About the job

Job summary

Ofgem ensures UK residents and businesses get secure, affordable, and green energy. Leading the charge towards Net Zero emissions and a carbon-neutral future, every role contributes to creating innovative, eco-friendly energy solutions.

We're seeking an exceptional Deputy Director eager for a new opportunity in the public sector.

In this position, you'll be responsible for guiding multiple multidisciplinary teams within a framework that emphasises professionalism and flexible resource allocation. Additionally, you will be tasked with planning, managing, and executing a major project, ensuring it is completed on schedule, within budget, and meets high-quality standards, thanks to your effective leadership and support of various teams.

As Deputy Director, you will develop, plan, and execute work outcomes, establishing clear objectives, milestones, and metrics for success. You will be accountable for negotiating and meeting budget and resource allocations.

Your responsibilities also include building and nurturing teams, ensuring effective scoping and clear assignment of duties. You will promote and facilitate the professional development of team members and actively engage in diversity and inclusion efforts within your team and the broader organisation.

You will oversee the entire spectrum of DDaT Commercial operations within Ofgem, including strategy, supplier and vendor management, contract oversight, performance tracking, and engagements with GDS and CCS, ensuring alignment with broader government initiatives like the Shared Services Strategy.

This role focuses on strategic development rather than direct procurement activities, which remain the responsibility of the Ofgem procurement team. Specifically, it involves collaborating with the CDIO Leadership Team and the Ofgem Procurement Team to craft the Commercial strategy for CDIO and DDaT, balancing in-house and supplier services, vendor mix, commercial agreements, and strategic planning.

The ideal candidate will have experience managing DDAT vendor contracts over £50M in complex environments and deep knowledge of UK Government Procurement Policies and Crown Commercial Services frameworks. They should excel in leading diverse teams, have strong communication skills for dealing with various stakeholders, and proven ability in formulating and implementing digital commercial strategies. The ability to balance internal and external capabilities through effective commercial arrangements is also crucial.

Become a key player at Ofgem and help shape the future of energy regulation and sustainability. Seize this opportunity to join a dynamic team making a meaningful difference. Apply today and contribute to change.

Job description

DDaT Commercial is responsible for designing, developing, managing and evolving the full range of DDaT Commercial activities across Ofgem. This will include DDaT Commercial Strategy, supplier and vendor Management, contract management, commercial performance management, GDS and CCS engagements and, commercial coherency with other pan-government initiative such as Shared Services Strategy.

For the avoidance of any confusion, this role will not be accountable or responsible for discharging procurement activities (e.g. completing competitive processes). This will be undertaken by the existing Ofgem procurement team.

CDIO Digital Commercial Strategy

Working with the newly forming CDIO Leadership Team, and the Ofgem Procurement Team, develop the Commercial strategy for CDIO and DDAT (where appropriate). This will encompass the balance between Ofgem and supplier provided services, mix of vendors and associated commercial arrangements, forward roadmap of strategic changes, ownership of the pipeline of Ofgem Digital Commercial Business and the forward planning of suitable commercial vehicles.

In addition to the above strategy, the post holder will be expected to put forward options to refine current delivery models, enhance service and better engage with services provided across the DDAT market. For example, the balance between internal and external, the bundling of services, and the way Ofgem packages activities.

Vendor relationship management

Personally and in conjunction with their team and procurement, build and manage the strategic relationships and tactical, day-to-day management of Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) vendors. The incumbent in this role will liaise with senior representatives for large Technology vendors, serving as a point of escalation where required to enable Ofgem to achieve the best value from its supplier base. This will include providing support during supplier negotiations and supplier performance improvement efforts.

Personally and through the teams, oversee contract changes for the largest vendors in conjunction with procurement teams where appropriate, and ensure that these represent Ofgem’s best interests.

Lead and mentor a team of dedicated DDAT contract and vendor managers. This will include providing strategic direction (e.g., regarding how we can better leverage existing suppliers), setting quality standards, and ensuring that all contract and vendor management activities are being performed effectively and efficiently.

Act as single point of contact for other DDAT Deputy Directors and senior stakeholders across the business on DDAT contract and vendor management matters.

Operating model

Work with the CDIO leadership team and wider Ofgem stakeholders to revisit the current approach to DDAT contract and vendor management including structure, people and processes so as to enable optimal performance and ensure the model fits with the future of the Technology function as a whole.

Budget, risk and governance

Manage the contract and vendor management budget, striving to achieve maximum value for money, including through licensing cost efficiencies.

Personally and through the teams, manage the contract and vendor management risk register, ensuring that an approach is in place to mitigate key supplier-related risks.

Act as the DDAT contract and vendor management representative at all required governance forums, producing briefing materials as needed (e.g., supplier compliance forums).

More information about the role and the application process can be found in the attached documents below.

Person specification

• Managed relationships with large DDAT vendors (contracts worth £50M+), both on the service and software spaces, in complex and growing organisations with complex technical requirements (Lead)
• Extensive experience with UK Government Procurement Policies, including (but not limited to) Public Contracts Regulations 2015 and wide-ranging familiarity with Government/Crown Commercial Services frameworks, their applications and utilisation. (Lead)
• Experience managing and working with multi-skilled teams, in particular within the Commercial function
• Experience of working in situations requiring strong interpersonal/communication skills across a range of stakeholders, including senior stakeholders and user groups
• Experience of creating and enacting a digital commercial strategy.
• Experience of identifying appropriate commercial arrangements to find the right balance between internal and external skills and capability.

This role requires the post holder to apply for SC level vetting clearance but it may be a requirement to obtain DV clearance in the future.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, OFGEM contributes £20,250 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.

When you press the ‘Apply now’ button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the sift panel), your career history and qualifications.  

You will then be asked to provide a 1250 word ‘personal statement’ evidencing how you meet the essential and desirable skills and capabilities listed in the role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your supporting statement, how you meet each of the essential and desirable skills and capabilities. You will also be asked to complete questions on the lead criteria which will be scored as part of the sift process.

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.