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Home New Zealand Economist / Senior Economist

Economist / Senior Economist

Full time at New Zealand Government in New Zealand
Posted on March 30, 2024

Job details

Economist / Senior Economist at NZ Commerce Commission, Wellington or Auckland

The Commission is the core steward of the strength and resilience of the economy and its ability to make New Zealanders better off. We protect markets through policy, processes, investigations, economic strategy and analysis for the purpose of implementing competition law. As the economic regulator for the electricity, gas, airports, dairy, telecommunications, fuel, retail payment systems and groceries, we work to ensure that regulated suppliers and markets produce long-term benefits for New Zealand consumers. By working to prevent anti-competitive behaviour and protect consumers from harm, the Commission also plays a key role in supporting an environment where markets can work well, competition can flourish, and consumers can be confident about buying goods and services. These raise a diverse range of questions, and our economists are vital in tackling these with rigor, accuracy, and insight. The Economics team are involved in solving difficult and varied questions such as:
  • How can we incentivise innovation?
  • How can we monitor, measure, and evaluate the effectiveness of regulation, particularly for new and emerging technologies?
  • How can we promote competition in markets that are not as competitive as they may be?
Mō te tūranga | About the role Working alongside other experienced economists, you will be part of stimulating and collegial environment. You will provide advice to decision makers within the Commission and be a key member of project teams with lawyers, investigators, engineers, and analysts, in a stimulating, collegial and fast moving multi-disciplinary environment. The projects you work on will have a direct impact on New Zealand consumers, involving innovative issues that will expand your knowledge. Our economists are trusted advisors who provide specialist economic advice, research and support across the Commission's enforcement, regulatory, and policy objectives and to Commissioners. Our Economics team is looking for permanent Senior Economists or Economists based in our either Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) office or Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) office. We are open to considering secondments nationally as well as internationally. The expected appointment range for the Economist role is $100,938 to $124,689 and for the Senior Economist role $128,325 to $158,520 plus 3% KiwiSaver employer contribution. The successful candidate will be appointed at a salary which reflects their individual skills, experience, and internal relativities across the organisation. Energetic, dedicated, and motivated you will understand how markets work, the principles of regulation and competition, and be interested in ensuring the Commission delivers the benefits of competitive markets to New Zealand's consumers and businesses. You will be leading the thinking on economic issues and directly advising Commissioners on a course of action, so we are looking for:
  • undergraduate studies (or equivalent) in microeconomics including industrial organisation and/or financial economics;
  • some knowledge and experience in the application of econometrics, statistics, mathematics or other quantitative methods;
  • curiosity, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn;
  • strong teamwork skills as part of a multi-disciplinary environment;
  • strong communication and influencing skills; and
  • an ability to identify the main issues, be pragmatic and manage own work.
A postgraduate qualification in economics or a closely related field such as finance is desirable. The ideal candidate will have experience working within regulatory or competition economics (e.g. in a regulated industry, for a regulator, competition authority, economic consultancy). Read more about the skills, experience and knowledge required for this position in the position description. If you are applying via SEEK, by clicking Apply Now you will be redirected to our careers page where you can access our position description. We asked our staff what it's like to work for Te Komihana Tauhokohoko | The Commerce Commission: There's a lot to like about working here. The work is varied and super-interesting, and you have a chance to make a real difference protecting competition and consumers. The people you work with are fantastic: they're hardworking and smart and are passionate about doing their best to make sure New Zealanders are getting a 'fair go'. We care for each other, and our environment is inclusive. We work across boundaries, collaborate, and learn from each other. Click here to find out more about benefits and life here at Te Komihana Tauhokohoko | The Commerce Commission. Ka pēhea te tono mai | How to apply If you want to contribute to our vision to make New Zealanders better off, please click 'Apply for this job' below. You will need to complete an online application form and upload your CV and Cover Letter outlining your motivation for applying for this role and the skills and experience you bring. For any queries contact Liz Martin on 04 924 3625. Closing date for applications: 10 April 2024. Studies have shown that women and people from under-represented backgrounds are less likely to apply for roles where they don't match the job description criteria exactly. If you're excited about this role and think you have what it takes, but your experience doesn't align 100%, we still want to hear from you and would encourage you to apply. Our recruitment process is fair, inclusive and free from bias and we encourage our applicants to let us know if we can make it more user friendly for them. We are an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse perspectives and the contribution every one of our people makes to our culture. Put simply – you can be yourself here. Employer: NZ Commerce Commission Location: Wellington or Auckland Position type: Permanent Category: Government, Policy, Planning & Regulation Note: You may be redirected to the employer's careers website. #J-18808-Ljbffr

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