Economist - ADR Wales

• Vacancy details
• Vacancy title
• Economist - ADR Wales
• Closing date
• 24/09/2026, 16:00
• Advertising basis
• Permanent
• Actual starting salary

A starting salary between £61,098-73,057 will be offered to the successful candidate based on their skills, knowledge, experience and performance at interview. This range is not negotiable

• Salary range or pay band
• Grade 7 £61,098 to £73,057
• Allowances
• No
• Work pattern
• Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)
• Group
• Operational Effectiveness Group
• Directorate
• Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT)
• Branch
• Health Economics
• Location (s)
• Pan Wales

‘Pan Wales’ means the post holder can be based in any Welsh Government office, subject to business needs. Roles based outside Wales, including London, are not available unless explicitly stated in the advert.

A list of the Welsh Government’s offices can be found on

www.gov.wales/welsh-government-offices

. Please note it may not always be possible to accommodate a preference for a specific office location.

The post holder’s travel from their home to their assigned Welsh Government office is considered their ‘ordinary commute’ and must be done in their own time and at their own cost.

Purpose of post

We are recruiting a Grade 7 Economist to lead and deliver high-quality economic analysis using linked administrative data, working closely with Administrative Data Research (ADR) Wales. The role has a primary focus on health research, supporting policy development, evaluation, and strategic decision-making across health and social care, while retaining the flexibility to contribute to other priority Welsh Government analytical areas (e.g., education, labour markets, local government, equality and inclusion, justice, economy and climate).

The postholder will provide authoritative economic advice, lead analytical projects from scoping to publication, and help strengthen the Welsh Government’s capability to use administrative and linked data to answer complex policy questions.

Key tasks

The post holder will:

Lead economic analysis and research using administrative/linked data.

Design and deliver robust analytical projects, including evaluation, causal inference, cost and impact analysis, distributional analysis, and scenario appraisal.

Apply appropriate economic frameworks (e.g., welfare economics, public finance, labour economics, health economics) to real-world policy problems.

Develop and assure methods and quality

Set analytical standards for projects (methods, assumptions, reproducibility, peer review, documentation).

Quality-assure outputs and coach others to improve technical practice and analytical writing.

Work effectively in the ADR Wales ecosystem

Collaborate with ADR Wales partners and data owners to scope projects, access data through secure environments, and navigate information governance appropriately.

Translate policy questions into feasible research designs and data specifications; manage analytical risks and limitations transparently.

Influence policy through evidence

Deliver analyses that aligns with the strategic direction of the Welsh Government.

Provide clear, decision-ready advice to senior officials and policy teams, explaining trade-offs, uncertainty, and implications.

Communicate complex findings in accessible formats for varied audiences (policy, operational, technical, external).

Lead delivery, stakeholders, and capability

Lead multi-disciplinary project teams (economists, statisticians, social researchers, data scientists) as required.

Manage stakeholders and expectations, prioritise workload, and deliver at pace without compromising quality.

Contribute to the wider analytical community and support capability-building in administrative data methods.

Development opportunities

In this role, the postholder will:

Build deep expertise in applied health economics and the economics of public services, with opportunities to work on other cross-government priorities as needs evolve.

Develop advanced skills in evaluation and impact analysis using administrative and linked data, including counterfactual thinking, sensitivity analysis, and communicating uncertainty.

Gain end-to-end experience of delivering research in the ADR Wales ecosystem, scoping policy questions into research designs, working in secure data environments, and producing publishable, reproducible outputs.

Strengthen Grade 7 technical leadership: setting analytical standards, leading peer review and quality assurance, and advising on methodological choices to meet decision-maker needs.

Enhance your ability to influence senior stakeholders through clear, decision-ready briefings that set out options, trade-offs, distributional impacts and risks.

Broaden your portfolio by applying the same methods across themes such as education, labour markets, poverty, local government, equality and place-based policy.

Join an active professional community with access to GES learning, networks and mentoring, and opportunities to coach others and build capability across the Welsh Government analytical system.

Have the opportunity to learn Welsh. Welsh Government offers a learning prospectus and has resources and assistance to help people learning though an array of reasonable adjustments.

Other vacancy related information

This is a Government Economic Service (GES) badged post. It is open to existing GES members (level transfer or promotion) and to applicants who meet the GES eligibility requirements and are willing to join the GES on appointment.

Membership - Government Economic Service - GOV.UK

Applicants must have a first or upper second-class honours degree in economics, or a joint degree with at least 50% economics modules, or a postgraduate degree in economics (or equivalent that meets GES membership requirements).

Selection will assess candidates against the relevant GES technical standards and Civil Service Success Profile requirements for Grade 7, as set out in the GES Technical Framework 2022 -

GES Technical Framework 2022 - GOV.UK

In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Experience 1 - Analysis of data.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status, will remain on the reserve list for 12 months.

A written exercise and presentation will be used at interview stage to test Technical 1 and 2 - Application of knowledge and Effective communication. More information will be provided in the invitations to that stage.

The following qualities are desirable and will only be considered if two or more candidates receive the same score at the application or interview stage:

• Vetting level
• Basic
• Number of posts
• 1
• Contact point for further information regarding the post
• economistrecruitment@gov.wales
• Welsh language requirements
• Welsh language requirements

3 - Welsh language skills are not essential for this opportunity; you do not need Welsh language skills to apply. However, as the Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation, Welsh language skills are desirable and will be considered if two or more candidates receive the same score at the application or interview stage.

• Understanding by reading
• 0 - No skills
• Speaking and being understood
• 0 - No skills
• Understanding by listening
• 0 - No skills
• Writing and being understood
• 0 - No skills
• Working for the Civil Service
• The
• Civil Service Code

sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our

AI candidate guidance

for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection Process and Stages

Welsh Government, like all other Government Departments use Success Profiles when we recruit. For each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. It raises performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

The selection process and stages are:

Number of Stages:

• 2 stage process
• Stage 1
• Application Form
• Stage 2
• Interview
• Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these Behaviour criteria during the selection process.

Behaviour 1:

• Working Together
• This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form
• This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Behaviour 2:

• Delivering at Pace
• This will be tested at stage 1: Application Form
• This will be tested at stage 2: Interview
• Experience

We'll assess you against the following Experience criteria during the assessment process.

Evidence to provide

Experience questions

Experience 1:

Analysis of data -

Strong experience analysing complex microdata (ideally administrative and/or linked datasets) to generate policy-relevant insight

• This will be tested at Stage 1: Application Form
• This will be tested at stage 2: Interview
• Strengths

This will be tested at Interview stage only.

Strength 1:

Adaptable

Technical

We'll assess the following Technical skills during the selection process.

Technical 1:

Application of knowledge

Ability to synthesise evidence from multiple sources (including research literature and administrative evidence), articulate limitations/uncertainty, and draw defensible conclusions for decision-makers (including distributional/inequality considerations where relevant).

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Technical 2:

Effective communication

Able to communicate complex findings clearly (written and verbal), tailoring content to the audience and ensuring implications, caveats and uncertainty are understood.

This will be tested at stage 2: Interview

Eligibility

You will be asked about your nationality and if you are legally allowed to work in the United Kingdom. This is to find out if you are eligible to apply for this vacancy. This is a requirement for working within the Civil Service.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules

If you do not meet the eligibility criteria your application will not progress. If it becomes clear at a later stage in the process that you are not eligible to apply, your application may be withdrawn, or the offer retracted.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Social Model of Disability

Welsh Government has adopted the social model of disability, which recognises that barriers in society

act to disable people who have impairments, or health conditions, who are neurodivergent or who use British Sign Language.

We are committed to removing barriers in the recruitment process so that all (or potential new) staff can perform at their best.

Recruitment adjustments can be made at any part of the recruitment process for candidates with an impairment or health condition, who are neurodivergent or who use British Sign Language.

Please get in touch with

DiversityInRecruitment@gov.wales

to discuss adjustments for any part of the process.

• Inclusive Interview Schemes
• We are committed to inclusive recruitment and offer interviews to eligible candidates who meet the
• minimum criteria

for the role through the following schemes:

Disability Confident

The Welsh Government is a Disability Confident Leader. As part of our commitment to this scheme we interview any candidate with an impairment, health condition, who is neurodivergent or who uses British Sign Language if they meet the

minimum criteria

for the post.

A Great Place to Work for Veterans

The Welsh Government operates the Great Place to Work for Veterans Initiative. As part of our commitment to this scheme we interview any eligible candidates who meet the

minimum criteria

for the post.

Redeployment Interview Scheme

Civil Service employers can offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of civil servants who are at risk of redundancy and who meet the

• minimum criteria
• for the post
• By ‘
• minimum criteria

’ we mean that candidates must provide us with evidence in their application (and/or test) that they meet the minimum level of competence for the role - usually defined as

a minimum score of 4 per criterion.

Social Partnership

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:

• PCS
• Prospect
• FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:

• Pay
• Terms and conditions
• HR Strategy, policies and procedures
• Health, safety and well-being
• Organisational change

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. We encourage you to learn more about our trade unions, partnership working and to get involved in their work.

Benefits

All Welsh Government staff are members of the Civil Service, and as a result are eligible for:

• Civil Service Pension Scheme
• 31 days annual leave (pro-rated for part time)
• training and development opportunities
• Cycle2Work Scheme
• Smart Working flexible working arrangement
• Green Car Scheme (subject to availability)

If you are an active Civil Service Pension member you can continue your membership throughout your employment with us.

• Recruitment principles and complaints
• We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Please see the
• Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles

on the Commission's website.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and wish to make a complaint please email

complaints@gov.wales

. Please ensure that you refer to the vacancy reference number.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Welsh Government, you can contact the Civil Service Commission:

info@csc.gov.uk.