Principal Economist

About the job.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Principal Economist to join us at National Highways. Our team supports decision making across the organisation and we're looking to continue to develop our capability. To do this we undertake a programme of work covering technical method development, production of economic analysis, provide guidance and analytical assurance to other parts of the business, and develop new frameworks to enable economic principles to be used by the business.

We are looking for an Economist with experience working in consultancy, think tanks, universities, or other government departments. The role will give you the challenge of working on diverse and high-profile investment proposals from across an organisation which has one of the highest delegated authorities outside of government ministries.

The Principal Economist is responsible for developing standards, advising how to realise Value for Money and coordinating the development and use of National Highway's analytical platform, acting as a business partner on value for money of projects across the business and managing a team of economists to provide an effective service to the organisation. The role will include some mix of the following responsibilities depending on your expertise.

• Lead the creation of an analytical and modelling platform for assessing the impacts of National Highway's activities on the economy, environment and wider society. This involves specifying what is required of a large number of analytical modules developed by others across the business, and tracking progress to ensure they are delivered.
• Support the development of capability within National Highways to identify, measure and track the wider economic impact of schemes and programmes, providing expert advice to project teams, ensuring that they understand complex economic modelling and impact.
• Lead on assessing the value for money of the third Road Investment Period, as part of its business case, providing a coordinating function for other analytical leads and in so doing ensure National Highway's analytical platform (once developed) is applied appropriately.
• Act as an economics Business Partner and provide Value for Money assurance through the Subject Matter Advisor function for all appraisal work that is required to pass through the Investment Decision Committee. This will aid the governance of VfM and help to ensure National Highways is meeting its licence commitments on delivering and enhancing our VfM capabilities.
• Lead a team of senior and graduate economists; this will include performance management and development. Also, responsible for specifying and periodically reviewing and updating a programme for developing the graduates, to provide them with the breadth of experience they need to become professional economists by the end of the programme. This will help to ensure National Highways has a source of high-calibre Senior and Principal Economists in future years, and a reputation in the wider economics profession for quality analysis.

About you.

• Degree with a significant economics component or master's in economics
• Significant professional experience of working as an Economist. Experience of working in the public sector in economics or working in infrastructure in either public or private sector is preferred but not essential.
• Evidence and experience of leading the creation of economic analysis and supporting the development of company capabilities
• Experience of developing strategies and plans and managing these in a scrutinised organisation
• Technical knowledge application: through challenge, providing advice and solutions
• Strong communication skills and ability to influence at a senior level. Experience of presenting technical and complex information a non-technical audience

About us.

Here at National Highways, we manage and improve England's motorways and major A roads, helping our customers have safer, smoother and more reliable journeys. Our priorities are safety, customers and delivery, and at the core of this, are our values of passion, integrity, safety, teamwork and ownership.

The Customer, Strategy, and Communications directorate is essential to National Highways. We guide the direction of the strategic road network, helping the company deliver economic and social benefits by meeting the needs of our customers, clients, and fulfilling regulatory requirements. As the central hub within National Highways, we provide the corporate strategic planning function for the organisation.

External candidates will be offered a starting salary at the lower end of the pay scale, while current employees will be appointed in accordance with our established pay policy.

We are committed to creating a diverse environment and welcome applicants from all backgrounds.