Thomas H.
About me
| Thomas H. | |
| Politics, Economics and Philosophy | |
| Politics and Economics | |
| Taught Postgraduate | |
| Wentworth | |
| 2016 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Director; Chief Economist / Chief Impact Officer | |
| UK Infrastructure Bank | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Government and civil service | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2021 |
More about Thomas
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A day in the life of a Director; Chief Economist / Chief Impact Officer in the United Kingdom
It's more about your transferable and softer skills than your technical skills. Work is nearly always about relationships and people so these types of skills are just as important as the study itself.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I am a senior civil servant so I work for the UK government, however I am currently on secondment to the UK Infrastructure Bank which is a new policy bank owner by government delivery on net zero and economic growth.
What do you do?
I am the Chief Economist and Chief Impact Officer for the bank. Answering to the new CEO, I ensure the bank's investments fit with government policy around net zero and levelling up and ensure that this can be effectively measured, both in appraisal and evaluation.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I have had a varied career in the public sector, including 8 years as a local councillor in York as well as working for various public sector organisations. I have a degree in PPE, post grad in economics and MPA (Public Administration). I have also worked for various government departments, including 3 years as the Chief Economist for the St Helena Government; 2 years at the Department of Health and Social Care, leading on Brexit and a further year leading on medical supplies (PPE) as part of the Covid Response.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
I have never worked in banking or the private sector, so my current role, whilst still being in the civil service is a chance to learn something new. I have always worked in public service roles which is what I had expected during my original degree studies.
Describe your most memorable day at work
There are really too many to mention, having worked on EU Exit and Covid response there were many days that were incredibly memorable both for negative and positive reasons but always fulfilling. I love problem solving and I love doing something that I feel matters, so when the pandemic hit I threw myself whole heartedly into roles to help solve some of the big issues of the day. In particular this included leading on the PPE response and helping to build a new end to end supply chain.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
Setting up a new bank from scratch means establishing in start up mode whilst planning for the long term. Combining people from the civil service and banking industry means merging different cultures and different drivers to get the best of the organisation.
What’s your work environment and culture like?
I have been lucky to work for some extraordinary leaders, including Chris Whitty (England's CMO) Emily Lawson (the Head of the Prime Ministers Delivery Unit) and John Flint (former HSBC global CEO). The different element of culture they bring are fascinating to learn from and the importance of culture is always at the forefront of delivery and achievement. I generally split my work between home and the Leeds and London offices and have done for the last few years. My time is largely spent leading large teams, so considerable amount of meetings; both formal and informal; and reading.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I actually attended Lancaster University for my undergrad where I played for the Uni at both cricket and rugby. I studied at York as a distance learning masters student.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
It's more about your transferable and softer skills than your technical skills. Work is nearly always about relationships and people so these types of skills are just as important as the study itself.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
PPE, Economics, Politics, Public Policy, Public Administration
Next steps...
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