About the job

Job summary

Do you offer excellent administrative and research skills and excellent attention to detail?

Do you want to realise your potential in a world leading organisation and develop your career where your work will make a positive impact on the UK economy and society?

Join the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) Competition Law Enforcement team and provide vital support on a variety of cases.

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 CMA’s Competition Law Enforcement team is responsible for uncovering and investigating suspected anti-competitive arrangements, such as price fixing, bid rigging, market sharing, and abuses of dominant positions under UK Competition law. We currently have investigations in the digital (see Google, Meta and Apple) and pharmaceutical sectors and others involving labour markets, financial services, demolition services, the recycling of end-of-life vehicles and the supply of fragrances.

The role

You will work with a Principal Case Officer to support the smooth running of legal cases and investigations and ensure that due process is followed.

The key aspects of the role will vary with different projects, but will include:

• In-depth research and analysis of legal documents to contribute to the team’s understanding of issues in the case
• Reviewing and piecing together evidence and information from various sources during an investigation
• Assisting with producing documentation necessary at various stages of cases, such as agendas, minutes, presentations, analysis, summaries of meetings, reports and correspondence
• Data and record management
• Assisting with evidence gathering, including planning and executing inspections

There may also be opportunities to work in other areas of the CMA, including on projects involving market-wide studies and investigations, consumer protection and investigating mergers.

You will also assist with the CMA’s enforcement programme more generally, including the development of antitrust/cartel policy at a national and international level.

What you will need

• Achieved or expect to achieve at least a 2:2 at degree level or similar equivalent.
• Strong research and analytical skills as well as the ability to gather and present information.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise work successfully, using various techniques and systems to meet deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with experience of drafting and producing a range of documents, are equally important.

Job description

We currently have 3 vacancies;

• 2 x Case Officer in Antitrust (available in Edinburgh, London and Manchester)
• 1 x Case Officer in Cartels (available in Edinburgh and London)

As a Case Officer, your responsibilities will include;

Delivery

• Support the Principal Case Officer to run the case in a way that ensures due process is followed, that all stakeholders are treated fairly and that the case meets the CMA’s transparency standards.
• Identify relevant sources of information and carry out in-depth research as necessary to contribute to the team’s understanding of the issues in the case, always mindful of the applicable legal framework.
• Assist with evidence gathering, including planning and executing inspections.
• Review evidence (including systematically piecing together evidence and information gathered from disparate sources during an investigation to understand the full evidential picture).
• Analyse evidence and information in detail to establish the facts in the case, always keeping in mind the applicable legal framework.
• Produce a wide range of formal and concise documents to include items such as agendas, minutes, presentations, analysis, summaries of meetings, reports, correspondence, as well as internal and external case papers. This will also include reviewing materials for quality, accuracy and confidentiality.
• Ensure that administrative and organisational tasks including internal and external meetings on cases, visits and hearings are efficiently carried out and documented.
• Ensure accurate electronic and hard copy distribution of papers, managing filing systems for correspondence, make sure documents and case records are established and maintained.
• Develop and implement processes for the disclosure of material to external parties, ensuring the identification and protection of confidential information.
• Take responsibility for own work (and if applicable, own workstream), including delivery to time, quality and within budget, and identify risks and escalate as appropriate.
• Assist the Directorate’s management team as required.

Stakeholder relationships

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with both the case team and others across the CMA, and with external stakeholders.
• Opportunities to represent the CMA by acting as lead point of contact for some external parties.

Development and leadership

• Proactively develop own skills, knowledge and career in the CMA. Treat all colleagues and stakeholders with respect. Whilst the role holder will typically not have staff or work management responsibility, there may be opportunities to manage junior team members.

Person specification

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

• Achieved, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:2 at degree level or similar equivalent. (Lead criteria).
• Demonstration of strong research, evidence review and analysis skills, with experience of gathering, reviewing, summarising and presenting information (Lead criteria).
• Demonstration of attention to detail, perseverance in pursuit of the facts and, ideally some experience of the constraints of operating within a government/administrative law context.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise work successfully, using various techniques and systems, in order to meet deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with experience of drafting and producing a range of documents that can be tailored to the needs of different audiences.
• Effective interpersonal skills, with experience of working collaboratively as part of a diverse team and supporting others in the delivery of work.
• Demonstration of competent IT skills in the use of the Microsoft Office suite.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,113, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £9,210 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 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 either conducted either virtually, by Microsoft Teams, or in-person at a CMA office.

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

• Achieved, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:2 at degree level or similar equivalent. (Lead criteria).
• Demonstration of strong research, evidence review and analysis skills, with experience of gathering, reviewing, summarising and presenting information (Lead criteria).
• Demonstration of attention to detail, perseverance in pursuit of the facts and, ideally some experience of the constraints of operating within a government/administrative law context.
• Strong administrative and organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise work successfully, using various techniques and systems, in order to meet deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with experience of drafting and producing a range of documents that can be tailored to the needs of different audiences.
• Effective interpersonal skills, with experience of working collaboratively as part of a diverse team and supporting others in the delivery of work.
• Demonstration of competent IT skills in the use of the Microsoft Office suite.

An initial sift based on criteria 1 and 2 (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 role profile) will then be considered.

The sift will take place week commencing 5th 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 19th February 2024.

The first part of the interview will comprise of a written exercise and presentation, details of which will be forwarded in advance of the interview. The second part of the interview will be a 45-minute -1 hour 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.