GES Technical Framework 2022
The Technical Framework 2022 sets out the high-level technical standards, knowledge and skills required to be a Government Economic Service Member.
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Who are economists in Government?
Economists bring an understanding of economic principles and the ability to apply these to policy and operational questions, identifying the right economic concepts and the right level of economic analysis each time. Alongside partners including other analysts and policy colleagues, economists have a key role in ensuring evidence underpins policy development and delivery across government. The ability to clearly communicate technical concepts, ideas and analysis to a broad audience, being well-attuned to needs and decision-making context, is critical.
What is the GES Technical Framework?
The Government Economic Service (GES) Technical Framework 2022 sets out the high-level technical standards, knowledge and skills required to be a GES Member. These professional standards set the benchmark for government economists within the UK Civil Service, ensuring quality and establishing consistency across the profession to what we do and how we do it. The contents of this Technical Framework are the result of a programme of research and consultation, developed and delivered throughout 2021, which included focus groups and interviews with members from all grades and departments within the GES. The Technical Framework complements broader departmental and Civil Service career development frameworks and guidance.
The purpose of the revised GES Technical Framework is to:
- Detail the technical standards expected from economists within the Civil Service at each grade.
- Be used by all Departments and external assessors for recruiting to GES posts and for departmental GES promotion and badging boards
- Support GES members to assess their own skills & knowledge gaps against those standards – providing them with a clearer picture of their development needs and the skills & knowledge needed to progress their career in the GES.
- Help non-GES Civil Servants understand the broad professional skills held by the GES members.
Who does the GES Technical Framework apply to?
The GES Technical Framework applies to all GES Members. This is the technical component of a wider set of professional standards that also apply to all GES Members. This wider set of professional standards are :
- Government Functional Standards : Analysis
- Government Analysis Career Framework – the GES is just one of many analytical professions that sit within the Analysis Function (part of the Civil Service).
- Government Analysis Function SCS Capability Framework – this framework shows the capabilities required at SCS level which also applies to GES members.
How should the GES Technical Framework be used?
The GES Technical Framework is broken down into 3 core areas of technical competency for GES Members:
- Application of Knowledge
- Analysis of Data
- Effective Communication
For those who come into government through the Economic Assessment Centres (EAC), economics knowledge (macro, micro, international and data skills) is fully tested at that point, with the expectation that a successful candidate has the grasp of economics of a good graduate. For those entering government directly at SEO or and above, there needs to be space within the process to test a level of core knowledge.
All knowledge and skills listed under each technical competency of the GES Technical Framework are considered potentially relevant for the role of economists at the respective grades. Where line managers/recruiters are considering applicants suitability for promotion to a higher grade or for those coming from outside the GES, interviewing panels should be conscious that they are appointing someone to a GES job and grade not just a specific role and should therefore test a range of economic knowledge.
Components of each of these three Core Areas of technical competency are listed and defined in the below framework, setting out at a broad level the knowledge and skills required to demonstrate professional proficiency at that level for that Core Area Component.
The framework and its intended use have been specifically designed to reflect the broad-based nature of economics as a subject and profession, and the equally varied nature of economist roles across government departments that this technical framework covers.
In applying the framework it is intended that only a sub-set of Core Area Components will apply to any single GES role and/or recruitment, with recruiters/line managers selecting (and clearly signalling on job advert material) which Core Areas and Core Area Components are relevant to the grade/role/department being recruited to and which will be assessed through recruitment. To clarify, individuals will not be asked to demonstrate experience of all example bullets.
Recruitment Best Practice
Hiring managers, line managers or recruiters should already be using the Civil Service Success Profiles to recruit for vacant roles (please note, this GES technical framework relates to the technical aspect within the success profile). In addition, this GES Technical Framework should be used to guide role-specific requirements and questions related to economics during the interview or application/selection process. The descriptors against each core area component give a sense of the level expected. Departments may also choose to assess against specialist areas of application at these levels in specific role recruitment.
It is recommended that ALL line managers and recruiters are up to date with relevant Civil Service Success profiles training (via Civil Service learning) and general recruitment training available.
Career Progression/Promotion/Continuous Professional Development
The GES Technical Framework has been designed as a tool for supporting career development and progression, allowing for the identification of areas of development, knowledge and further experience that would support advancement to the next grade.
The listed skills at each grade are helpful to reflect upon as part of role-specific as well as wider CPD. The GES requires that members spend 100 hours on CPD per year (or pro-rata for part-time working patterns), which should include 50 hours spent on economics knowledge and skills, and 50 hours on building wider Civil Service skills. This includes but is not limited to formal learning. To progress, economists would be assessed against the subsequent grade descriptors, so may wish to review the grade above their own when assessing their skills and reviewing what they need to demonstrate to progress further. They can then fit their CPD around these areas.
Last updated 20 December 2022 + show all updates
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Changes to the Application of knowledge section to reflect the importance of considering biodiversity and climate change when conducting analysis, as well as changes to reflect the importance of training to be an assessor
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First published.