About the job

Job summary

The Competition and Markets Authority drives market outcomes that benefit people and businesses across the UK. Our work is high profile, continually evolving and intellectually stimulating with a regular presence in national media and of interest around the world. We are an independent non-ministerial government department and is the UK’s principal competition and consumer protection authority. We help people, businesses and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour.

You can read more about working at the CMA in our candidate pack.

The integrity, resilience and future-proofing of our operating model is critical to deliver the CMA's purpose: to help people, businesses and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. As the CMA prepares to take on substantial new responsibilities including a new regime to promote competition in digital markets under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, we are growing in scale, expanding in locations across the UK and diversifying our talent pool.

Job description

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) will report to the Chief Executive and work in close partnership with the Chief People Officer, the Chief Data, Technology and Insights Officer, the Senior Executive Team and the Board to deliver first class Corporate Services and ensure the  overall operational integrity and efficiency of the CMA’s activities to enable the CMA to deliver timely and impactful outcomes for people, businesses and the UK economy. 

As a key member of the CMA’s Senior Leadership Team, you will be expected to play an active role in the ongoing corporate management and development of the organisation. We expect all our senior leaders to be: Inspiring, about our work and its future; Confident in our engagement with others; and Empowering, to allow our teams to deliver.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. For tips on how to make the most your application, please have a look at our guidance document.

• Proven operations leadership experience in an organisation of similar complexity, spanning multiple areas of corporate services
• Board or executive committee level leadership experience, demonstrating a capacity to operate at this level and to move between strategic thinking and technical detail where required
• Deep financial and commercial acumen gained through accountability for a multi-million-pound budget, and ideally knowledge of government financial management processes
• Experience of leading and successfully delivering major programmes of change, including people and digital transformation elements, and a track record of achieving significant efficiencies
• Proven experience of building, inspiring and leading high-performing and diverse teams drawn from different professions
• First class stakeholder engagement skills, with a track record of building and developing senior relationships across a complex environment. An understanding of / exposure to stakeholders in central government would be helpful, but not essential.
• A high level of personal credibility based on first class judgement and integrity and the confidence to challenge, influence and work constructively with others to achieve the very best outcomes for the CMA

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £130,000, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £26,190 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

The CMA has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to advise on this appointment. For further information about the position and additional details on qualifications, requirements, terms and conditions of service and how to apply you can review the candidate pack or visit: www.rraresponses.com . The closing date for applications is 23:55 on Monday 3 June 2024.

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process no later than the advert closing date which is 23:55 on 3 June 2024, full details are within the candidate pack.  Application involves uploading the documents outlined below:

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A Statement of Suitability (no longer than two pages), giving examples of how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.
3. A completed Diversity Questionnaire.

All applications will be acknowledged. Please submit your full application by email to responses@russellreynolds.com. 

At the longlist meeting w/c 10 June, applications will be sifted and longlisted candidates will be invited to a preliminary interview with Russell Reynolds to discuss the role and their suitability in more detail. Due diligence checks will be carried out on all longlisted candidates. 

Following the preliminary interview, a panel shortlist meeting will take place w/c 24 June where the results of the preliminary interviews will be discussed. Those candidates who demonstrate strongest suitability will be invited to final interview scheduled for w/c 8 July in person at the CMA offices in London.

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a series of assessments which could include psychometric tests and a staff engagement exercise and you will have the opportunity to speak with the vacancy holder in advance of the interview.

Interviews will consist of questions where candidates will be expected to build on the information provided in their personal statement and CV. Candidates may be asked to prepare a short presentation on a topic to be advised if/when invited to the interview stage. Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process.

For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.