Assistant Chief Economist (PCN 023202)

About the Role

Provide senior leadership and direction for the Economic Research Group by supervising professional economists and commercial analysts, overseeing analytical operations in Anchorage or Juneau, and serving as the delegated authority for the Chief Economist when required.

• Lead the design, development, and review of complex quantitative economic, fiscal, and commercial models, including petroleum production tax models, statewide non-petroleum revenue models, macroeconomic analysis tools, scenario forecasting, and probabilistic models, through rigorous application of advanced data management principles.
• Apply expert-level petroleum engineering knowledge to guide and review oil and gas fiscal analyses, natural gas commercialization assessments, project evaluations, and production tax modeling to ensure accuracy, defensibility, and alignment with Alaska’s petroleum fiscal system.
• Represent the Department before the Legislature, Governor’s Office, executive leadership, and industry stakeholders by preparing testimony, delivering technical briefings, and communicating complex results clearly through strong stakeholder management practices.
• Oversee major non-petroleum revenue and commercial analyses, including income, excise, and consumption taxes, and resource sector evaluations, and integrate findings into statewide revenue forecasts, policy analyses, fiscal notes, and executive decision support.

We have a strong preference for a candidate who can immediately step into a senior review role, provide accurate, error-free analysis under tight time frames, and serve as the final authority on the quality, clarity, and defensibility of the Division’s most critical fiscal and commercial work products with minimal direction.

Mission and Values

The Department of Revenue’s mission is to collect, administer, and invest funds for public purposes that benefit Alaskans. The Tax Division supports that mission by ensuring fair tax administration and providing accurate economic and revenue insights. As Assistant Chief Economist, you help drive this work by leading analysis and forecasting that directly supports sound fiscal decisions for the state. We value analytical thinking, integrity, collaboration, curiosity, innovation, and a commitment to objective, high-quality work. Our culture is supportive, mission-driven, and focused on producing meaningful analysis that informs Alaska’s financial future.

Benefits

Joining the Tax Division as Assistant Chief Economist offers the rare opportunity to lead high-impact economic and revenue analysis that shapes Alaska’s fiscal future and informs statewide decision-making at the highest level. The State of Alaska provides a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Strong retirement options
• Generous paid time off (PTO)
• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage

Working Environment

This position will be based in the State Office Building in Juneau, or in the Atwood Building in Anchorage. After your initial training, the option of hybrid telework may be explored to further support productivity and a strong work-life balance.

Requirements

This job class uses competency-based minimum qualifications. The following competencies describe the essential knowledge, skills, abilities, and behaviors expected for this role:

• Petroleum Engineering: Knowledge of the concepts, principles, theories, and methods related to the exploration, development, extraction, recovery, processing, and conservation of fluid minerals, geothermal resources, organic compounds, or natural gas resources.
• Data Management: Knowledge of the principles, procedures, and tools of data management, such as modeling techniques, data backup, data recovery, data dictionaries, data warehousing, data mining, data archiving, data disposal, and data standardization processes.
• Stakeholder Management: Knowledge of the concepts, practices, and techniques used to identify, engage, influence, and monitor relationships with individuals and groups connected to a work effort.
• Economics and Accounting: Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, tax law and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
• Manages Human Resources: Plans, distributes, and monitors work assignments; evaluates work performance and provides feedback to others on their performance.
• Organizational Awareness: Knows the organization's mission and functions, and how its social, political, and technological systems work and operates effectively within them.
• Financial Analysis: Knowledge of the principles, methods, and techniques of financial analysis, forecasting, and modeling to interpret quantitative and qualitative data.
• Technical Expertise: Effectively applies technical knowledge to solve a range of problems; develops technical solutions to new or highly complex problems that cannot be solved using existing methods or approaches.

Any combination of education, training, and/or experience that provides the required competencies is acceptable. This typically includes post-secondary education and/or advanced professional experience in economics, accounting, public or business administration, petroleum engineering, industrial engineering, or a closely related field, with an emphasis on energy economics, petroleum economics, natural resources economics, tax analysis, dynamic economic modeling, or supervision of an economics or research team.

Additional Information

• This position is open to Alaska residents only.
• Pay will be determined based on the location of the selected individual.
• All prior state employment must be disclosed in your application.
• At the time of the interview, you must provide copies of all performance evaluations received for the last two years or substitute with a written statement explaining their unavailability, or two letters of professional reference.
• Copies of transcripts are required if using education to meet minimum qualifications.
• A background check and fingerprinting will be required for this position.