Senior Economics Director

in the Western Piedmont of North Carolina. Acutely sensitive to; Belfast; Hybrid; GBP 132,000 - GBP 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading UK regulatory body is seeking a Senior Economics Director in Belfast to lead the economics teams and deliver high-quality economic advice on complex cases. The ideal candidate should have a strong academic background in economics and proven leadership skills. This role offers a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including a contributory pension scheme and options for flexible and hybrid working. The closing date for applications is 23.55 on 23 February 2026.

Benefits

Competitive contributory pension scheme

Generous annual leave

Childcare benefits

Season ticket and bicycle loans

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Outstanding track record in providing high quality economic advice.
• In-depth knowledge of competition and/or regulatory economics.
• Experience building and leading teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the economists and related teams at the CMA.
• Provide economic leadership on complex merger and market cases.
• Shape the strategy of the UK’s primary competition authority.

Skills

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Strong academic and professional qualifications

Experience in competition economics

Leadership experience

Education

Advanced degree in economics

Job description

Senior Economics Director

Competition & Markets Authority

£132,618 to 140,000 per annum

Location: Belfast, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, or Manchester

About us

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the UK’s principal competition and consumer protection authority. We promote competition and protect consumers with a clear end goal in mind: to drive economic growth and improve household prosperity. The CMA has a range of powers, which it uses to undertake a wide variety of cutting-edge, high profile and complex work, spanning merger and market inquiries, competition and consumer law enforcement, subsidy advice, and internal market advice. If you are a highly influential senior leader motivated to shape the CMA’s essential work in the public interest, playing a pivotal role in the leadership of our economists and related teams, then this could be the ideal role for you.

Your role

As Senior Economics Director, you will support the Chief Economic Adviser in leading the economists, market researchers, statisticians and econometricians (the “economics profession”) at the CMA and being responsible for the quality of economic work carried out by the CMA.

You will have the opportunity to provide economic leadership on complex and important merger, markets, enforcement, and digital markets regime cases and help ensure that the economic work carried out by the CMA is of consistently high quality. You will also be closely involved in helping to grow, lead, maintain and develop the economics team culture as strong, intellectually rigorous, and responsive.

This is an exceptional opportunity to have the opportunity to input into organisation level strategic thinking within and across projects, helping to shape the strategy of the UK’s primary competition authority at a critical time for the UK economy.

About you

You will be an excellent senior level competition economist with strong academic and professional qualifications and experience. With an outstanding track record of providing high quality economic advice on complex cases, studies, and enquiries, you will bring an in-depthknowledgeofcompetition and/or regulatoryeconomics and current issues in the field to the role. You will utilise your extensive experience of building and leading teams, and excellent communication and interpersonal skills as you build and develop the team and interact with internal and external stakeholders.

The benefits

Your benefits package will include a competitive contributory pension scheme and generous annual leave, plus opportunities for flexible and hybrid working. The package also includes childcare benefits, season ticket, and bicycle loans. The Civil Service is committed to becoming the most inclusive employer in the UK and we want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us. In return for your dedication, you will enjoy our commitment to your career and development.

How to apply

Applications for this post are only accepted online. You will need to provide a CV and a tailored statement of suitability for the role, and to complete a diversity questionnaire. To discover more about this opportunity and make your application, please review the candidate pack and make an application by clicking on the “Apply on website” button below

Closing date

23.55 on 23 February 2026