Senior Economist

Application closing date: 5^th January 2026, 9 am

Location: London / Hybrid. Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Start date: As soon as possible

Salary: £48,000+ (dependent on experience).

WPI Economics is committed to diversity. Diversity adds to our company’s creativity and productivity and we actively encourage flexible working arrangements. We encourage applicants who would like to work part-time and would welcome discussing anything that would make WPI Economics work for you. If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made at any stage of the application process, please let us know.

Please apply here: https://form.jotform.com/253442562352353

What is the opportunity?

At WPI Economics, we make an impact through economics that people understand, policy consulting and data insight. We help clients influence and drive better outcomes through improved public policy design and delivery.

We work with a range of organisations – from FTSE companies, to SMEs, charities and Central and Local Government. Our focus is on important social, environmental and economic policy debates, such as the future of the green economy, productivity and growth, levelling up and mental health. We are driven by a desire to make a difference, both through the work we do and by taking our responsibilities as a business seriously. 

Our consultancy is continuing to grow and we are looking for a Senior Economist to join us to work across our portfolio of projects, with a particular focus on Green Book-based cost-benefit analyses. You would bring specialist knowledge of cost-benefit analysis and econometrics – and relevant guidance – and apply this in practice on economic evaluations/value for money assessments, impact evaluations and economic appraisals. More broadly, you would shape and lead projects, represent us with clients and at public events, and potentially manage junior economists in the future. This is a chance to apply your experience working as an economist to a growing, exciting consultancy that makes an impact.

What are the responsibilities?

We are a multidisciplinary team of 20, covering a range of different areas of work. We are looking for a senior economist who wants to apply their training to a wide range of policy and analytical questions, and who thrives on bringing new insight and understanding to clients.

Day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Draw from the wide range of economic analysis methods and evidence to identify the most appropriate approach for each project.
• Be highly proficient in a number of technical economic skills such as cost-benefit analysis, econometrics, quasi-experimental design and interpretation of results.
• Leading on pitches for new work, including assessing resource requirements, costings and engagement with potential clients prior to submitting proposals.
• Communicate technical analytical findings in a way that senior non-specialist stakeholders can understand and find convincing.
• Provide direction and feedback on projects throughout their life, ensuring that work remains on course and meets clients’ needs.
• Manage and own programmes of work and projects.
• Support more junior staff to fulfil their roles in project delivery and shaping, giving them opportunities and coaching them to develop their skills and experience.
• Work with the senior management team to secure sign off and full quality assurance of all work.

Core attributes/Characteristics:

Essential:

• A proven ability to use economists’ tools to design and conduct research that breaks down and evaluates complex policy and economic questions;
• Multiple years’ experience in economic appraisal and evaluation based on the Government’s Green, Magenta and Aqua Books, and wider, relevant value-for-money and impact evaluation analytical guidance
• Proficiency in excel-based, or code-based (e.g. R, Python, STATA) economic modelling to undertake cost-benefit analysis and econometrics.
• Communications and writing skills: the ability to distil complex analysis, theory and literature to make an impact with a wide range of audiences.
• Policy interest and political awareness: an appreciation and understanding of UK and devolved policy, political news, trends, and issues, and the ability to understand their implications for the business, and clients.

Desirable:

• Level 6-8 qualifications (or international equivalent) in Economics or a closely related subject, and experience in applying economics to public policy issues;
• Training in and/or application of cost-benefit analysis and econometrics;
• Experience in applying economics in a professional and / or policy setting (such as thinktanks, Central or Local Government, public policy teams in commercial companies or charities).

Package:

We offer an attractive package that will be based on the experience and skills of the successful candidate The compensation for this role includes:

• £48,000+ per annum, based on experience
• 26 days annual leave (plus bank holidays and a minimum two-day shutdown between Christmas and New Year)
• 3% employer pension contribution
• Group Income Protection and access to the Help@Hand health platform and associated benefits
• Company life insurance and income protection provided to all employees
• Cycle to work scheme
• Flexible working as standard
• A friendly office (with good coffee!)

Testimonials:

You can see what others have thought of working at WPI Economics here: https://wpieconomics.com/our-people/careers

WPI Economics is an accredited Living Wage Employer and verified B Corporation.

How to apply:

We take diversity seriously, so we have developed a name and university-blind approach to sifting applications before offering interviews.

To apply you will first be required to submit the following:

• A covering letter
• Your CV

We will then contact all applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job with an exercise to complete. The sift of applications for interview will then be carried out entirely on the basis of your answer to the exercise to maximise the range of candidates that we bring forward. We will then review CVs and covering letters as a secondary sift for applications that are borderline on the basis of the exercise alone.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

The deadline for applications is 9 am, 5^th January 2026.

If you have any questions about this opportunity, please email recruitment@wpieconomics.com.

As part of any recruitment process, WPI Economics collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants. Please see our full privacy policy on our website for details about how we collect and use that data. Equality and diversity data will be combined (aggregated) with other applicants’ data and analysed only on an anonymous basis. Non-anonymised data will be deleted once the data has been aggregated.