Economic Analyst

Economic Analyst – Fixed Term Contract (up to 12 months)

Economic Analyst - Fixed term contract up to 12 months. This secondment offers a unique chance to contribute to high‑impact, significant work at the forefront of data and privacy regulation. As an Economic Analyst at the ICO, you will apply your skills to real‑world challenges, shaping policy, evaluating regulatory interventions, and exploring the intersection of data protection with innovation, competition and economic growth.

You will work in a dynamic, multidisciplinary environment, gain exposure to cutting‑edge topics like AI and biometrics and benefit from structured development within the Government Economic Service.

Full time / Part time. Contracted to our Wilmslow, London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast office, through hybrid working we offer flexible home and office‑based working opportunities. Times may be expected to attend the office to collaborate with colleagues or travel for business. Do you want to join the team that produces economic analysis and research to support decision making, via options appraisal, impact assessment, ex‑post evaluation and other analytics (eg geospatial mapping)?

• Support policy development by helping understand the impact of our policies, programmes and projects using approved models and methods following principles from the Green and Magenta Books aligned with the ICO’s impact frameworks.
• Provide advice to clarify the economic, social and public costs, benefits and trade‑offs of our policy decisions.
• Engage and collaborate across the organisation to provide expert guidance, research and analysis on economic matters. Examples include scoping the market for biometric technologies or understanding how artificial intelligence could impact the labour market.
• Deliver learning resources and training across the organisation to ensure awareness and common understanding of appraisal, impact assessment, evaluation and related areas of economic thinking.
• Develop and maintain relevant external stakeholder networks, interacting with UK and international regulatory counterparts, government, academia and conference attendance.
• Continuously develop and evaluate the quality of analysis so that the department produces robust economic analysis that can withstand scrutiny.
• Develop a good understanding of how economic models can inform analysis, their limitations and, when appropriate, advise on suitable data sources.
• Work effectively in multidisciplinary teams and maintain professional relationships both internally and externally across organisations.
• Manage a demanding workload which may involve conflicting demands on time.
• Pursue professional development as an economist/analyst by seeking training, teaching and coaching opportunities, promoting economics that enables confident delivery.
• Understand the principles of the HMT Green and Magenta Books (experience of practical application is desirable but not essential).
• Draft and present analysis for different stakeholders, understanding the differences in communication and actively seeking new, insightful and inclusive ways to present findings.

Reporting to a Principal Economist, you will provide high‑quality economic analysis, collaborating with other experts in multidisciplinary teams. You will work flexibly across a range of projects, identifying key economic issues, analysing data and other evidence to support your arguments, and communicating them effectively to a range of audiences.

• A degree in economics with around 2+ years’ experience in an economic analysis role (or equivalent postgraduate academic experience).
• Knowledge of the principles of the HMT Green and Magenta Books (experience of practical application is desirable but not essential).
• Experience carrying out economic analysis using a range of tools (eg statistical).
• Analyse and synthesise complex information and data, drawing on knowledge and applying it to department‑relevant questions while being aware of the limitations and risks of economic analysis and the available data.
• Interpret requirements and present data in a clear, compelling way, using data…