Principal, Economics

The role

We are seeking a Principal to join our Melbourne office in our Economics practice.

We are looking for a senior economist who wants to keep doing the analysis, not just review it. You will own your projects: choosing the right analytical approach, building or directing the model, stress testing the assumptions and standing behind the results.

Leadership at this level is hands on. You will manage projects from scoping through to delivery, resource and direct the team around you, and take responsibility for the quality of what we produce. You will also play a significant part in developing our consultants and analysts, by framing their work, reviewing it thoroughly, and providing the feedback that builds their judgement over time.

We provide the opportunity to work across a breadth of sectors, and our senior staff are able to determine the areas their work focuses on. Melbourne is a hub for our work with Victorian Government departments, Commonwealth agencies, regulators, infrastructure bodies and private sector clients, and the mix changes constantly.

What we offer

• Work with real impact. Our analysis informs infrastructure decisions, energy market reform, health funding and industry policy across Australia

• A competitive remuneration package, reviewed annually, with performance-based incentives

• Genuine flexibility, including hybrid arrangements agreed at team level rather than dictated centrally

• Investment in your development through professional memberships, conference attendance, with formal training and structured mentoring for those without direct consulting backgrounds

• A close-knit Melbourne team, supported by a national firm and its client base

What you will do

• Lead the design and delivery of complex economic analysis, including cost-benefit analysis, economic impact assessment, market and financial modelling, value-for-money evaluation, regulatory/pricing advice, and business cases

• Take technical and managerial ownership of projects, from framing the question through to defending the answer

• Provide technical review and quality assurance across the office, setting the standard for rigour and clarity

• Win work: identify opportunities, shape the methodology, write persuasive proposals and price engagements commercially

• Hold client relationships as a trusted adviser rather than a supplier of reports

• Present findings to executives, boards, departmental leadership and parliamentary committees

• Lead project teams and develop analysts and consultants through direct feedback and real exposure

• Manage scope, budgets, resourcing and margin

• Contribute to our thought leadership and public commentary

What you will bring

• Tertiary qualification in economics, econometrics, statistics or a related quantitative discipline, with post-graduate education desirable

• Approximately ten or more years of relevant experience in consulting, government, a regulator, or an analytically demanding industry role

• Demonstrated depth in applied economic modelling. This may include computable general equilibrium, input-output, econometric, microsimulation or financial modelling.

• Advanced Excel proficiency, with working fluency in programming languages, desirable

• Clear, structured, persuasive writing, and the ability to translate technical analysis into advice a decision maker can act on

• Experience leading project teams and developing junior colleagues

• Full Australian working rights

About ACIL Allen

ACIL Allen came to life because of our belief in the power of high-quality economic, policy, and strategy advice. Since then, we’ve been on a mission to solve our clients’ complex economic and public policy issues.

Our team have diverse professional and technical backgrounds. Our work spans most industries and areas of the economy. We have a long track record of advising leaders across the government, private, and not-for-profit sectors.

ACIL Allen, at its core, is a team of people who value intellectual rigour, providing genuine insight and value to our clients, and are passionate about making the world a better place. Above all, we all love what we do, as evidenced by the long tenure in the business of our consulting and support staff across the country.

At ACIL Allen:

• We offer real autonomy and workplace flexibility.

• We employ passionate people who are self-starters, have pride in their work, and are the best at what they do.

• We have offices in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane, providing opportunities to all our staff across all sectors that interest them and to collaborate across all our teams

• We challenge our people to generate insight when working, pushing the boundaries of the available evidence and finding the best solutions to our clients' problems.

• Our people access and learn from experienced mentors for guidance, professional development and career advice.

How to apply

Click Apply to submit your CV and a short covering letter. We are more interested in you and the insight you can provide than a list of duties.

Applications close on 27 September 2026.

ACIL Allen is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building a team that reflects the communities our work affects, and we strongly encourage applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. If you need an adjustment at any stage of the process, please tell us.

We are managing this search directly and are not accepting agency submissions at this time.