About the job

Job summary

Ofgem exists to protect the interests of energy consumers: we work to ensure reliable and low carbon energy at fair prices. Ofgem has a central role in facilitating the investment and reforms needed to enable a cost effective transition to a net zero energy system.

As the Economic Regulator for the energy sector in Great Britain, it is vital that regulatory decisions are underpinned by sound economic advice and reasoning to ensure Ofgem’s interventions are robust in protecting the interests of consumers whilst supporting the transition to a net zero energy system.

We are recruiting for a high calibre economist to be Ofgem’s Chief Economist, leading the 40 strong Economics and Research teams, alongside professional leadership of Ofgem’s wider community of 60 economists.

Job description

The successful candidate will be responsible for directing economic analysis and advice across a broad portfolio of projects, taking ultimate responsibility for ensuring the work is of the highest standard, especially on the most challenging and high priority projects including retail market reforms, network price controls, and competition issues.

You will be an expert in regulatory / competition economics, with excellent academic qualifications and a proven track record of providing the highest quality economic advice.

You may have to defend Ofgem’s economic analysis in adversarial settings, including as an expert witness, and will have the gravitas to represent Ofgem with senior leaders within industry and showcase Ofgem’s work within the economics profession.

Leading the economic profession and ensuring that Ofgem economists get appropriate training and development. You will be committed to continuing with your own development and learning, and ensuring that Ofgem remains at the cutting edge of economic regulation.

You will also have an excellent track record of building and leading successful teams, being able to inspire and develop people, helping them to thrive. Ofgem has a culture of inclusion that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our colleagues. It fuels our innovation and connects us closer to the consumers and the communities we serve. Everyone is welcome—as an inclusive workplace, our employees are comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work.

Person specification

• Provide quality economic advice to GEMA, Executive Committees and other Ofgem decision makers, and economic thought leadership on economic regulatory issues.
• Provide professional leadership of Ofgem’s economics profession, supporting the development of a high performing, high impact profession.
• Lead Ofgem’s Economics and Research teams, inspiring and supporting the teams, and shaping their work programmes to maximise value, deploying resource flexibly to provide quality analysis and insight in support of Ofgem’s highest priorities
• Develop, manage and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, specifically peers in relevant Government departments, regulators and the sector, and represent Ofgem externally as an effective ambassador for Ofgem.
• Be an active part of the wider community of energy economists and academics, bringing their insight and expertise into Ofgem
• Be an active and constructive member of Ofgem’s leadership, and with the Strategy Director, lead Ofgem’s central Strategy, Economics, Research and Net Zero Directorate (SERN)
• Accountable for agreeing and keeping to budgets for the Economics and Research teams.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £110,000, OFGEM contributes £29,700 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.

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to complete a technical assessment and take part in a virtual staff engagement exercise. These assessments will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

We may take up references for shortlisted candidates prior to interview.

Shortlisted candidates will be asked to attend a panel interview in person, in order to have a more in-depth discussion of their previous experience and professional competence in relation to the essential criteria

Please also note that you may be asked to deliver a short presentation during the interview, which will be either scenario-based or a topic we would like you to discuss in more detail.

Shortlisted candidates will be provided with an opportunity to discuss the role informally with Neil Kenward prior to interview

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.