Principal Economist, Europe

Who we are

We are an organisation that exists to drive progress. That's the “red thread” that connects everyone at The Economist Group (TEG). Our businesses share a devotion to innovation, independence and rigour in their fields of expertise. We empower people to understand and tackle the critical challenges and changes facing the world. Our analytical rigour, global expertise and evidence-based insights enable individuals and organisations to make sense of these shifts and chart a course through them.

We deliver analysis and insights in many formats to subscribers and clients in 170 countries through our four businesses, The Economist, Economist Impact, Economist Intelligence and Economist Education, which uphold our global reputation for excellence and integrity. 

As the research and analysis division of the Economist Group, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) helps leaders prepare for opportunity, empowering them to act with confidence when making strategic decisions. The EIU is the global standard in providing high quality, actionable intelligence to the public and private sector, assessing issues that impact the businesses in more than two hundred countries.

Provide thought leadership and guidance:

• Be an intellectual leader within the EIU Research & Analytics team, providing timely, market leading analysis and insight on Europe to a global and regional audience
• Drive the EIU view for Europe, by providing forecast guidance to analysts on economic and policy developments, and offering constructive feedback
• Be a central point of contact for the region both within EIU and externally with clients and the media

Produce and lead high-quality forecasts and analysis:

• Personally contribute and ensure the team produces high-quality economic and policy forecasts for European economies, incorporating trends into EIU’s global forecast 
• Write data- and graphic-rich research notes and analysis that identify important trends and developments in European economics and policy, and highlight implications for EIU clients
• Show a strong sense of editorial judgement and ensure adherence to editorial guidelines, including independence, objectivity and quality

Manage and develop a team of analysts:

• Directly manage around 3-4 analysts and research analysts working on Europe and influence the wider team, helping to engender an environment of intellectual challenge and creativity 
• Help design effective recruitment processes and implement training and onboarding strategies to enhance analytical skills across the team
• Work with analysts to mentor them and ensure they have a continuous programme of development 

Provide oversight of external contributors: 

• Ensure the Europe team has access to a strong database of external freelance contributors, and that their skills and experience mesh with EIU requirements
• Build a network of sources in academia, business and government to draw on for research purposes

Support promotion of views externally: 

• Promote our work on Europe within The Economist Group and externally, and liaise directly with external clients and media organisations 
• Conduct Speaker Bureau briefing engagements to clients on the region 
• Work collaboratively with EIU sales colleagues to support new business development

The ideal skills for this role are:

• In-depth knowledge of economics and policy in Europe (specialist understanding of a major regional economy, or cross-cutting topics such as geopolitics, risk or EU affairs, is a strong plus)
• Developed team or project management skills and an ability to mentor and guide an intellectually-driven team 
• Strong analytical and forecasting skills, and deep understanding of macroeconomic data series and models used in forecasting
• An ability to spot and articulate trends in economics, politics and policy
• Exceptional writing and editing skills, and an ability to write well under time pressure
• Strong presentation skills, and comfort in maintaining a public profile   
• An ability to work collaboratively with other senior stakeholders and balance their competing requirements 
• Fluent written and oral communication skills in English (fluency in relevant languages is a strong plus) 
• Strong knowledge in MS Office, especially Excel and Powerpoint; experience with data terminals and econometric and data science software and platforms is desirable

You will be able to demonstrate:

• A track record in delivering top-level insight on economics, business and geopolitics in Europe
• Strong team management skills and leadership potential 
• Comfort in presenting to senior audiences on economic and political themes 

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What we offer

Our benefits package is designed to support your wellbeing, growth, and work-life balance. It includes a highly competitive pension or 401(k) plan, private health insurance, and 24/7 access to counselling and wellbeing resources through our Employee Assistance Program.

We also offer a range of lifestyle benefits, including our Work From Anywhere program, which allows you to work from any location where you have the legal right to do so for up to 40 days per year. In addition, we provide generous annual and parental leave, as well as dedicated days off for volunteering and even for moving home.

You will also be given free access to all The Economist content, including an online subscription, our range of apps, podcasts and more.