About the job Summary

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Would you like the opportunity to make a real difference to how people travel, support the Government’s levelling up agenda, and contribute to decarbonisation?

If so, we have 3 roles that will give you the chance to work across lots of disciplines and we would like you to take up this exciting opportunity and apply!

Job description

This is your chance to work in a fast paced, challenging and engaging role where you can use your economic skills to inform policy decisions and lead on very relevant and current topics.

Our current priority is supporting the recovery from the pandemic and supporting key government priorities such as decarbonisation, levelling up the economy, increasing our global influence and improving transport for the user. Public transport plays a vital role in our transport system and the economy. Together bus, light rail and the London Underground are responsible for over 16 million journeys a day - getting people to work, to education and to see friends and family, the everyday journeys that make up our lives.

The portfolio of work of the division is very broad – encompassing analysis to inform bus, light rail and taxi policy, active and accessible travel, London Underground financing and capital projects.

You will work both within a multidisciplinary analytical team and lead multidisciplinary teams for specific projects and will actively contribute to the senior management of the team, ensuring high standards of behaviour and managing resources and play a leading role in the vibrant Department for Transport analytical community.

In all three roles you will be expected to:
• Drive teams to deliver high quality outputs to agreed scope and deadlines, proactively engaging with colleagues to transparently agree assumptions.
• Apply transport analysis guidance on appraising future investment decisions, drawing analytical conclusions on outputs from transport and economic models.
• Develop and manage Assistance Economists.
 

Responsibilities

Our 3 roles are set over two teams:

1. Head of Bus and Coach Decarbonisation and Bus Passenger Experience Analysis (one role)
Responsibility highlights:

• Leading the delivery of analysis to inform and influence the delivery of 4,000 Zero Emission Buses. Explore private financing and leasing options to support scaling up of investment. Scrutinise Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas business cases. Develop local decarbonisation roadmaps which may include transitional technologies such as biofuels and hybrid buses.
• Leading the analytical response to the consultation on the phase out date of the sale of new diesel buses.
• Lead analysis to inform and influence improvements for bus passengers. This will include exploring options to meet the National Bus Strategy commitment of 100% of bus services accepting contactless payments.

2. Local and Regional Transport Analyst (two roles)

Responsibility highlights:

• Leading the scrutiny of Transport for London Service Level Review and revenue model. Work closely with policy colleagues on the negotiation of future TfL funding.
• Providing analytical assurance and economic appraisal review, as well as value for money advice for significant investment decisions for Major Road Network programme (£5.5bn) and Levelling Up Fund (£4.8bn). Working with external stakeholders to develop appropriate analysis for business case development and provide advice to decision makers on quality of submissions.
• Overseeing and undertaking research work to deliver enhancements to the Highways Maintenance Appraisal Tool in estimating and understanding the value for money of spending on highways maintenance of local roads.
• Designing and delivering a programme of work to support capability and capacity building in Local Authorities in England. This will include considering the needs of different types of authorities and how the department can best support them directly and by delivering through others. Particular emphasis will be on building analytical capability and capacity to support local transport planning, business case development, data collection and analysis, and monitoring and evaluation.

For further information on role responsibilities please refer to the role profile attached.

About You

The ideal candidate will be able to show experience of setting direction for analysis, drawing from:

• Strong analytical skills and be able to apply economic theory to real world issues.
• Applying economic appraisal tools and techniques.
• Critically assessing economic techniques and methods.
• Draw together and present reasonable conclusions from a wide range of incomplete and complex evidence and data – able to act or decide even when details are not clear.
• Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and stakeholders to achieve progress on shared objectives and government priorities.
• Communicate complex evidence with clarity and authority to influence decisions and promote the value of analysis in decision making.
• Extensive experience working as a professional economist/analyst and undertaking economic analysis, particularly cost benefit appraisal.

Memberships

You must be a full member of the Government Economic Service to be eligible to apply for this role and you must be able to demonstrate you have knowledge and experience of applying the GES Competencies.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Application of Knowledge - Apply economic tools and techniques, and synthesise evidence from a range of sources, as appropriate.
• Effective communication - Provide effective and appropriate written and oral communication to colleagues and stakeholders from different backgrounds.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

We are different people, one team



Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport.

Things you need to know Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

We are closely monitoring the situation regarding the coronavirus, and will be following central Government advice as it is issued. There is therefore a risk that recruitment to this post may be subject to change at short notice. In addition, where appropriate, you may be invited to attend a video interview.

Please continue to follow the application process as normal and ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

Selection Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

For your CV and personal statement, please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following:

• Experience of building, managing and developing a team.
• Critically assessing economic techniques and methods.
• Draw together and present reasonable conclusions from a wide range of incomplete and complex evidence and data – able to act or decide even when details are not clear.
• Strong analytical skills and extensive experience working as a professional economist/analyst and undertaking economic analysis, particularly cost benefit appraisal.
• Ability to manage multiple and changing priorities to deliver impactful analysis.

The sift is due to take place from 23rd November 2021.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 29th November 2021.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment could include:
• an interview

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.

Please see attached candidate notes for further information about our recruitment process.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section

Further Information

To learn more about applying for a role within the Department for Transport, visit the Application Process page of our Careers website.

Before submitting your application, we encourage you to visit our Things You Need to Know page for further information about applying for a role within the Department for Transport and the Civil Service.

Throughout this job advert there are links to the DfT Careers website, which provides you further information to support your application. Should you be unable to access the information on our website, please email [email protected] for assistance.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants Job contact : Name :   Louise-Jayne Burrell Email :   [email protected]   Recruitment team : Email :   [email protected] Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website at https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk