About the job

Job summary

Do you offer expertise in competition and markets, economic regulation, or a related policy field? Do you want to make a real difference to the lives of consumers?

As a Manager in the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Markets team you will play a key role in analysing and delivering positive changes in markets, working alongside government departments, regulators and other stakeholders.

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.

Our Markets function is a core part of the CMA’s work.  The Markets team examines markets that do not appear to be working well and uses a range of policy-based and other solutions to introduce positive changes in the interests of consumers, which deliver real impact for people, as seen most recently in our work.

About the role

As a Manager in the Markets team, you will be responsible for key elements of markets work, including assessing whether markets, policies and regulations are working well, planning and driving markets work and projects forward, supporting the development of evidence-based recommendations and decisions and developing solutions to any issues identified.

About you

Experience related to competition and markets, or economic regulation, or in a related policy field is essential, as is experience of managing and delivering successful projects through working effectively with multidisciplinary teams.

You will possess strong analytical and research skills, with an understanding of the policy-making process and how this affects markets and consumers. Good verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to draft a range of documents such as reports and presentations, for a wide variety of audiences, are equally important.

You will also need significant experience of working collaboratively including building and influencing relationships with stakeholders.

To find out more about this opportunity and about working for the CMA, please see below and click on the APPLY button.

Further details on the CMA can be found on the CMA’s YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter pages.

Application closing date: 11.55pm on Tuesday 2nd April 2024.

Job description

As Manager, Markets you will:

Policy and delivery

• Work on a range of issues relating to markets. This might include, for example, helping to identify and develop proposals for new markets work, analysing the effect of existing and proposed policies or regulations, influencing Government policy which is likely to have an impact on markets, and supporting cross cutting strategy projects.
• Planning markets work and projects and driving them forward on a day to day basis, by for example developing and monitoring timetables and budgets, and identifying and managing risks, to ensure that work is delivered to a high quality, to time and within budget.
• Research and build understanding of a range of market information to identify potential areas for new markets work where there appear to be potential competition and/or consumer concerns - in line with the CMA’s priorities.
• Support Directors/Assistant Directors in defining the direction of markets work and projects, taking account of the relevant issues, the wider policy context and the resourcing implications.
• Draft correspondence, papers and materials and prepare and finalise for publication a wide range of documents including reviewing the quality, coherence, accuracy and confidentiality of documents.
• Work with colleagues to ensure decisions on the project are based on clear, accurate, well-reasoned and evidence-based analysis.
• Work effectively as part of multi-disciplinary professional teams, including managing workstreams and resources as required.
• Carry out complex and high-quality research and analysis, leading on pieces of markets work or individual workstreams within projects where required.

Leadership and people management

• Be a staff manager, supporting colleagues to develop their careers and fostering talent; and carrying out performance reviews and other related tasks.
• Contribute to the overall development of the Markets Group, including on corporate and policy projects, by coaching and mentoring staff and by capturing and sharing best practice across the CMA.

Stakeholder management

• To develop and maintain fair, open, professional and proactive engagement with parties and other external stakeholders, including national and international partners. 

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application and / or at interview. If you do not meet the lead selection criteria in your application, the panel will not be required to score your application against the remaining essential criteria of the role:

• Experience in competition or markets, economic regulation or in a related policy field (lead criteria).
• Experience of managing and delivering projects (or work streams within projects) including through working with multi-disciplinary teams and leading others to deliver results within challenging timeframes with limited resources (lead criteria).
• Good verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to draft a range of documents such as reports and presentations, for a wide variety of audiences.
• Significant experience of working collaboratively including building and influencing relationships with stakeholders, both internally and externally.
• Strong analytical and research skills, with an understanding of the policy-making process and how this may affect markets and consumers.
• A commitment to creating an environment that celebrates diversity and inclusion and promotes a culture of respect towards colleagues at all levels.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £59,100, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £15,957 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 and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details around what this will entail 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 sent when you schedule your interview slot, note interviews will be either in person or virtual via MS Teams.

An initial sift based on lead criteria 1 and 2 may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application then progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification of the role profile will then be considered.

Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and recent practical experience for each of the following selection criteria in your application:

1. Experience in competition or markets, economic regulation or in a related policy field (lead criteria).
2. Experience of managing and delivering projects (or work streams within projects) including through working with multi-disciplinary teams and leading others to deliver results within challenging timeframes with limited resources (lead criteria).
3. Good verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to draft a range of documents such as reports and presentations, for a wide variety of audiences.
4. Significant experience of working collaboratively including building and influencing relationships with stakeholders, both internally and externally.
5. Strong analytical and research skills, with an understanding of the policy-making process and how this may affect markets and consumers.
6. A commitment to creating an environment that celebrates diversity and inclusion and promotes a culture of respect towards colleagues at all levels.

The sifting dates are 3rd - 12th April 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 to book your interview slot. You will then be sent an email with full details of your arrangements for interview.

Interviews will be held between Monday 22nd and Friday 26th April 2024.

If selected, the interviews will be held either in person or virtually via MS Teams.

On the day of the interview you will attend a panel interview. The panel interview will be approximately 45 minutes - 1 hour in length where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours and Experience outlined in the role profile.

The first part of interview will be a presentation for which advance preparation is required, details of which will be sent to you before the interview. 

If you have any inquiries relating to your application, you can email recruitment@cma.gov.uk.

Reasonable adjustments:

In order for a person with disabilities not to be put at a disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

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 instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional.

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.