Senior Economist

About ComReg

At ComReg, we work at the heart of Ireland’s digital world.

Our role is to help ensure that people and businesses benefit from reliable connectivity, competitive services and continued innovation across communications and digital infrastructure.

This is an exciting time to build a career with us. As technology continues to evolve, so does our work. Alongside our established responsibilities, we are taking on new areas including cybersecurity, resilience, data, cloud services, AI and digital trust, giving our people the opportunity to work on some of the most important issues shaping Ireland’s digital future.

What makes ComReg unique is its people -the variety of expertise and perspectives we bring together. We are diverse, multidisciplinary and enjoy collaborating and learning from one another. Our teams work closely with counterparts across Europe, contributing to solutions for complex challenges in a fast-moving digital environment.

While the technologies and issues we address continue to change, our purpose remains the same: helping to create a connected, trusted and innovative digital ecosystem that supports people, communities and businesses every day.

If you are looking for meaningful work with great colleagues, continuous learning and the opportunity to make a real impact, ComReg offers a rewarding career at the centre of Ireland’s digital future.

Cybersecurity and Resilience Regulation Division

ComReg has been designated as the NIS2 Directive National Competent Authority for the Digital Infrastructure, Digital Provider, ICT Service Management and Space sectors. Additionally, ComReg has been designated as the CER Directive National Competent Authority for the Digital Infrastructure Sector.

The designation of ComReg as the National Competent Authority for NIS2 and CER requires a new division to execute these additional regulatory functions. This division is known as the Cybersecurity and Resilience Regulation Division.

The Cybersecurity and Resilience Regulation Division responsibilities will include:

• NIS2 supervision and enforcement
• CER functions – Identification of Critical Entities and National Resilience Strategy etc
• Engagement activities – national and international
• Strategic Planning

Full details on our NIS2 and CER responsibilities are here

The role and responsibilities

We are looking to recruit a Senior Economist for the Legal and Economics Unit of the Cybersecurity and Resilience Regulation Division. Reporting to the Head of Legal and Economics, this role offers the successful candidate the opportunity to work within a multidisciplinary team of economists, legal advisors, regulatory and technical specialists supporting ComReg’s cybersecurity and resilience functions under the NIS2 and CER frameworks.

We are seeking an experienced economist with strong quantitative and qualitative analytical capabilities, including practical experience in the application of economic analysis within a regulatory and public policy environment. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring that ComReg’s regulatory activities are informed by robust economic analysis and evidence-based assessment.

The role will involve supporting the development and implementation of regulatory frameworks, conducting economic assessments of regulatory and policy proposals, undertaking cost-benefit and impact assessments, and providing economic input to supervisory and enforcement activities. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of regulatory approaches that promote cybersecurity, resilience and the effective functioning of critical infrastructure.

Working closely with colleagues across the Cybersecurity and Resilience Regulation Division and ComReg more generally, you will provide economic analysis and advice to support decision-making, contribute to the development of policy and legislative proposals, and engage with a wide range of stakeholders including Government Departments, regulated entities, public bodies and international counterparts.

The successful candidate will have the ability to communicate evidence-based findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences. The role will also involve managing economic modelling and analytical workstreams, including overseeing external consultancy inputs where required.

Qualifications and Experience 

Essential

• Postgraduate qualification in economics, business, finance, data analytics, public policy, or other equivalent qualification.
• Experience undertaking economic assessments of regulatory proposals, including cost-benefit analysis, impact assessment, market analysis and the evaluation of policy interventions.
• Experience working effectively in multidisciplinary teams, integrating economic analysis with legal, technical and policy inputs to support the development and implementation of regulatory measures.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex economic and regulatory issues to technical and non-technical audiences, including senior management, decision-makers and external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the capacity to make reasoned judgements based on available information and evidence.

Desirable

• Knowledge of, cybersecurity and cyber resilience matters, together with familiarity with Irish and EU legislative frameworks underpinning regulatory oversight in this area, including the NIS1 and NIS2 Directive and the Critical Entities Resilience (CER) Directive.
• Experience working on issues relating to cybersecurity, critical infrastructure, digital regulation and/or risk management within a regulatory, public policy or industry environment.
• Experience in modelling economic impacts and assessing regulatory options using appropriate quantitative and qualitative techniques, including using Excel, R and other analytical tools.
• Proven ability to draft documentation and consultations that are rational, clear and evidence-based, with a particular emphasis on conducting Regulatory Impact Assessments and supporting regulatory decision-making.
• Demonstrated experience of contributing to and delivering regulatory programmes or economic initiatives within a regulatory, public sector or industry environment.
• Experience of working within an independent regulatory authority, government department, public body or European institution.
• Experience working within a regulatory supervision and enforcement framework, including supporting compliance assessments, investigations, enforcement actions or other regulatory interventions.
• Experience managing and overseeing external economic consultancy projects, including defining requirements, reviewing methodologies and outputs, and ensuring deliverables meet regulatory objectives and quality standards.

Competencies 

In addition to your technical qualifications and experience, you will bring professional competencies and skills in the following core areas:

• Analytical & Critical Thinking Objectively analyses and evaluates information in order to identify patterns between situations that are not obviously related. Develops and clearly articulates solutions to complex problems.
• Drafting Uses a logical structure to draft documents. Communicates complex and technical information clearly and concisely. Ensures key messages are understood and have the desired impact on the target audience.
• Technical Knowledge & Continuous Improvement – Possesses a command over the technical and professional skills for a particular discipline. Keeps an open mind. Demonstrates commitment to continuous improvement.
• Decision Making and Judgement – Effectively uses evidence to support the decision-making process. Assesses alternative options while using sound judgement to adapt to specific and challenging requirements of the organisation.
• Teamwork Promotes and enhances team performance through working collaboratively and in cooperation with others to achieve goals. Interacts in a manner that builds respect and fosters trust.
• Planning and Organising Establishes and monitors priorities, systematically differentiating between urgent, important and unimportant tasks. Plans and manages activities to consistently deliver results. Meets objectives within agreed predetermined time frames and deals with urgent operational situations expeditiously.
• Communicating & Influencing Communicates clearly, confidently and respectfully. Engages, persuades and convinces others to follow a particular course of action. Ensures all relevant parties are appropriately updated and notified.

Our Package 

We are offering an attractive package:

• Salary €89,722.80 – €112,170.71 * (Pay increases will be awarded annually subject to satisfactory performance)
• Dublin city centre location – IFSC
• Blended working environment
• 28 days Annual Leave per year increases with service
• Fully paid Maternity, Paternity and Parent’s leave
• Income protection scheme
• Education assistance and Training Opportunities
• Professional membership fee pay
• Attractive pension scheme
• ComReg Wellbeing Programme
• Travel tax saver scheme, Access to Cycle to Work Scheme
• Access to Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a member’s run sports and social club

*(entry will be at the minimum point and the rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy.)

Check out the Recruitment section of our Careers website if you have any questions or need further information about the role or the recruitment process -https://www.comreg.ie/about/careers/recruitment-faq/

Please Note (1)

We hope that our recruitment process supports applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives. We understand that having a diverse workforce contributes to making us stronger as an organisation. We are committed to positively supporting candidates with disabilities.

Please let us know if there are any reasonable accommodations we can make to enable you to take part in the process by creating the environment to give you the best opportunity to show your strengths and competencies. Rest assured that whatever information you disclose will only be used to enable us to provide the necessary support and will never have a bearing on the outcome of the process.

Please Note (2)

ComReg assesses all applicants fairly based on the requirements for the role. Due to the high volume of applications we receive for positions, we are unable to provide feedback to candidates who are not shortlisted for interview. If you are short-listed for interview, and are subsequently unsuccessful, you can request verbal feedback from your recruitment contact – if you are represented by an agency.