Economist

Closing Date:17-Sep-26 (Applications are accepted until 11:59 PM Atlantic Time)

The Department of Advanced Education is responsible for post-secondary education-related matters in Nova Scotia. This includes the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Office and Post-Secondary Accessibility Services, as well as oversight over the ten universities, private career colleges, and language schools.

As the Economist, you provide advanced economic, statistical and policy analysis to support strategy, planning and evidence-informed decision-making within the Department of Advanced Education. You will be part of the Strategy and Innovation Division which oversees strategic direction for the post-secondary education system including strategy development, partnership engagement and funding for research and innovation.

Reporting to the Manager, Evidence and Research, you lead and undertake complex data analysis, research, develop forecasts and models, and translate evidence into practical advice and recommendations. Your work supports policy development, funding approaches, economic evaluation, performance measurement, accountability, and strategic planning for Nova Scotia’s post-secondary education system.

Your analysis will help the department better understand enrolment, labour-market needs, student outcomes, institutional sustainability, research, innovation, and the economic and social contributions of post-secondary education.

In this role, you will help strengthen the evidence base that supports post-secondary education decisions, working closely with colleagues across government, institutions, sector partners, and data providers.

In this role, you will:

• Identify emerging issues, risks, trends and opportunities affecting post-secondary education and assess their implications for departmental and government priorities.
• Gather, organize, validate and analyze data from multiple sources.
• Lead the development and application of economic and statistical models used to assess system performance, funding approaches, policy options and investment decisions.
• Design and conduct policy simulations and scenario analyses involving tuition policy, operating grants, demographics, enrolment patterns, student pathways and outcomes, research activity and other funding factors.
• Assess institutional and system financial sustainability by analyzing revenues, expenditures and factors such as grant variability, tuition constraints and external pressures.
• Analyze labour-market trends, skills needs and the alignment between post‑secondary credentials and employer demand to inform policy, program and system planning.
• Lead return‑on‑investment analyses and economic evaluations of policies, programs and services in the post‑secondary education sector.
• Assess the economic and social contributions of the post‑secondary education sector to provincial, regional and local economies.
• Support the development of performance measurement indicators and accountability reporting.

Interpret complex evidence and present findings as clear insights, options and recommendations for senior decision-makers.

• Prepare briefing notes, presentations, correspondence and other analytical materials for executive leadership, central agencies and partners.
• Work with colleagues across Advanced Education and other government departments on shared priorities and integrated analysis.
• Build working relationships with post‑secondary institutions, sector organizations, research partners and data providers to obtain, interpret and validate information.
• Participate in interdepartmental, intergovernmental and partner working groups, providing subject‑matter expertise on assigned issues.

To be considered for this opportunity, you must have one of the following combinations of education and related experience
:

• B.A.(General) + 5 years related experience;
• B.A. (Honours) + 4 years related experience; or
• Master’s Degree + 2 years related experience.

Relevant academic disciplines may include economics, statistics, data analytics, finance, accounting, public policy, public administration, social sciences, computer…