Economist

Economist

Salary: £38,434 up to £51,246 dependent upon experience

Contract Type: Permanent, Full-time (Part-time or FTC available)

Security Level: BPSS

Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship.

We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.

The role

The Economic Regulation and Competition Policy (ERCP) team is a vital part of the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Consumers and Markets Group (CMG). It protects consumers by ensuring that airports and air traffic service (ATS) providers do not exploit their market position, oversees the CAA’s competition responsibilities and provides economics input and support to the CAA’s wider policies and initiatives. The team is responsible for the economic regulation of Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL), Gatwick Airport Limited (GAL) and the monopoly air traffic services provider for the UK, NATS (En Route) Plc (NERL). Understanding the impact of policy options and our actions is essential in ensuring we protect the interests of consumers, while enabling wider aviation policy. 

Economists play an important role in our work in setting price controls and developing the regulatory frameworks for airports and ATS, and our wider policy work. This includes work on costs and incentives, regulatory investigations, and mechanisms to set regulated charges, as well as assessing economic and consumer impacts in the development of CAA policy and strategy. 

As an Economist, you will play an important part contributing to the economic assessment of key policy issues and initiatives across the price controls, competition and other regulatory policy projects. This will involve working across the team to support the review and challenge submissions from the regulated companies (including the assessment of business plan information), develop policy options and support the coordination of the work of external advisors. You will contribute to key workstreams, the drafting of key parts of high-profile policy documents and working effectively with our own external advisors and consultants. Our decisions have the potential to be contentious and need to be robust to legal challenge.

This role permanent and offers the opportunity for professional development, through working within a highly experienced team, directly influencing and engaging with senior leaders, and working across a wide variety of high profile and interesting economic and policy issues. 

We understand that work-life balance is key and would be happy to consider those seeking part time work and/or a job share as well as those seeking a full-time role. We operate (and are committed to) a hybrid working model, with the flexibility to work remotely for part of the week. The team currently requires attendance in the office around one and half days per week on average and we will keep this under review based on team needs

Core accountabilities

As an Economist will be responsible for:

• Supporting the delivery of complex economic analysis that underpins our work on price controls and other aspects of the regulatory frameworks for airports and air traffic services.
• Ensuring that the analysis that supports the CAA’s decisions is robust to external challenge and scrutiny and supported by appropriate quality assurance processes.
• Engaging with stakeholders on a wide range of economic or regulatory issues.
• Coordinating the work of our technical advisors and consultants and providing a critical review of the analysis provided.
• Reviewing and challenging regulatory business plans and submissions from stakeholders.
• Contributing to the timely delivery of high-quality key deliverables.
• Translating technical economic and other issues into simple explanations, analysis and presentations that will be suitable for non-technical audiences.
• Demonstrating CAA values and D&I policy.

You may also be expected to support the delivery of other aspects of the regulatory and price control framework as required and may need to work with other regulators and represent the CAA at external groups, such as the UK Regulators Network (UKRN).

About you

Skills, knowledge and experience that are essential for the job:

• A degree in economics (or closely associated subject or equivalent level of knowledge).
• At least 2 years’ experience conducting economic analysis to inform decision making within a government department, regulator, regulated company or consultancy (or other relevant experience).
• Able to manage your own workload, prioritise and escalate tasks appropriately and solve problems creatively.
• Good analytical skills and the ability to contribute to the design and delivery of detailed economic analysis.
• The ability to explain complex information to a wide range of audiences including non-economists.
• Ability to write clearly and produce persuasive written documents for publication.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Understanding of issues in regulatory economics.
• Experience of regulatory finance and accounting issues.
• Knowledge of aviation and/or other transport sectors.

We welcome applicants from both private and public sectors. For applicants currently working in the Civil Service, we encourage applications from those working at Assistant Economist (or equivalent) or above.

Additional information

For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance.

To be vetted you must have the right to work in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken.

If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application. 

For more information on BPSS clearance please visit - BPSS clearance 

The CAA values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

Relocation & Property

This role will be based at the CAA’s Canary Wharf office, however candidates are advised that the CAA’s head office will be relocating from Aviation House (Gatwick) to new premises, within a 15-mile radius, in a few years’ time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational and environmental considerations.

Inclusive recruitment

We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. 

As a member of the Disability Confident scheme, applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role with us will be guaranteed an interview. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.

Working with us

We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us.

We have embraced hybrid working and offer flexible working patterns, being open to having a conversation about what works for you. We know where and when we work is important in achieving a work-life balance.

We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more! 

Our values

Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone – For more information please Click Here

Closing Date: 7th August 2025

Interview Date: From w/c 18th August - September 2025

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

No recruitment agencies please.