Senior Climate and Health Economist

Job description

Job responsibilities

This post will contribute to a key CCHS research programme, Centre for Net Positive Solutions for Health and Climate (Net+ or Net Positive) which is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The Net+ Centre is a national focus for research, networking and capacity building, identifying net-positive interventions for health solutions, reducing the negative impacts of climate change while maximising the co-benefits of interventions and providing the basis for furthering scientific advances, policy advice and innovation. Net+ and is a collaboration between the University of Exeter (UoE), the UKHSA, Forest Research (FR), the National Trust (NT), and the Met Office (MO).

• Provide analysis and insight: You will apply economic techniques to analyse and communicate the costs of climate threats to health in the UK, and the costs and benefits of alternative adaptation options in conjunction with other specialists. This includes carrying out cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, but may also extend to ad-hoc pieces of work to support decision-making. You are open to learning more about the climate and health domain from other experts while demonstrating the value that economics can bring to climate change and public health questions. You will need to develop clear high-quality analysis and communicate it to a senior audience.The work programme will be adaptable but activities you might undertake include:

1. Work closely with Net+ Centre colleagues at the University of Exeter to co-ordinate a group taking forward climate and health economic analysis.
2. Develop findings from a recent short report on health economics and climate
3. Recently commissioned by CCHS.
4. Establish a baseline assessment of the health economic impact of HECC Temperature scenarios and how best to represent these.
5. Further work looking at how to assess the health economic impact of interventions.

• Develop Economic Cases: You will work across the organisation on developing economic cases for key projects and programmes as part of the standard five-part business case process. This will include focus on applying your knowledge of economics and the Green Book to assess benefits and costs of different adaptation options and help the organisation come to a preferred approach. You may also need to provide quality assurance to cases written by stakeholders.

• Build the Economic profession at UKHSA: All the while, you will be at the forefront of building the role and reputation of the economic profession within UKHSA in general, and providing leadership on economics for climate and health adaptation in particular. Working with experts across multiple fields, you will showcase the value of economics to all colleagues as well as contributing to building an inclusive and welcoming community of economists.

Essential criteria:

• Knowledge of health and/or climate economics and experience in applying it to provide insight into complex health and/or climate problems.
• Masters degree in economics or relevant numerate discipline or related field or relevant equivalent experience working in economic analysis of climate change or health economic analysis.
• Ability to effectively communicate the results of analysis to senior stakeholders and decision makers
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to develop and maintain key stakeholder relationships
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent presentation skills
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships, both in terms of day-to-day working practices, but also in relation to management systems

Desirable criteria:

• Experience in climate or environmental economics
• Ability to work at pace to deadlines across multiple projects
• Experience with developing Green Book-compliant business cases including knowledge of best practice.
• Experience in cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, particularly relating to health and/or climate change interventions

Selection Process Detail

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

Stage 1: Application & Sift

Success profile

You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of a:

• Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
• 1000 word supporting statement.

This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.

The Application form and supporting statement will be marked together.

Please note you will not be able to upload your CV. You must complete the application form in as much detail as possible. Please do not email us your CV.

Longlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:

1. Meets all essential criteria
2. Meets some essential criteria
3. Meets no essential criteria

Those falling in the 'Meets all essential criteria' pile will progress to shortlisting.

Shortlisting:

In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on the following essential criteria:

• Knowledge of health and/or climate economics and experience in applying it to provide insight into complex health and/or climate problems.
• Masters degree in economics or relevant numerate discipline or related field or relevant equivalent experience working in economic analysis of climate change or health economic analysis.

Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview.

Please do not exceed 1000 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.

Feedback will not be provided at this stage.

Stage 2: Interview

Success Profiles

You will be invited to a remoteinterview.

Behaviours and Technical Skills will be tested at interview.

The Behaviours tested during the interview stage will be:

• Delivering at Pace (Lead Behaviour)
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

You will be expected to prepare and present a 10 minute presentation during the interview. This will be based on:

• Estimating the health economic impacts of climate change in the UK.

Interviews dates are yet to be confirmed.

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

Eligibility Criteria

Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).

Location

This role is being offered as remote working.

Salary Bands

• National £41,983 to £48,128 per annum, pro rata
• Outer £44,148 to £50,121 per annum, pro rata
• Inner £46,310 to £52,113 per annum, pro rata

Please note: If you are successful at interview, and are moving from another government department, NHS, or Local Authority, the relevant starting salary principles for level transfers or promotions will apply. Otherwise, roles are offered at the pay scale minimum for the grade, but in exceptional circumstances there may be flexibility if you are able to demonstrate you are already in receipt of an existing, higher salary. Pay increases are through the relevant annual pay award for the role and terms.

Security Clearance Level Requirement

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed isBasic Personnel Security Standard.

Person Specification

Application Form and Supporting Statement

Essential

• Application Form and Supporting Statement

Behaviours

Essential

• Delivering at pace (Lead behaviour)
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical Skills

Essential

• Presentation - (Estimating the health economic impacts of climate change in the UK)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

UK Health Security Agency

Address

Remote

London

E14 4PU

Employer's website

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency (Opens in a new tab)