About the job

Job summary

Whether you have expertise in competition and markets, economic regulation, or a related policy field, in this role you will make a real difference to the lives of consumers and make a positive impact on the UK economy.

As an Assistant Director in the Markets team, you will play a central role in supporting our Markets cases and projects, 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 Assistant Director you will take responsibility for key aspects of Markets projects including assessing whether markets, policies and regulations are working well, planning and driving Markets cases and projects forward and bringing leadership and vision to multi-disciplinary professional teams.

You will be responsible for delivering high-quality, robust and timely outputs and will make a key contribution to setting the direction and strategy for Markets work in the CMA.

About you

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

You should also possess excellent analytical and policy skills, along with a solid understanding of the policy-making process and how this affects markets and consumers.

An ability to draft a range of documents such as formal reports and more informal presentations, for a wide variety of audiences, is also important, in addition to strong experience of working collaboratively and building influential relationships with key 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 Assistant Director, Markets you will:

Policy and delivery

• Lead or support work on a range of issues relating to markets. This might include, for example, identifying and developing proposals for new Markets work, building understanding of the effect of existing and proposed policies or regulations, influencing Government policy which is likely to have an impact on markets, and taking forward cross cutting strategy projects to inform CMA policy and procedures.
• Lead, motivate and manage multi-disciplinary professional teams, including setting and reviewing ambitious but achievable deadlines and priorities and fostering effective team working.
• Shape the framing, argument and presentation of Markets projects, both at the start and as the project progresses, taking account of wider policy and market context and resourcing implications.
• Ensure that decisions are founded on clear, accurate, well-reasoned and evidence-based analysis, including, as appropriate, carrying out or overseeing analysis to ensure that work is delivered to a high quality, to time and within budget.
• Identify and proactively manage risks, taking action where necessary and escalating as appropriate, to ensure decisions are robust and defensible.

Leading and managing

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

Stakeholder management

• Develop and maintain fair, open, professional and proactive engagement with parties and other external stakeholders, including national and international partners, often at senior levels.

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:

• Strong experience related to competition and markets, or economic regulation, or in a related policy field. (Lead Criteria)
• Experience of leading and delivering successful projects (or work streams within projects), through working with multi-disciplinary teams and using sound analysis to take well-judged decisions. (Lead Criteria)
• Strong analytical and policy skills; understanding of the policy-making process and how this affects markets and consumers. (Lead Criteria)
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to draft a range of documents such as formal reports and more informal presentations, for a wide variety of audiences.
• Strong experience of working collaboratively and building influential relationships with key stakeholders, both internally and externally.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £78,600, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £21,222 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, 2 and 3 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. Strong experience related to competition and markets, or economic regulation, or in a related policy field. (Lead Criteria)
2. Experience of leading and delivering successful projects (or work streams within projects), through working with multi-disciplinary teams and using sound analysis to take well-judged decisions. (Lead Criteria)
3. Strong analytical and policy skills; understanding of the policy-making process and how this affects markets and consumers. (Lead Criteria)
4. Strong verbal and written communication skills, including an ability to draft a range of documents such as formal reports and more informal presentations, for a wide variety of audiences.
5. Strong experience of working collaboratively and building influential relationships with key stakeholders, both internally and externally.

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 Wednesday 24th April and Wednesday 1st May 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.