Deputy Director, Economy and Innovation

Location – Glasgow, York, London

Job summary

As one of two deputy directors for the Economic Affairs Directorate, you will support the Prime Minister and Cabinet in delivering the Government’s economic agenda.

You will be the lead of the team responsible for the Economy and Innovation portfolio. This will require excellent relationships with key government departments, including DWP, DBT, and DSIT. This role also requires particularly close working with HM Treasury, and a good understanding of fiscal policy in order to work with the No 10 team to support the Prime Minister on fiscal event strategy. A key focus for this role will be brokering agreement and supporting delivery of the Government’s growth mission.

You will be the key interlocutor for DBT, DWP, DSIT and HMT, advising on policy development and collective agreement. You will therefore need to have strong relationships with senior civil servants in those departments, as well as in No.10, and with colleagues across the Cabinet Office, particularly in the National Security Secretariat.

Alongside No.10 Policy Unit and the Mission Delivery Unit, you will provide expert advice to the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, No.10, and the Cabinet Secretary on strategic, long-term and cross-cutting policy issues while responding to immediate priorities.

You will safeguard the principle of collective agreement – advising on the effective operation of Cabinet government across the policy portfolio. You will also be responsible for the National Science and Technology Council and Future of Work Committee, both sub-Committees of Cabinet, alongside the Growth Mission Board. You will also run the Digital IMG, supporting the CDL as chair.

Job description

Key Responsibilities include:

• Provide high quality and timely advice with supporting analysis on priority, often complex, short- and long-term policy issues for the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Cabinet Secretary;
• Support your departments in getting collective agreement on their policies; brokering disagreements between departments and with the centre;
• Work with No.10 to drive forward progress on PM priorities, for example by chairing meetings of relevant senior officials to ensure the PM’s priorities are advanced and following up with departments on agreed commitments, using Cabinet and Cabinet Committee discussions to support this process, where required; and
• Work closely with other deputy directors and senior colleagues in EDS to lead the EDS team, to ensure it is a happy, inclusive and collaborative environment, and that the whole directorate works effectively with No.10 and other parts of government to support the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

Person specification

It is important through your CV and supporting statement that you provide evidence of the following Essential Criteria:

• Highly developed leadership skills including the ability to build, inspire and develop high performing teams, provide effective support and challenge.
• Outstanding policy development and leadership capability with experience of setting direction, interpreting complicated policy arguments and analysing supporting data.
• A gift for collaborating effectively and assertively, building strong and productive networks across communities of actors to provide systemic leadership, working with very senior stakeholders, and of working with others to bring clarity and agree ways forward. The successful candidate will provide a strong example to the division in how they do this.
• Personal credibility and a track record of providing trusted advice and challenge to the most senior stakeholders in organisations to enact their agendas and priorities effectively.
• Strong communication skills with an ability to influence with ease, build consensus through effective relationships and challenge where necessary. This also includes well-honed written communication skills.
• An understanding of public sector decision making processes and the ability to build strong networks to support and influence them. A strong understanding of growth, economic and fiscal policy.
• The ability to effectively interpret economic data and apply that to day to day activity.

Application

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process, outlined below at This should be completed no later than 23:55, Sunday 9th March 2025.

A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.

Failure to submit both portions of the online application form (CV and Statement of Suitability) will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via: scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk