Economist s
Who we are
The Scottish Executive was established in 1999 and is the devolved government f or Scotland . We are responsible f or most of the big issues that affect the people of Scotland , including health, education, justice, environment, rural affairs, enterprise and transp or t, with an annual budget of around £20 billion. Our goal is to w or k with Scottish Ministers to improve the well being of Scotland and its people.
With over 50 economists w or king across the Executive, we are the largest employers of economists in Scotland and the fourth largest economist group in the UK government. Economist s employed within the Scottish Executive will become part of the Government Economic Service (GES).
The n or mal route f or entry to the Government Economic Service is through CSSB - the Civil Service Selection Board. Successful CSSB candidates may be placed anywhere in Great Britain and join a Fast Stream Development programme to prepare them f or early promotion to seni or posts. While the Scottish Executive continues to accept successful candidates from CSSB, this year it is also running its own Assessment Centre in Scotland to recruit assistant economists directly. The Scottish Executive offers identical terms and conditions to successful candidates irrespective of which of these routes you come through.
What we do
Due to the broad remit of the Scottish Executive, economists can expect to be involved in a variety of subjects and issues. Even relatively new entrants can expect to gain rapid responsibility. Whatever area you are w or king in, you can expect to provide advice and briefing to policy makers, analyse trends, appraise & cost projects, and evaluate research. You will deal with a diverse and interesting w or kload and make practical use of the skills that you have acquired. Most imp or tantly, your advice will make a real impact on both the economic and social wellbeing of the five million inhabitants of this country.
W or king in Scotland
About two thirds of our economists are based in Edinburgh , with the rest w or king in Glasgow . The quality of life that these cities offer is exceptional. At the same time, the beauty of rural Scotland , including the Highlands & Islands, is only a sh or t journey away.
Who are we looking f or ?
You will have a real passion f or economics and its application to real problems, combined with a drive to learn and grow within the Executive. Communication skills are very imp or tant to us, as you will need to explain technical issues to non-specialists. We also require strong analytical skills and the ability to w or k well in a team. To back this up you will expect, or already have, a first or upper second class honours degree or a postgraduate degree in economics. Joint degrees are welcome as long as the maj or ity of the course is in economics. In many ways it is not what you are now but what you can become that is most imp or tant to us.
Contacts
Joanne Anderson, Scottish Executive, HR Officer
Tel: 0131 244 3239, E-Mail: joanne.anderson@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
Economist Group Management Unit
Tel: 020 7270 4571/4835/5073, E-mail: egmu.int@hm-treasury.gov.uk
Profile
Colin MacBean
"I started out at University doing a law degree but decided that it was not f or me. I then left University and w or ked f or a year as a salesman in retail bef or e deciding to return to University and study Economics. I graduated from Dundee University in June 2000, passed CSSB in October 2000 and started w or k with the Scottish Executive in December 2000 (just in time to go on holiday f or Christmas!).
One of the great attractions of a career in the GES in Scotland is that you get to move around and learn about different areas of economics. F or the first year and a half, I w or ked as a Transp or t Economist . During that time I was involved in a large variety of different projects ranging from small local transp or t schemes to
the Government's 30 year aviation consultation document f or Scotland . F or the last year, I have w or ked in the Environment and Rural Affairs Department where I have been involved with a variety of research and appraisal projects concerning f or estry, fishing and the natural environment. The most satisfying part of the job is explaining economic concepts to people without an economics background and then seeming them use that inf or mation."
What do we offer?
The chance to make a real difference! Your w or k will directly affect the quality of life of people in Scotland . You can expect a high degree of responsibility at an early stage and, depending on your aptitude and drive, it is possible to achieve rapid promotion within a few years. The rewards are impressive too. Assistant Economist s receive a starting salary of £20,772 (higher if you have a Masters/PhD or appropriate experience), rising to £28,200 plus a secure final salary pension scheme. On promotion to Economic Advis or , you could expect to earn £35,320 on a scale that rises to £45,500. Beyond that experienced economists in higher grades can earn upwards of £50,000. Other benefits include generous annual leave, the opp or tunity to w or k flexible hours in many posts, season ticket loans, an active social netw or k and modern offices, some with leisure facilities. We take pride in the emphasis that we place on your development and provide a comprehensive mix of on-the-job and m or e f or mal training. In addition, we have an active seminar programme where our staff can discuss and debate current research and economic issues of the day.
Equal Opp or tunities
We are committed to equal opp or tunities and are striving actively to reflect the diversity of Scotland in our w or kf or ce.