Senior Associate - Behavioural and Competition Economist

About Ofcom

Ofcom is the regulator for the communications services that we use and rely on each day. We make sure people get the best from their broadband, home phone and mobile services, as well as keeping an eye on TV and radio.

Our culture is clear – we live by our values: Empowerment; Excellence; Collaboration; Agility and Respect. These define how we work to deliver our purpose, now and in the future. The behaviours which support these values set the path for a fully inclusive and innovative culture at Ofcom.

We focus not only on what we do, but how we do it. We pride ourselves on being an organisation of people who genuinely care about helping others.

About the team you’ll be part of

Ofcom’s Economics and Analytics Group is a dynamic team of around 120 applied microeconomists, data analysts, finance experts and behavioural economists.

As experts in evidence, we help Ofcom by providing thought leadership, technical and sector expertise, and the economic and financial insights to shape policy and decisions.

We work across all sectors regulated by Ofcom, often going beyond traditional telecoms and broadcasting regulation. Recent projects include research on the impact of social media on online news, market study in cloud services and evaluating the wellbeing impacts of online safety policies. We also actively contribute to economic debates in the communications sector through published discussion papers. Our Behavioural Insights (BI) Hub conducts research and online trials to understand drivers of behavioural change. This includes a programme of online randomised control trials (‘RCTS’) to understand how users engage with online safety measures. In December, work commissioned by Ofcom in this area received an award from the Market Research Society.

The purpose and scope of the role

We are looking to appoint a Senior Associate economist with expertise in the following specialisms. Please note you will need to be able to demonstrate both sets of skills, but this can be using first principles rather than having a detailed knowledge of previous regulatory interventions:

• Competition and regulation economics: assess markets and consumer issues, and shape developments in Ofcom’s regulated sectors; and
• Behavioural economics: inform policy-making by understanding the behaviour of people and businesses.

At Ofcom, we value your well-being and provide an environment that fosters both personal and professional growth. You will get the opportunity to:

• Engage in diverse and stimulating projects across a broad range of markets.
• Apply economic expertise to address challenging questions, often leveraging cutting-edge quantitative analysis and data.
• Make a real impact on society while achieving a healthy work-life balance.

Your Key Responsibilities

You will collaborate with vibrant teams of economists, data analysts, policy professionals, market researchers, technologists and lawyers on projects spanning various sectors. Your responsibilities will include:

• Providing high-quality economic analysis on projects, exploring different perspectives, and addressing key policy issues.
• Gathering and assessing robust data and evidence to support your analysis.
• Working with external agencies to deliver well-designed and robust consumer research projects.
• Producing clear and well-reasoned documents, including publications.
• Communicating economic concepts effectively in presentations, meetings and engaging with external stakeholders.
• Collaborating with senior colleagues and multidisciplinary teams to deliver impactful outcomes.

The skills, knowledge and experience you’ll need for success

Job-based skills

• A solid foundation in applied microeconomics gained through training in the relevant specialisms (competition economics, regulation economics, and behavioural economics).
• Experience of applying economic concepts in real-world scenarios within a consultancy, regulator, competition or consumer authority, government department, academia, research institute or regulated company.
• The ability to interpret complex information with attention to detail, with quantitative skills being an advantage.
• A degree in economics. A postgraduate qualification is desirable but not essential.

Grade-based skills

• Articulating ideas: express your thoughts in a clear and concise manner, ensuring messages are understood by everyone.
• Building solutions: identify and solve complex issues, using evidence-based methods to gather insights and develop solutions.
• Harmonising work: work effectively with others, creating an honest team environment and sharing ideas and resources with multidisciplinary teams.

How to apply:

Please apply with a CV and a short cover letter setting out why you are interested in working for Ofcom, your relevant experience and your office location preference.

Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Monday 24th February and therefore we advise getting your application by no later than midnight on Sunday 23rd February.