About the job

Job summary

As the GB’s regulator for the energy industry, Ofgem works on behalf of energy consumers to ensure that every household in the UK can rely on a safe and environmentally sustainable energy supply.  

The Delivery and Schemes (D&S) directorate of Ofgem is our delivery arm and manages a number of high-profile environmental programmes. It’s a fast-paced and dynamic place to work, and you can expect to be involved in ground-breaking work.

 

As Business Support Manager working within the Partnership Schemes, you’ll be assisting with the management of key internal and external stakeholder relationships, to enable and support delivery of the portfolio of renewable energy schemes and social programmes that Ofgem administers. You’ll be internally working across portfolios within Ofgem; working with subject matter experts, Deputy Directors, and Workstream Managers.  Alongside this, you will be liaising with external stakeholders such as Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) regularly.

 

It is therefore crucial you have effective ability to build positive and collaborative relationships at senior level across Ofgem and externally with government and other stakeholders. Similarly, being an effective communicator (both written and verbal) along with strong ability to present, negotiate and work effectively with stakeholders will make you an excellent candidate for this position. Bringing strong analysis skills, with an experience with budgets and financial reporting and an understanding of risk and issue management is essential.

 

Ofgem relies on having a workforce that reflects the society we serve, so we welcome candidates from all backgrounds, and especially those from underrepresented groups. While this is a full-time role, flexible working patterns are welcome.  We will also support you with excellent training and development opportunities, plus a competitive benefits package.  

Job description

Purpose

Ofgem’s Delivery and Schemes Directorate is at the heart of Ofgem’s enduing priority to deliver Environmental and Social Schemes for government to support vulnerable consumers and advance decarbonisation.

 

Working closely with leadership, regulatory and functional teams, we collaborate with government departments to ensure Delivery and Schemes’ work has maximum impact and is informed by the best ideas and evidence.

 

Based in the Strategy and Business Operations Portfolio, this role will assist with the management of key internal and external stakeholder relationships, to enable and support delivery of the portfolio of renewable energy schemes and social programmes that Ofgem administers. This role plays a key part in ensuring that the work is delivered efficiently and in the interests of energy consumers.

 

You will represent Delivery and Schemes within the Operational Delivery profession, ensuring they are part of the corporate strategy and deliverables.

 

Key Responsibilities

 

• Provide oversight and challenge of end-to-end scheme administration costs by establishing the make-up of scheme budget and working with Portfolio Deputy Directors and/or Workstream Managers to understand and confirm activities that drive the FTE and/or consultancy spend.

 

 

 

• Be able to provide written and verbal clarification of make-up of scheme budget and drivers for under or over-spend as well as year-on-year changes in cost profile. This includes the assessment on the likely availability of resources and any challenges foreseen in the forthcoming year. 

 

• Work with the Senior Risk Manager and Portfolio Risk and Assurance Managers to understand scheme specific risks or issues relevant to your scheme. 

 

• Use knowledge of the scheme to draw connections between risks and issues across portfolios and escalate concerns to the Senior Risk Manager and GDC, as required.   

 

• Help manage and support relationships with stakeholders in the UK Government and the devolved administrations, working across teams and Subject Matter Experts within the Delivery and Schemes Directorate to resolve any issues.

 

• Support the Funding and Account Team Manager and Account Management and Stakeholder Engagement Manager on other activities required to deliver the portfolio of work, including budget planning and reporting.

 

• Represent Delivery and Schemes in the Operational Delivery profession, and be a representative for Delivery and Schemes with our external partners in external boards and meetings.

 

• The post holder should also have a strong track record of promoting diversity and inclusion through communications and engagement.

 

Key Outputs and Deliverables

 

• Detailed breakdown of scheme annual budget by portfolio/activity, in partnership with Funding & Account Management team and Finance. This should include a narrative which explains year-on-year variances and explanation of FTE profile, costs vs expected administration volumes and any digital developments for the following year.  

 

• Evidence of working with Portfolio Deputy Directors/Workstream Managers to identify opportunities for efficiencies in the coming year(s) and either delivering efficiency changes or submitting a request via continuous improvement/change framework/processes.  

 

• Regular review of scheme risks and any operational issues across the different portfolios, leading deep dives and peer-challenging risk assessments, escalating any concerns to Senior Risk Manager and/or GDC as required. 

 

• Working with UK Government and the devolved administrations, ensure that Ofgem’s role in administrating the schemes, and the costs associated with that administration is understood.

• Lead on any change requests associated with schemes in portfolio.

 

• Relationship management of strategic external stakeholders.

 

• Effective record keeping of all key milestones and engagement conversations.

 

• Supporting the implementation of the programme of stakeholder engagement.

 

• Raising requests for legal advice, and creating clear records of legal discussions and analysis.

 

Key Stakeholder Relationships

 

Internal

 

• Deputy Directors in Delivery and Schemes
• Senior staff and subject matter experts within Delivery and Schemes
• Finance

 

External

 

• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ)
• Northern Ireland Department for the Economy (DfE)
• Northern Ireland Utility Regulator (UREGNI)
• Scottish Government

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Person specification

Essential criteria: 

• Strong analysis skills, with an experience with budgets and financial reporting (Lead).
• Effective at building strong, trusting, influential and effective relationships at senior level across Ofgem and externally with government and other stakeholders.
• Advanced skills in both written and oral communication, presentation, negotiation, and collaboration at all levels and with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• Understanding of risk and issue management and ability to draw connections on common themes and/or root causes.

Desirable criteria: 

• Broad working knowledge of the UK’s political/regulatory landscape and the energy industry.
• Experience of continuous improvement and/or efficiency projects.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,950, OFGEM contributes £8,356 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

When you press the ‘Apply now’ button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the sift panel), your career history and qualifications.  

 

You will then be asked to provide a 1250 word ‘personal statement’ evidencing how you meet the essential and desirable skills and capabilities listed in the role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your supporting statement, how you meet each of the essential and desirable skills and capabilities. 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.