About the job

Job summary

Following the shock of the biggest energy crisis in 50 years, and with the energy sector going through an unprecedented transformation to a net zero and data-enabled future, Ofgem continues to grow, adapt and implement changes to respond to our ever changing role.  Our Governance and Secretariat Team sits at the heart of Ofgem, working closely and collaboratively with Ofgem’s leadership and Board and with government departments and a wide range of other external stakeholders.

As the Deputy Director for Secretariat and Governance Transformation, you will lead the Secretariat Team (approx. 6 FTE) but in particular you will continue to transform our governance function, implementing changes to ensure our governance is fit for the future.  You will work closely with our Board and including supporting our new Chair and non executive directors.

The successful candidate will have proven expertise in governance and building strong board level relationships and management of internal and external relationships.

Ofgem has a culture of inclusion that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our colleagues. It fuels our innovation and connects us closer to the consumers and the communities we serve. Everyone is welcome—as an inclusive workplace, our employees are comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work.

We are recruiting into the Senior Civil Service and will be testing a range of competences to ensure candidates are deployable across a range of senior roles. We operate flexibly across a professions model within Ofgem so it is possible that candidates may be offered roles other than Deputy Director for Secretariat and Governance Transformation and/or redeployed as necessary to deliver on Ofgem priorities.

Please note this role involves significant and ongoing travel to the London office.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Implementing governance transformation reflecting Ofgem’s new structure and responsibilities and further developing these changes to improve our external governance.
• Strategic management and oversight of Ofgem’s Secretariat Team and their role in planning and driving the agenda and ensure the right conversations are happening at the right time and at the right level.
• Effective liaison with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, other regulators and other external stakeholders on governance related issues.
• Being part of Ofgem’s leadership and supporting Ofgem’s transition to a more strategic, dynamic and impactful organisation.
• Supporting the General Counsel and fellow Deputy Directors, particularly Ofgem’s Chief of Staff, to continue to build a high performing private secretary and governance profession.
• Contribute to the skills and development of team members and the promotion of strong governance and decision-making skills across Ofgem.

Key Stakeholder Relationships

Internal

• The Board and its Committees.
• The Chief Executive and Ofgem’s Chief of Staff.
• Ofgem’s Senior Leadership team and Directors and their Private Offices.
• In particular, the General Counsel, the Chief Operating Officer, and Director of Strategy.
• Internal regulatory, policy and corporate teams including the finance and risk management team.

External

• The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
• Governance and secretariat teams at other departments and regulators.

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Person specification

The essential criteria for this role is:

• Significant experience of leading and transforming corporate governance functions in complex organisations.
• Experience of working with and gaining the trust of senior leaders and Boards and of influencing across all levels in an organisation.
• Proven communication skills, able to distil complex information including in unfamiliar areas.
• Demonstrated experience in shaping and leading high performing, diverse teams, including the development of strategic influencing skills in team members.
• Proven ability to work flexibly and collaboratively with senior internal and external stakeholders and to deliver effective data measurement and presentation.
• A forward thinker who can identify, plan and deliver objectives at speed.

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 skills and capabilities listed in the role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your personal statement, how you meet each of the essential skills and capabilities. 

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.