM Treasury (HMT)
Job Title:
GES Sandwich Student Range: Student
Group:
Public Services Team: Local government (LGR)
Line Manager:
Thomas Collins
Background information
We have had a student in the team for as long as we can remember. The last one intends to apply to HMT through the GDP after graduation, and the one before has already joined. LGR is a relatively small team and our structure is based on having a student to do a range of routine and more stretching work.
Role Profile
The LGR student has three broad areas of work:
Twice a year we do a fiscal forecast for OBR. The placement student loads data into models, runs the models, does sensitivity testing of results, and does the time-intensive but relatively straightforward work of reconciling data from different data sets. This takes around two months full time twice a year.
The student has an operational role in the administration of the capital finance mechanism for local government. Every day the student checks loan applications and confirms that the appropriate interest rate is being charged, and logs transactions in our records. The loan facility is led by a board of Commissioners who are Crown appointments; when we have identified a candidate for this board, the student manages the HMT side appointment process. This takes about six months of on-and-off work and we have to do a few of them in the next year (there are some economies of scale to doing them in a batch).
When not in the intensive 2x2 month forecasting periods, the student works on our programme of long-term analysis and responsive work. We give the them a mix of routine and more interesting/challenging analysis with a view to have them operating at or near Range D level by the end of the placement.
Job Title:
GES Sandwich Student Range: Student
Group:
Business and International Tax Team: VAT and Excise
Background information
This sandwich student placement is a cross-cutting role in the VAT and Excise (VE) Team. VE is responsible for VAT, Insurance Premium Tax, domestic excise duty policy namely alcohol, gambling and tobacco taxes, and international excise issues such as the Energy Tax Directive. VE forms part of the Business and International Tax (BIT) Group at HM Treasury.
The aim of BIT is to provide strategic oversight of business, environmental, transport, property and excise taxes that together raise revenue of over £200bn a year, to deliver policy change in consultation with key stakeholders, to advance the UK’s interests internationally and to manage effectively risks to the business tax base. BIT contributes to four of the Treasury’s objectives as follows:
- Ensure stable and sustainable tax receipts to fund Government spending in the least distortive way;
- Promote sustainable economic growth;
- Promote stability, fairness, efficiency and competitiveness in financial markets; and-
- Deliver the Treasury’s corporate functions efficiently and to a high standard, developing staff and ensuring that the Treasury is an excellent place to work.
The sandwich student will be exposed to a wide variety of work including desk-based research and analysis, stakeholder engagement and short and long-term project work, a significant amount of which has an international dimension as result of the team’s work with the OECD and the EU.
There are likely to be opportunities for the sandwich student to lead/assist (with appropriate supervision) on Budget measures and at other fiscal events such as Spring Statement. The nature of the work requires close collaboration with key policy partners (such as HMRC and KAI) and involves working with ministers and other teams within BIT.
By way of example, the previous sandwich student in the VE team led on producing a call for evidence document on VAT and Air Passenger Duty and its effects on tourism in Northern Ireland.
Role Profile (Overview and subject to change)
- Co-ordinate and assist with responses to parliamentary questions, freedom of information and ministerial
correspondence;
- Draft response letters to ministerial correspondence and PQs assisting Range Ds where appropriate;
- Co-ordination and assistance with submissions to ministers and officials at fiscal events (Budget and Spring Statement) and UK- TF50 negotiations on Brexit and UK’s future economic partnership with the EU;
- Research, preparation and drafting of global VAT and excise know how update and preparation of case summaries of key CJEU judgments in the VAT and excise area;
- Long-term project work on areas of strategic importance in the VAT and excise space (the future of VAT rates and use of technology in VAT compliance (for example) and analysis of the economics of VAT/areas for reform); and
- Other ad-hoc project work commissioned by members of the VE team from time to time/wider cross-cutting project work across BIT.
Job Title:
GES Sandwich Student Range: Student
Group:
International Group Team: Trade Policy
Line Manager:
Igor Zurimendi
Background information
International Group
The International Group (IG) is responsible for promoting and protecting the UK’s economic and fiscal interests overseas. We support the Chancellor and senior officials in building relations with key international partners and represent the UK in the EU, G7, G20, IMF, Paris Club, FATF, EIB, AIIB and EBRD. We also analyse macroeconomic developments at a country, regional and global level; take forward the Treasury’s interests in specific issues from counter illicit finance and asset freezing to trade as well as climate change and energy; and ensure value for money from the EU budget and DfID spending. The IG is also responsible for continuing European business, for example participation in European meetings and strategic work contributing to the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
Role Profile
Following the EU referendum, the government is focused on negotiating the UK’s exit from the EU. Alongside this, for the first time in 40 years, the UK government will need to set its own trade policy, which in turn will need to support the government’s wider economic policy.
Against this backdrop, the Trade Policy team leads for the Treasury on developing an overall view on the UK’s future trade strategy, working in co-operation with a range of other Treasury teams, and across Whitehall to ensure that the Treasury’s objectives and priorities are fully integrated into the future trade strategy. The Trade Policy team also leads for the Treasury on a range of international and EU related policy issues relating to agriculture, climate and energy.
This post works within the trade analysis branch of the trade policy team, analysing trade trends internationally, UK specific trends e.g. around Foreign Direct Investment, and providing economic analysis on a range of relevant trade issues, whether relating to the UK’s exit from the EU or future trade policy with the rest of the world.
It is a very friendly team, which actively looks to support and develop its members. As well as opportunities within the team, the sandwich student will be encouraged to undertake wider training and opportunities, such as job shadowing or supporting other teams at fiscal events.
Job Title:
Analyst Range: B
Group:
Strategy, Planning and Budget
Team: Economics branch, Budget and Finance Bill team
Line Manager:
Emma Lyonette Current post-holder:
Chris Reynolds
Background information
This post sits within the Economics branch in the Strategy Planning and Budget group. The branch acts as a centre of economic expertise, providing economic support across HM Treasury tax teams. It plays a central analytical role in the Budget process providing economic analysis of tax policies to Ministers and the OBR. It also leads on cross-cutting strategic economic analysis across a range of subjects.
Role Profile
The student in the branch is responsible for:
Using economic analysis and research to influence future tax policy Producing the annual update of the State of the Tax System document, which is a
summary of the UK tax system and is used by teams across the department Leading on monitoring tax risks, ensuring strategic engagement with internal
stakeholder on relevant risks to be escalated to senior civil servants and ministers Liaising with other teams within HM Treasury and developing a wider understating
of the workings of government as a whole, as well as attending external events (such as IFS talks) and reporting back to colleagues
Leading other ad-hoc economic projects undertaken by the Economics Branch. Leading on the re-costing of measures announced in previous fiscal events.
Key competences & skills
We are looking for an individual with intellectual curiosity and an ability to analyse, test and explain ideas and economic concepts within a policy framework. Key attributes include:
1. enthusiasm and high levels of motivation;2. strong numeracy and analytical skills, able to quickly grasp and analyse issues;
3. good inter-personal skills, enjoys working with different people;4. an eye to detail and solid writing skills; and5. an interest in the economics of public policy.6. In addition, experience in data analysis (including econometric software) would be
preferable.
Job Title:
GES Sandwich Student Range: Student
Group:
Enterprise and Growth Unit
Team: Energy, Environment and Agriculture
Line Manager:
Tbc (nominated contact: Meg Nicolaysen)
Background information
The Enterprise and Growth Unit works to promote sustainable economic growth – by ensuring that Government policy encourages private sector investment, enterprise, innovation and the transition to a low-carbon economy – and to ensure the spending programmes associated with this deliver value for money, make an appropriate contribution to deficit reduction and that the departments we are responsible for live within their Spending Review settlements.The Energy, Environment and Agriculture (EEA) team comprises 16 people working in three branches: energy, climate change, and Defra spending. We are a friendly, hard-working team, dealing with some of the biggest policy challenges facing the UK, requiring a mix of strong analytical, policy and stakeholder management skills. Members of the team have come from a wide range of backgrounds, including HM Treasury, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy, Cabinet Office, Ofgem, the Office of the Government Chief Scientific Advisor, the private sector and straight from university.Role Profile
The successful candidate would primarily support the work of the energy and climate change branches, which advise the Chancellor and other ministers on energy and climate change policies, ensuring that policy design and delivery represents value for money and delivers ministers’ objectives. However, the successful candidate would be expected to demonstrate flexibility in supporting work across the team, where required, and there would be scope to gain exposure to topics of particular interest within the wider team’s portfolio.The climate change and energy branches work very closely together given the links between the energy and climate change agendas. The branches engage closely with a broad range of external stakeholders from energy generators to NGOs, as well as a significant amount of cross-Whitehall engagement with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Cabinet Office; No.10 and other departments as relevant.
The successful applicant may also support the work of the Agriculture branch at a critical juncture in agricultural policy: Defra will be particularly affected by EU exit, and there are a range of opportunities to develop domestic agricultural and rural policies.The role will suit a candidate with strong analytical skills, who is comfortable examining, interpreting and challenging data, and using the information to inform government policy.
Job Title:
GES Sandwich Student
Range:
Student
Group:
Financial Stability Team: System Stability and Analysis
Line Manager:
Victoria Watson
Background information
This is a fantastic role in the System Stability and Analysis (SSA) team in the Financial Stability Group for a Student Economist with an interest in macroeconomics and the financial system. The Financial Stability Group has the aim of securing the stability of the UK financial sector for the benefit of the UK economy. For example, we are responsible for: intervening directly to manage the provision and withdrawal of public support for the financial services sector, including effective stewardship of Government-supported banks; ensuring the authorities have the appropriate toolkit for dealing with future financial firm failures and planning for future stability events; developing and maintaining effective systems to monitor and assess micro- and macroprudential financial stability risks; managing the macroprudential framework, including the Bank of England’s Financial Policy Committee’s (FPC) remit and tools; and co-ordinating the Treasury’s input into the global Financial Stability Board (FSB). We are a diverse, energetic, and mutually supportive group committed to working co-operatively on a challenging policy agenda. The Financial Stability Group is friendly and dynamic and has some of the most interesting work in the Treasury. Our work demands a rewarding combination of specialist knowledge and strategic thinking; its broad, cross-cutting themes require that we work flexibly with each other and across the Treasury. Within the Financial Stability Group, working in SSA offers excellent exposure to a wide array of policy and analytical functions. We are responsible for the burgeoning field of macroprudential policy and risk assessment, including supporting the Treasury’s representative on the FPC; supporting the Treasury's membership and representation on the Financial Stability Board; structural reform, including the ring-fencing of
UK banks and non-bank financial intermediation; and providing analytical expertise across the Financial Stability and Financial Services groups. SSA plays a central, cross-cutting role in the Financial Stability Group and in the Treasury as a whole. We work closely with economists and policy advisers across the Treasury and the Bank of England, as well as other external stakeholders. Working in SSA will allow the Student Economist both to develop specialist knowledge in a fascinating subject area as well as gain exposure to the Treasury’s Ministers and senior officials.
Role Profile
The Student Economist will mostly work in the Macroprudential and International Standards Branch, within SSA. This branch leads on HMT’s engagement with both the Financial Policy Committee (FPC), an independent policy committee of the Bank of England that acts as the UK’s macroprudential authority, and the Financial Stability Board (FSB), an international body that monitors and makes recommendations about the global financial system. The Student Economist will also grow their analytical skillset, contributing a significant part of their time to the work of the non-bank finance side of the team. This will include taking ownership for longer-term analytical work, as well as ad-hoc analysis and aiding in the publication of periodic branch products. They will also have the opportunity to work on analytical and economic projects across the rest of the SSA team, supporting the team’s ongoing financial stability risk monitoring function, and carrying out and supporting research projects on emerging financial stability issues.The role will provide opportunities for the student to develop specialist knowledge on financial stability issues and the financial services sector, and develop skills in data management and analysis, writing, organising, and presenting. There will also be opportunities to engage with economists and policy advisors across HM Treasury, as well as senior staff and ministers. Responsibilities are likely to include: Contributing to HM Treasury’s engagement with the Financial Policy
Committee and Financial Stability Board. Helping input financial stability considerations into HM Treasury’s wider
international work. Carrying out a research project in an area of macroprudential policy
and/or financial stability risks. Monitoring HM Treasury’s financial markets risk assessment indicators.
Job Title:
GES Sandwich Student Range: Student
Group:
Fiscal Team: Debt & Reserves Management
Line Manager:
Sam Foxall
Background information
Fiscal GroupThe Fiscal group in HM Treasury (HMT) is responsible for ensuring the sustainability of the public finances, over both the medium term and long term, thereby supporting economic stability and growth. Operationally, it ensures that government’s financing needs are met, over both the short and medium term.Debt and Reserves Management (DRM) Team The DRM team – one of three teams in Fiscal Group – manages key financial assets and liabilities on the public sector balance sheet – using analysis, oversight and our stakeholder links to the Bank of England, the UK Debt Management Office, National Savings & Investments and the Royal Mint. The team also acts as a hub for financial markets monitoring, and is a centre of excellence for the relationship between financial sector policy and managing the public finances and the economy.Debt Liabilities BranchThis post will be in the Debt Liabilities branch and offers an excellent opportunity to develop analytical skills and apply your
economic knowledge, particularly from a financial markets and fiscal perspective. The branch leads on debt management policy in DRM, to ensure that the government can finance itself in a smooth and cost-effective manner, working closely with the UK Debt Management Office (DMO). The DMO is the Treasury’s agent in fixed income markets, who are responsible for all operational matters relating to the market issuance of government debt. The branch also acts as the lead sponsor for the DMO as an Executive Agency. Over the year, the branch, in association with the DMO, provides policy advice to Ministers on the gilt issuance programme, produces the Debt Management Report and Financing Annex at fiscal events, and monitors gilt market activity.Role Profile
This job offers an excellent opportunity for candidates to develop an understanding of economic/financial market analysis. Working with other members of the team, the successful candidate will play a key role in producing high quality briefing and analysis covering the government’s debt operations and financial markets; and will also contribute to published documents.In particular, the postholder’s main duties will include:
briefing Ministers, senior officials and colleagues on the results of the government’s gilt auctions (undertaken by the DMO) and changes in gilt ownership;
helping the branch to oversee debt operations and chairing monthly meetings to monitor the progress of government financing against its annual remit;
assisting with the production of the team’s inputs into the Budget and other published documents, including the annual Debt Management Report;
coordinating ministerial consultation meetings with market investors;
contributing to/preparing six-weekly presentations on financial market developments;
dealing with enquiries and requests from other Treasury teams, government departments and the general public;
replying to correspondence from the general public to Treasury Ministers and drafting replies to MPs on behalf of Ministers where appropriate;
briefing senior officials and colleagues on the latest Asset Purchase Facility operations by the Bank of England and helping to produce the monthly statistical release on UK official holdings of international reserves;
producing regular financial market updates and analysis/dealing with ad hoc requests for briefing and financial markets information from colleagues; and
supporting the work of the Debt Liabilities Branch as well as other areas of the team in general.
Key competences & skills
We are looking for an enthusiastic and proactive individual with a strong interest and or knowledge in macroeconomics. An interest in financial markets would be an advantage. The work of the branches requires regular contact with the Debt Management Office, so well developed communication skills would also be an advantage. The jobholder will be highly numerate and organised with a good eye for detail and presentation. A willingness to work quickly and accurately and to tight deadlines is essential. The jobholder will make extensive use of Microsoft Office software including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook; familiarity with these packages is not required as training can be provided, but would be an advantage.
Job Title:
GES Sandwich Student Range: Student
Group:
Economics Team: Economic Assessment
Background information
The post is within the Economic Assessment (EA) team and offers an excellent opportunity to develop analytical skills, including economic theory and econometrics, and to apply them to the Treasury’s objectives. EA is one of the three UK macroeconomic teams within the Economics Group, which work closely together and with other teams in the directorate and across the Treasury. EA’s remit is to deliver policy-relevant macroeconomic analysis of the most important sectors of the UK economy to support the Government’s targets. The team has four branches – covering the business sector and trade, labour market and regions, the household sector and Model Unit. EA is a friendly team, which actively encourages flexible working patterns and the professional development of its staff.
Role Profile
This job offers an excellent opportunity for candidates with a strong interest in macroeconomic analysis. Working with other members of the branches, the successful candidate will play a key role in producing high
quality briefing and analysis covering the labour market, housing and household sector – contributing both to substantial projects and shorter pieces of analysis. The cross-branch nature of this role allows the candidate to gain a broad knowledge across multiple sectors of the economy.
In particular, the postholder’s main duties will include:
Contributing to the production of briefing material on household (e.g. house prices, consumer confidence, retail sales), labour market and regional statistics. Given Press office and the Chancellor’s interest in these statistics, briefing is often high-profile and fast-paced. Statistics are often market-sensitive and received a day before public release.
Producing and contributing to longer-term research projects on macroeconomic issues the branches cover, to be used to inform ministers and the policy making process.
Running existing branch economic models and developing them. Replying to correspondence from the general public and ministerial correspondence where
appropriate.
Engaging and collaborating with several other teams within the Treasury, and other government departments where the opportunity arises.
Taking part in wider team and Treasury events, including attending relevant academic talks and conferences (HMT Labour Market Conference; Housing and Planning seminars)
We are looking for an enthusiastic and proactive individual with a strong knowledge of both macro and microeconomics and a keen interest in developing their economic skills further. The jobholder will be highly numerate and organised with a good eye for detail and presentation. A willingness to work quickly and accurately and to tight deadlines is essential. The jobholder will make extensive use of software packages including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook and Stata. Familiarity with these packages is not a prerequisite, as training will be provided, but would be an advantage.
ROLE PROFILE AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job Title:Placement student Range: Student
Group:Enterprise & Growth Team: Growth & Productivity
Line Manager:
Current post-holder:
Background information
This post is part of the Economics branch in the Growth and Productivity team. The branch provides analysis and research on the UK productivity performance and policies to enhance productivity growth. It has three main functions:
Providing a bridge between HM Treasury and external economics research; Producing in-depth analysis of growth constraints and policy options; and Using economics to support the development of policy reforms.
Role of Student
The student will contribute to all three of the branch’s functions, and develop a wider understating of the workings of HM Treasury and government as a whole. Typical responsibilities include:
arranging academic speakers for internal seminars and representing the branch at external events;
providing summaries of relevant external publications, including academic journal articles, for officials in the Enterprise and Growth Unit;
conducting longer-term projects to develop the evidence base on growth and productivity;
working with other teams within HM Treasury and other government departments to support policy development; and
assisting with briefing, and contributing to the Budget and other major Government publications.
Opportunity to work on corporate work streams that stretch all across Government departments.
Placement Student Range: StudentGroup: International Group Team: Global Economics Background informationInternational Group (IG)The International and Europe (IEU) Group is responsible for promoting and protecting the UK’s economic and fiscal interests overseas. We support the Chancellor and senior officials in building relations with key international partners and represent the UK in the EU, G7, G20, IMF, Paris Club, FATF, EIB and EBRD. We also analyse macroeconomic developments at a country, regional and global level; take forward the Treasury’s interests in specific issues from counter illicit finance and asset freezing to climate change and energy; and, ensure value for money from the EU budget and DfID spending.
The Global Economics (GE) teamThe Global Economics (GE) team works at the heart of IEU on some of the most high-profile and important international issues facing the UK. The team is responsible for economic policy advice on key global issues, prospects and risks, and major international economies and central banks outside the EU – including the US, China, and Japan. We are the Treasury leads for HMG engagement with most non-EU countries.
The team comprises of two branches:
· The Global Prospects and Advanced Economies branch, which leads on our overall assessment of the global economy, and our analysis/advice, as well as bilateral engagement, on economies including the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand;· The Emerging Markets branch, which leads on economic policy advice relating to economies including China, Russia, Ukraine, the MENA Region and Latin America, and has overall responsibility for economic analysis on emerging markets;
The team works in as flexible and collaborative a fashion as possible to deal with the challenges presented by such a fast-moving policy area, and ensure a joined-up approach to cross-cutting analytical work, such as open economy macro (including global imbalances and exchange rates), international growth/productivity, and global monetary policy issues.
We work very closely with our sister teams, the European Economics & Policy (EEP) team (who lead on the euro area and EU economies) and the International Institutions and Policy team (IIP), to inform international economic policy. We also work closely with the Defence, Diplomacy and Intelligence team and the FCO, including British Embassies overseas, to help shape HMG strategy to key countries; and, we work with UK delegations to international institutions such as the IMF, the Cabinet Office, and a number of other Groups in the Treasury: Economics Group, Financial Stability, Financial Services, and Enterprise and Growth.Role ProfileAs a part of the Global Economics (GE) team, this role is at the heart of HMT’s international policy agenda, one of the Chancellor’s major policy priorities. The successful candidate will be involved in the work of the team on the global economic outlook and risks; policy and economic analysis work on major advanced and emerging economies; and cross-cutting economic analysis. This work will support not only the GE Team, but also the Treasury’s wider International and EU Group as well as feeding into and supporting domestic economic and policy colleagues too.
Based in the Global Prospects and Advanced Economies branch, the successful candidate will be expected to:
Identify and undertake relevant, robust and innovative economic analysis to boost HMT’s knowledge base and understanding of key International economic issues. You will produce policy relevant value-added research, reflecting GE’s priorities; and identify and undertake research based projects which will analyse data, add value to GE, answer a key topical question and possibly be beneficial as the basis of a final year dissertation.
Contribute actively in assisting GE, IEU and outside stakeholders in maintaining an awareness about global economic developments. You will: 1) contribute to the production of timely, concise global economy and emerging markets economic briefing, which analyses key data and which is circulated within HMT; 2) contribute to the success of the Treasury’s’ biannual Global Economic Outlook; 3) assist with data research and analysis and provide a flexible and responsive service to stakeholders and team members as and when required; and 4) be available and flexible to assist the team with any further required tasks and administration or logistical issues.
Develop professionally. You will have to learn, develop and further IT and economics skills through attendance of training courses on Microsoft packages, Datastream, Bloomberg and economics courses and through on the job experience. You will need to attend and be a credible representative at seminars and conferences inside and outside HMT and feedback to GE team members; stay abreast of broad literature and developments relating to relevant global economic issues; and at all times support appropriate knowledge management. You will have the opportunity to contribute to improving how we work together, and learn about how the Treasury works.
Key competencies and skillsWe are looking for an enthusiastic and proactive individual with a strong knowledge of macroeconomics and a keen interest in developing their economic skills further. A particular interest in international economics or global economic policy would be desirable, but not essential. The jobholder will be highly numerate and have an excellent eye for detail and presentation. A willingness to work quickly and accurately and to tight deadlines is essential. The jobholder will make extensive use of software packages including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook. Familiarity with these packages is not a prerequisite, as training will be provided, but would be an advantage.
ROLE PROFILE AND PERSON SPECIFICATION
Job Title:Policy Analyst Range: Student
Group:Public Spending Team: Workforce Pay and
Pensions
Line Manager:
Thomas Ralston Current post-holder: Joe Wylie/Saqif Zaman
Background information
This post is in the Workforce Pay and Pensions (WPP) team in the Public Spending Group - at the heart of the Treasury’s finance ministry function. WPP is a fun, flexible and committed team working across a complex and challenging agenda. We have hosted a student post for a significant number of years and received great feedback by providing experience,
accountability, responsibility and a welcoming environment. The team adopts a flat structure and we work hard to support each other in delivering our work and developing ourselves, as well as making time for team socials.
The WPP team sets the overarching policy positions on public sector pay and pensions to support the Government’s programme of economic and public service reform. Spending on public sector pay and pensions is around £170 billion a year, which is about one in every four pounds spent by the Government. However, our work is not only of crucial importance to reducing the deficit, but ensuring that the appropriate resources are available to deliver public services effectively in a changing political and economic environment.
To develop, implement and evaluate policy WPP works closely with various teams across Treasury, other government departments, trade unions, professional actuarial advisers and other specialists. This includes monitoring the latest developments in the public sector and wider economy to ensure that our policies offer value for money. The work is intellectually stimulating and watched closely by Treasury Ministers and Secretaries of State across Whitehall.
Role Profile
This post offers an opportunity to make a real impact in a high-profile area of Government policy while developing a variety of practical skills that will aid you throughout your future career.
The role can be tailored to suit the individual but is likely to involve:
Working to run, maintain and develop WPP’s crucial public sector pay costings model, which is regularly used to inform policy advice.
Providing briefing to Ministers and senior officials, as well as preparing responses to correspondence and Parliamentary Questions on pay and pensions issues.
Developing the Government’s economic evidence on public sector pay and pension policy for engagement with key stakeholders.
Conducting research and analysis on emerging policy issues. Providing monthly briefing on earnings and employment data across the public sector
and whole economy to support the team’s work. Taking responsibility to lead on the annual data collection exercise on pay and
workforce information across all civil service departments and workforces, and producing analysis and results in an annual report.
Getting involved in corporate projects and team events.
Along with this work, there will be a variety of other opportunities to work across the team, as well as with other colleagues in HMT and other government departments.
Key competences & skills
We are looking for an enthusiastic and proactive individual with a strong knowledge of macro and microeconomics, interest in policy development, and a willingness to develop their economic and analytical skills further.
The jobholder will be numerate, have a good eye for detail and be able to present complex information in a clear, compelling way, both verbally and through their drafting. A willingness to work quickly and accurately and to tight deadlines is essential.
The jobholder will make extensive use of software packages including Excel, PowerPoint, Word and Outlook. Familiarity with these packages is not a prerequisite, as training will be provided,
but would be an advantage.
Job Title:
GES Sandwich Student Range: Student
Group:
Financial Services Team: Banking and Credit
Line Manager:
Lara Ferguson
Background information
The Financial Services Group The Financial Services Group promotes a stable and efficient financial services sector that supports growth in the UK economy and promotes good outcomes for consumers and businesses, by:
Promoting growth in the UK economy across all sectors and regions by ensuring financial services operate efficiently and competitively.
Supporting macroeconomic stability by ensuring that UK, EU and international regulation reduces risk of financial and wider macroeconomic instability.
Prioritising good outcomes for consumers and businesses through appropriate regulatory reform, effective competition and better-informed consumers.
The Banking and Credit TeamThe Banking and Credit (BAC) team is a high-profile, friendly and supportive team with interests across a range of financial services issues. The team leads the Treasury’s policy work on retail banking, mortgages,
business lending, payment services, building societies and mutuals and the government’s strategy for competition in financial services. It works on policy issues which have a direct impact on the ground, from how people access bank accounts to promoting new payments innovations like contactless.The team works closely with a large number of Treasury teams (in the Financial Services and Financial Stability Groups, the Fiscal Group and the Enterprise and Growth Unit), other Government departments and with a wide range of external stakeholders, including the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority, all the major banks and key trade bodies.Role Profile
This is a post which will work directly on policy areas which are ministerial priorities. Previous post holders have worked on the government’s agenda for digital currencies and the development of new financial technologies. The post holder will work between the Business Lending and Help to Buy branches to:
coordinate our stakeholder management; undertake pieces of analysis on bank lending data and other policy
areas; work on conduct and regulatory issues within business banking; work on the publication of the Help to Buy official statistics; and assist with forecasting and modelling for the Help to Buy
schemes.
There will also be opportunities to work across the team on fintech, competition and other areas.Other core responsibilities will include:
• supporting the team with research and analysis on a variety of policy issues from the development of policy initiatives to implementing and delivering existing policy across a number of areas;
• supporting the team in preparing and responding to regular and ad hoc briefing requests relating to areas of team work;
• assisting with Ministerial replies to questions from Parliament and correspondence with members of the public.
Job Title:
Student Economist Range: Student
Group:
Economics Team: Macroeconomic Coordination and Strategy
Line Manager:
Thomas Wright Current post-holder:
Callum Spencer
Background information
This post, within the Macroeconomic Coordination and Strategy (MCS) team, in the Economics Group, offers an excellent opportunity to work collaboratively, develop analytical skills, and apply economic thinking in support of a range of the Treasury’s objectives. MCS works closely with other teams in the Economics Group and across a number of other Treasury policy and delivery teams.
The team currently consists of fourteen people working across four branches covering Macroeconomic Strategy, the Macroeconomic Policy Framework and Risks, GDP and Inflation, and International Coordination.
MCS plays a central, cross-cutting role in the Economics Group and beyond. By liaising closely with other teams, MCS provides an interface between the Treasury’s specialist economists, Ministers, senior officials, special advisors and press office, as well as Parliament and other Government departments. Working in MCS provides an excellent opportunity to contribute to the group’s economic analysis on a wide range of issues.
Role Profile
This is an exciting post at the heart of Treasury macroeconomics. The student will have particular responsibilities in the macroeconomic briefing and monetary policy and economic risks branches.
The post will allow the development of strong skills in collaboration, macroeconomic analysis, research, data management and interpretation, writing and organising.
Responsibilities will include:
Producing regular round-ups of the important developments in the UK economy and financial markets, including the latest UK economic data.
Producing written briefing on analysis of the UK economy by the Bank of England, external think tanks and other economic agencies.
Supporting Treasury Ministers, including by attending economic debates in Parliament. Supporting other members of the branch in data collection and economic presentations
for various audiences. Conducting research and analysis on current economic issues, and presenting and
disseminating analysis within the Treasury.
Home Office (HO)
Number of posts: 10
Location: London (Westminster and/or Croydon)
Salary: £21,452
The Home Office leads a diverse and high-profile portfolio of work-streams, which provides its economists with a unique and exciting opportunity to apply economic thought and analysis to solve some of society's most pressing problems.
Economists within the department are responsible for economic policy appraisal, providing support to transformational delivery as well as providing the economic analysis that underpins the Home Office’s multi-million pound investment decisions.
Successful candidates will be placed throughout the Home Office. These placements could involve working for the:
Central Economics Unit. Economists in this team work on cross-cutting strategic economics projects (for example supporting Home Office’s analysis for formal Spending reviews), assess and support business cases underpinning our major spending decisions, and lead across the economist
community on standards for quality assurance and economic appraisal. The Chief Economist and Head of Economic Appraisal lead this team.
Crime and Policing. The Crime and Policing Analysis Unit is a fast-paced team working on very topical issues like trends and patterns in knife crime, developing the government response to domestic and sexual offences, and negotiating the funding settlement for the police service with the Treasury. Economics related tasks include assessing costs and benefits for new legislation aimed at reducing knife crime, gun crime and homicide; assessing the cost to society of different types of crime; spatial mapping of crime and economic activity to determine the nature of any relationship, and econometric analysis aimed at improving our knowledge on the drivers of crime, both at a macro and micro level.
Counter Terrorism and Serious and Organised Crime. Economists work is largely driven by implementation of CONTEST, the government’s counter terrorism strategy, and the Serious and Organised Crime Strategy. Economics is at the heart of decision making, for example on value-for-money analysis on a range of counter terrorism activities. Research is also multidisciplinary with social and operational researchers, for example on understanding how illicit markets (e.g. drugs, money laundering) operate to inform the law enforcement response to disrupt them.
Migration and Borders. Migration economists work with statisticians and researchers in providing analysis and evidence on the economic impact of migration. This year migration economists in the Home Office, and in the Migration Advisory Committee secretariat have been central to several analytical reports on the Economic Impact of EU migration; EU exit Long Term Economic Analysis, and an assessment of the impact of future migration policies alongside the government White Paper. Over the next year, work will be continuing to develop this analysis to support final policy decision making in the longer term, with economists playing a vital role.
Border Force. Student economists provide key analysis and insight to enable the Home Secretary and other government officials to be sufficiently informed to make decisions relating to EU Exit, current and future major investment programmes, and any future operating model for the border. Typically, this will involve work such as: providing the economic analysis and modelling to support investment decisions; fulfilling the Permanent Secretary’s ambition of having an analytical framework and addressing evidence gaps by developing the existing data strategy; and, developing economic analytical capability within Border Force, including the ability to monetise security threats and assess the impact of change on UK prosperity.
Dependent on which role students are allocated, prospective students will likely:
Apply economic theory to real-world problems to help inform analysis-based policy solutions Work both independently and collaboratively on an array of projects Build expertise in relevant statistical tools such as Excel, STATA and SPSS Collaborate with other government departments on cross-Whitehall projects Work with a range of colleagues and stakeholders
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
JOB DESCRIPTION
Location: Liverpool
Working arrangements: Full time, fixed-term contract
Eligibility
To be eligible applicants must be studying for a degree in economics or a joint degree where economics comprises at least 50% of the total course. They must also be on course for a 2:1 or 1st class degree. More information on the eligibility criteria and completing the application form can be found on the Civil Service Website.
Applicants for Government Economics Service (GES) posts must be UK nationals, Commonwealth citizens, members of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Swiss nationals who have the right to live and work in the United Kingdom.
Background
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is responsible for regulating risks generated by work to people and the environment in Great Britain. These risks include major industrial accidents and explosions, life-changing injury and occupational cancer.
HSE is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions and employs over 2,500 staff.
HSE’s Economic and Social Analysis Team (ESAT) is based in Redgrave Court, a purpose-built headquarters 10 minutes from Liverpool city centre. Economists work within the HSE Science Division alongside other analysts e.g. statisticians and social researchers, getting involved in strategy, policy, operational planning and corporate support.
Economics in HSE
Health and safety regulation affect the entire population, both those at work and those affected (or potentially affected) by work activities. So HSE economists may have to deal with questions on a wide range of issues every day. For example:
What are the labour market effects of new health and safety at work regulations?
How much does it cost to reduce the number of occupational cancers?
What value can we place on the safety of the UK’s and oil refineries abd chemical plants?
What are the effects of a recession on health and safety outcomes?
HSE economists play a crucial role in determining the appropriate type and level of government intervention in response to workplace death, injury and ill health. They are at the forefront of debates concerning risk control and better regulation.
ESAT is part of the Science Division, which also includes social researchers, statisticians, psychologists and other specialists. ESAT currently consists of seven economists and five social researchers.
The team provides excellent opportunities for you to be exposed to high-profile work and senior staff in HSE. You will have opportunity for both on-the-job and more formal training on economic estimation, research and project management both within HSE and as part of cross-government events.
Examples of work undertaken by HSE economists
Estimating the costs and benefits of changes to legislation to support Ministerial decision-making and the design of interventions to prevent injury and ill health caused by work
Providing evidence and advice to guide HSE’s long-term strategy; and on high-profile policy areas like Brexit and Grenfell
Producing costs estimates of the impacts of work-related injury and illness, such as fatal injury, mental ill health and cancer, including methods to produce monetised estimates of the ‘human costs’ of pain, grief and suffering
Evaluating whether existing government interventions meet their policy objectives and should be retained or modified
Collaborating with social researchers, occupational hygienists, engineers, medics, statisticians and many other specialists in the design and implementation of research
Providing advice to senior government decision-makers on the uses of incentives and behavioural economics
Taking the lead on cross-Governmental and international work on the uses of economic techniques and evidence to support the prevention of injury and ill health caused by work, including work with the EU, OECD and other international risk agencies
Competencies
You will need to be able to demonstrate the following competencies:
Micro-economic knowledge and analytical skills
Health and safety regulations affect product and labour markets in GB, including impacts on productivity and competitiveness. You will need an understanding of the relevant microeconomics for analysis of the impact of regulation on firms and markets.
Communication skills
You will work with economists, other analysts and non-technical colleagues, presenting information and writing reports. It is therefore essential that you can communicate economic concepts and the results of economic analysis, clearly and consistently through a variety of means.
Team working
You will collaborate with social researchers, statisticians, technical experts, policy and operational colleagues to achieve good quality outputs. Strong team working skills are therefore essential.
Initiative and drive for results
You will need to be a self-starter, who can take the lead when required and use his or her own initiative to progress matters when appropriate, and produce high quality results.
Salary
Around £19,600 gross annual (around £1,600 gross monthly equivalent).
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG)
Directorate: Analysis and Data Directorate, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
Location: 2 Marsham Street, London, SW1P 4DF
Posts available: 2
Salary: £25,847 pro rata
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) job is to create great places to live and work and give more power to local people to shape what happens in their area. Our work is focused on four main areas:
Better local services for people;
Helping people to have a home of their own;
Supporting businesses to grow and create job
Supporting strong communities where people feel they belong.
Please note that successful candidates will need to pass the CTC security checks – this requires candidates to have been living continuously in the UK for the past 3 years.
As an economics sandwich student within MHCLG you will be responsible for a variety of unique and interesting pieces of analytical work supporting our policies. These roles vary across different business
areas, but frequently involve liaising with other government departments and external stakeholders, working collaboratively across teams within MHCLG to deliver analysis, and provide analytical solutions for customers.
The posts are based in MHCLG’s Analysis and Data Directorate and this is a multi-disciplinary team comprising economists, data scientists, operational researchers, social researchers, statisticians, IT specialists and data collection teams. The Directorate is a vibrant, fast-moving and high profile place to work and is at the heart of delivering critical evidence for the Department and other stakeholders. You will be expected to work alongside policy colleagues and provide analysis to support their work.
Analysis and Data Directorate provides analysis on all MHCLG’s policies. Our priority areas include:
Expert analysis and advice on the housing market; planning and key policies such as Right to Buy
Policy analysis on local public service reform and public sector efficiency including key policies such as the Review of Relative Need and Resources of local government and business rates retention
Undertaking economic analysis in preparation for key fiscal events such as the 2020 Spending Review
Cities and local economic growth, and Enterprise Zones
The annual Local Government Finance Settlement
Homelessness and domestic abuse
Robust National and Official Statistics including on house building, planning, affordable housing and land use
the English Housing Survey (EHS) - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/english-housing-survey
Wellbeing and the Indices of Multiple Deprivation
Open Data Communities - http://opendatacommunities.org/
As a sandwich student with MHCLG you can expect to work with experienced government analysts on high priority projects. You will have the opportunity to use your technical skills on the job and will be able to acquire new skills as part of the internship role. Working in MHCLG will give you the chance to work alongside experienced policy makers and give you a real insight into policy making today.
Opportunities
We will agree the precise nature of your work with us nearer the time depending on the skills and interests of candidates, but opportunities include:
Providing economic analysis to inform high priority policy issues;
Applying economic theories and principles to public policy issues;
Working closely with analysts across government, including HM Treasury;
Gaining experience of working in an analytical team in government;
Gaining exposure to work on developing innovative new tools and techniques for analysing data and sharing results;
Working in a multi-disciplinary environment with analysts of different specialisms and helping to build the evidence base in key policy areas;
Supporting and leading on economic analysis for briefing for Ministers and policy officials
Undertaking learning and development activities that support your economics learning more generally
Person specification
This post would suit individuals who:
Have an interest and / or experience in applying their economic skills to public policy and the public sector;
Have good knowledge of microeconomic theory and excellent analytical skills;
Have knowledge and / or experience of using MS Office – i.e. PowerPoint, Word, and Excel;
Are interested and / or have experience in taking an evidenced based approach to help inform, and make recommended decisions;
Enjoy working in a team and can build relationships and work collaboratively;
Have good communication skills; and;
Are self-starters and can work independently.
National Infrastructure Commission (N IC)
Location: National Infrastructure Commission, Finlaison House, 15-17 Furnival Street, London, EC4A 1AB
One post:
Placement student at the National Infrastructure Commission to provide economic analysis and policy support across the Commission’s programme of work. The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is an independent public body that provides expert, impartial advice to the government across six sectors of economic infrastructure: energy, water, transport, digital, flooding and waste. There will be opportunities to be involved in delivering high profile projects, such as preparation for the next National Infrastructure Assessment or contributing towards the Commission’s programme of studies that focus on topical challenges for UK infrastructure. Development as an economist will be supported through the Commission’s bespoke learning and development programme, and a strong network of economists and analysts within the Commission and in stakeholder departments.
Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)
General summaryThe OBR provides independent assessments of the economy, public finances, and fiscal sustainability. We provide independent forecasts of the economy and public finances to inform the Government's fiscal policy decisions, examine the impact of the Government's policy decisions on the public finances, and assess the prospects for achieving the Government's fiscal targets and welfare cap. It is formed of two small teams: The Economy and Fiscal team. One student is allocated to each of these teams. The Economy team creates the macroeconomic forecast for the UK economy. They produce an outlook for macroeconomic variables such as GDP, inflation, trade, unemployment and the housing market and a sub-team covers Brexit analysis. The Fiscal team creates the fiscal forecast for the UK public finances and produces further analysis on welfare trends and fiscal risks and sustainability. It is made up of a collection of smaller teams each covering receipts, expenditure, welfare, risks and sustainability, and policy costings and devolved tax and spending.
Students are expected to go through a steep learning curve and to work independently from the offset. It is essential that students manage their time effectively and can prioritise tasks for multiple teams. Much of the work you do will be structured around the OBR’s publications, including the Economic and fiscal outlook (EFO) which accompanies the Budget and Spring Statement. This includes:
- Collaborating with the wider team and leading on presenting the OBR’s analysis in publications.
- Presenting analysis to the Budget Responsibility Committee (BRC) to help inform their decisions.
- Prioritising own time and ensuring outputs fit into the overall publication timetable.
- Learning from past experience, anticipating potential issues or requests whilst ensuring quality of outputs and stakeholder management.
- Shouldering responsibility for own actions, outputs and analysis whilst ensuring a high degree of communication to reduce inefficiency, particularly with stakeholders.
- Attending relevant seminars and reading articles, economic journals and published papers in order to gain wider context to the political and economic landscape as well as further developing skills.
- Developing proficiency in relevant IT skills and attending any relevant IT courses to gain both a broader and deeper knowledge of Excel and other statistical software, as appropriate.
Main duties/objectives
Publication management
Both students are tasked with ensuring that the presentation of the OBR analysis follows the pre-determined format across all OBR publications. They are expected to be innovative in their formatting of charts and tables to manage time efficiently and maximise quality. Specific tasks and responsibilities include:
- Manage the charts and tables process and ensure they are created to the correct specifications for all publications. This includes:
o managing the charts and tables for all publications;
o creating the website charts and tables as needed; and
o managing the supplementary tables after every fiscal event.
- Create new ways of presenting data to provide high quality publications and maintain consistency across the wide variety of publications.
Data Management
A core part of the OBR process. Production of publications follows a rigorous and established process which tends to be time pressured with zero or very little flexibility over deadlines. It is therefore essential that students always work as effectively as possible and at a high standard. There is a considerable amount of responsibility placed upon the student. Specific tasks could include:
- Producing the spending OBR economic assumptions every fiscal forecasting round and working with senior colleagues to ensure that they are sent to government departments on time and contain the correct figures.
- Entering the tax diagnostics from HMRC into OBR models at each forecasting round.
- At the end of each forecast round, assisting in preparing the note to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to update HM Treasury on the forecast progress.
- On the release of the monthly ONS public sector finances data: update, manage and improve the published OBR databank, update the website ‘Forecast in depth’ pages to ensure all data is consistent, manage the receipts outturn database and take responsibility for charts and tables in the OBR monthly commentary publication.
- Taking “Market Assumptions” each forecast round from Bloomberg and other software to input directly into the macroeconomic forecast. These are variables such as market expectations for Bank Rate, oil prices and exchange rates.
- Assisting the Brexit team on the presentation of their analysis.
Analytical
Provide analytical support for main OBR publications as needed (which include the Economic and fiscal outlook (EFO), the Fiscal sustainability report (FSR), the Forecast evaluation report (FER) and the Welfare trends report (WTR)). This is a flexible part of the role and depends on the team’s current work priorities. Specific tasks could include:
- Providing analysis of these market assumptions, for publication and internally (such as presenting to the BRC).
- Attending meetings with the Budget Responsibility Committee, HM Treasury, Bank of England and other external contacts as appropriate.
- Producing ‘Forecast in depth’ pages – these are published on the OBR’s website and aim to provide an in-depth overview of each forecast line.
- Conducting additional analysis and other ad-hoc tasks as required.
Whilst producing such analysis it is essential that the student:
- Manages time effectively to provide timely high-quality outputs.
- Ensures analysis is quality assured, written clearly and appropriately for the audience.
- Adheres to the OBR writing style as well as following OBR best practice throughout.
- Analysis should utilise any learnt techniques during the placement such as Excel tips and tricks in order to manage time efficiently and produce high quality charts to display data effectively.
The student should seek to exert influence through their work by sharing learnt insights to help inform and shape the wider analytical discussions. They should become aware of the wider context and how their work feeds into the publication as a whole.
Corporate objectives
Support the OBR achieve its corporate objectives. Specific tasks include:
- Work effectively with the line manager by updating them on the progress of own work and flagging any emerging pressures and issues.
- Work well within the team by being aware of roles and responsibilities of each team member and being aware of the wider administrative and operational issues. Understand the purpose of the spreadsheets and where they feed into in the forecasts. Quality-assure own and others’ analysis.
- Effectively communicate with both internal and external stakeholders, which means responding to queries promptly and proficiently to maintain good working relationships.
- Work collaboratively with the second student to organise the OBR Christmas party and maintain (and update as appropriate) a handover pack for future OBR students.
Office for National Statistics (ONS)Job description coming soon
UK Export Finance (UKEF)
The number and location of vacancies: 1 Sandwich Student, based in London (1HGR)The salary payable: £24,988
If there are any specific requirements for residency: Need to have lived in the UK for a minimum of 3 years.
About UK Export Finance
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is the UK’s Export Credit Agency (ECA) and a government department that reports to the Secretary of State for International Trade through the Minister for Trade and Investment. It works alongside the Department for International Trade (DIT) as an integral part of its strategy and operations.
UKEF’s mission is to ensure that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance, while operating at no net cost to the taxpayer.
About the Role
Risk Approval Division (RAD) – Country Risk, provides assessments of economic and political risk factors related to UKEF’s sovereign business and pricing, as well as recommendations on cover policy and country exposure limits. RAD (Country Risk) is also responsible for the dissemination of cover policy within UKEF, Whitehall and also externally via UKEF’s website.
The Country Risk Junior Economist will be responsible for the accurate and timely production of macro and international economic analysis underpinning our sovereign risk reports and supporting the team on providing economic analysis on topical issues that have an impact on country risk.
Main responsibilities:
To provide assessments and analysis of economic and political risk factors related to UKEF’s sovereign and corporate business. Produce timely and robust analysis, drawing credible and consistent conclusions.
To produce a Monthly Risk Chart Pack on key financial trends in a timely manner to circulated to colleagues within UKEF and other Whitehall departments.
To monitor developments across the regions, maintaining and building a high level of expertise and knowledge of country risk and macroeconomic matters.
To work with the RAD (Corporate Risk) in the evaluation of case specific risks, including, alongside country and market risk, commodity dependency, oil price risk, microeconomic risk such as the industry environment and regulatory system, business cycles and price volatility, competition, entry barriers and product diversification, banking sector systemic risks and the need for additional security or covenants.
To undertake research on complex and sensitive issues; ensuring the identification of pertinent and robust information.
Maintain, expand and keep up to date with international macroeconomics, international trade and risk management theory and empirical developments. This should include reading both relevant academic papers, discussion pieces, attending seminars and conferences.
There may be scope for some overseas travel. For example, our last Sandwich Student attended the OECD Country Risk Experts Meeting in Paris.
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