About the job

Job summary

Are you looking for an opportunity where you can use your analysis skills and project management experience to make a positive impact on the UK economy and society?

Join the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and play a key role within the Project Management Office providing analysis and insights to support the CMA’s work.

This is an exciting time to join the CMA, and specifically the Project Management Office. The CMA’s role is growing, and the organisation is transforming how it prioritises and manages its expanding and increasingly high-profile portfolio of work to become more strategic and efficient.

About the CMA

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.

The role

You will play an important role in delivering this transformation, helping coordinate the CMA’s portfolio of casework to ensure it delivers against strategic goals. You will assist in preparing and delivering reporting to the CMA’s senior management team and Board, regarding the CMA’s casework portfolio, workforce planning and resourcing alignment.

To do this, you will analyse time recording and other data to build a strong understanding of the organisation’s current and future resourcing position, working closely with colleagues across the CMA’s corporate functions such as those in Human Resources - particularly workforce planning, Senior Directors and other members of the wider strategy function. You will also help maintain a database of the major projects within the CMA’s casework portfolio, including key milestones, keeping this up to date through regular discussions with senior leaders.

As part of the wider Strategy Team, this role also provides a great opportunity to contribute to the development of the CMA’s strategic planning, and other strategic priorities.

What you will need

Strong analytical skills and experience of processing and analysing data in an accurate and efficient manner using tools and systems including MS Excel is essential.

In addition to this, you will need project management skills and experience, as well as experience of working with, and influencing, colleagues at all levels and delivering and managing multiple tasks and deliverables within the required timeframe.

Creative data visualisation and the ability to use data to tell a story is equally important.

Job description

• Assist with the production of high-quality reporting on the strategic alignment and resource impact of the CMA’s portfolio of casework, including pipeline proposals.
• Using strong MS Excel skills and the CMA’s timesheet data, produce accurate reports of current time spent on individual casework projects, and work with Senior Directors to produce forecasts of future expected resource requirements.
• Ensure the Project Management Office’s Project Database is up to date and accurate, and the strategic alignment of each project is accurately reflected within it.
• Respond to ad-hoc requests for specific pieces of time-recording data (including Freedom of Information requests) in a timely and accurate manner.
• Work well as part of a team, planning and prioritising workloads effectively to ensure that reporting and other deadlines are met.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders such as those in Human Resources - particularly workforce planning, Senior Directors and other members of the wider strategy function.
• Work across the wider Strategy function to share the benefits of the analysis and insights from the Project Management Office’s work and contribute to wider strategic development.
• Champion the role of the Project Management Office amongst CMA staff, educating them on the role of the function and embedding its analysis and insight into relevant processes within the organisation.
• Work to ensure the team’s data-driven processes are robust, efficient, and accurate, including adapting and updating current processes where necessary and driving forward best practice.
• Act as a strong role model within the team, providing guidance and support to other colleagues allowing them to develop, in addition to potential line management duties.
• Provide flexible support across the Strategy, Communications and Advocacy Directorate to support the wider team’s priorities.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application and during interview:

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including presenting to senior audiences, creative data visualisation and the ability to use data to tell a story. (Lead Criteria)
• Proven experience of working in a fast-paced environment and successfully delivering and managing multiple tasks and deliverables within the required timeframe (Lead Criteria)
• Experience of working with, and influencing, colleagues at all levels and across all functions, negotiating successfully to broker positive outcomes while maintaining effective working relationships.
• Project management skills and experience, including working with diverse and senior stakeholders to deliver effective outcomes.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,364, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £14,408 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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.

The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review) and an interview. Arrangements for the interview will be enclosed in the invitation.  Interviews will be conducted in-person at a CMA office or virtually by Microsoft Teams.

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application and during interview:

• Strong analytical skills and experience of processing and analysing data in an accurate and efficient manner using tools and systems including MS Excel (Lead Criteria)
• Strong written and oral communication skills, including presenting to senior audiences, creative data visualisation and the ability to use data to tell a story. (Lead Criteria)
• Proven experience of working in a fast-paced environment and successfully delivering and managing multiple tasks and deliverables within the required timeframe (Lead Criteria)
• Experience of working with, and influencing, colleagues at all levels and across all functions, negotiating successfully to broker positive outcomes while maintaining effective working relationships.
• Project management skills and experience, including working with diverse and senior stakeholders to deliver effective outcomes.

An initial sift based on criteria 1, 2 and 3 (Lead Criteria) may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification (above and in the attached candidate pack) will then be considered.

The sift will take place week commencing 12th February 2024.

If your application is successful you will be invited to attend an interview. You will be notified via email to log-in to your Civil Service Account and book your interview slot. You will be sent an email with full details of your arrangements for interview.

Interviews will be held week commencing 26th February 2024

The first part of the interview will comprise of a technical exercise for which no preparation is required. The second part of the interview will be a 45-60 minute panel interview in which you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the role profile.

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. 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.