Government Economics Service Fast Stream 2025

Apply before Midday on Thursday 7th November 2024

 

Details

Reference number

374912

Salary

£31,186
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

FSET - Centrally Managed Scheme

Type of role

Fast Stream

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

111

Contents

National

Job summary

Embark on a career path with the Government Economics Service (GES): influence policy and shape the government’s response to today’s essential economic issues.

Job description

The Government Economics Service champions economics in government: supporting our economists and promoting the use of high-quality economic analysis in policy making. We have a large cross-government presence, with more than 3,400 members. The Fast Stream is a great way to join!

As a Government Economics Service fast streamer you will be involved in important current issues, helping to shape government policy.

GES economists operate across the entire Civil Service. On this scheme you’ll have the chance to develop your expertise through three job postings across government.

Fast streamers work in a broad range of areas such as:

macro-economic modelling
competition policy
international financial issues
labour market trends
taxation
housing benefits
local government finance
public health
criminal justice
You’ll also develop as a leader for the profession, helping to maximise the impact and influence of analysis within government.

The work of the GES economists across government is diverse, taking in the full range of economic approaches, methods and applications. Your experiences on scheme will be equally diverse, with the opportunity of working in a wide range of government departments or agencies, and sometimes even overseas. You will experience the application of economics in the real world, applying your academic knowledge to help shape and define the government’s responses to the important issues of the day. You will learn how economists utilise their knowledge to improve policy, delivery and national socio-economic outcomes.

As the UK’s largest recruiter of economists, you will join a vibrant and growing community of more than 3,400 professionals across government, operating in more than 50 departments and agencies across the UK.

Promotion and successful completion of the scheme will see you earn between £45k and £55k. The scheme is designed so that, wherever you find yourself working in government beyond the GES Fast Stream scheme, you will have the skills that allow you to be a professional leader and manager within government.

Person specification

  • you need to be eligible to work in the UK
  • you need to have, or expect to receive, a first or upper second-class (2:1) degree (or international equivalent), or a degree apprenticeship or higher or a postgraduate degree in economics
  • for joint degrees, at least 50% of the course modules should be in economics
  • you must have studied both micro and macroeconomics to qualify
  • if you graduated more than five years ago then you must have examples of how you have maintained your economic knowledge

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

  • Making Effective Decisions
  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Changing and Improving
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Working Together
  • Developing Self and Others
Alongside your salary of £31,186, contributes £9,034 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
The GES Fast Stream offers a unique and fantastic opportunity to begin your career as a government economist. You will have the opportunity to work on issues that really matter, learn how government works, and gain the experience that will allow you to be a future leader within the UK Civil Service.

You will also have access to the benefits available to all UK Civil Servants, including the Civil Service Pension Scheme, professional qualifications, flexible working, season ticket loans, sports and social activities, childcare assistance and more.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours.
There are several phases in the Fast Stream application process. Some of these assessments are multimedia in that they present information in video, audio, graphical or visual formats, as well as text. We hope you find it an engaging process and one that gives you a real insight into the role of a fast streamer.

At the initial application stage you will be asked to complete some background information which will include some diversity questions - which are for monitoring purposes only and will have no bearing on selection outcomes - along with the opportunity to identify your preferences in terms of the different Fast Stream schemes. You can choose up to four.

When you apply please register with a personal email address, and not a work or university email address.

Assessment Phases

There are 3 online tests:

Using Data - In this test you will be asked to weigh up options and to make decisions on different scenarios, perform calculations, solve problems and evaluate and interpret numerical information.

Work-based scenarios - This test measures interpersonal skills, utilising video based scenarios and you are required to assess the effectiveness of various responses.

Case Study assessment - In this test you are required to take Work based scenarios on an imaginary role, learning and responding to a series of challenges and situations and adapting to the changes you are presented with.

Additional information - depending on the schemes you have chosen, there may be additional information to be completed, or an intermediate sift process.

The FSAC reflects some of the key elements of a Fast Stream role and will consist of a Written Advice Exercise, Stakeholder Communication Exercise and Personal Development Conversation. Information will be presented via an app that you will be able to access remotely on a laptop.

Final Selection Board - most schemes will then require a Final Selection Board. We'll ask you to attend this final assessment if you reach the required standard at FSAC.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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) (opens in a new window)
  • 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
Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

  • Name : faststream.applicationsupport@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
  • Email : faststream.applicationsupport@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Recruitment team

  • Email : faststream.applicationsupport@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles.
If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then in the first instance you should contact Government Recruitment Service at: cabinetofficerecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission at: info@csc.gov.uk.
For further information on the Recruitment Principles, and bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.

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