About the job

Job summary

Our Delivery & Schemes Directorate is our delivery arm and manages several high-profile environmental and customer focused programmes. It’s a fast-paced and friendly place to work, and you can expect to be involved in meaningful work playing a part in delivering Ofgem’s goals of protecting energy consumers and decarbonising the energy system. Our flexible working career opportunities are incredibly varied, we are committed to recruiting talented people from a diverse range of professional and personal backgrounds.

The Deputy Directors in Policy & Schemes will lead substantial programmes of policy change, implementation and new scheme development across some of the twelve low carbon energy and social schemes delivered by Ofgem and any new government schemes.

This will include implementing government policy into scheme administration across £10bn of existing programmes and implementing scheme development for new and emerging areas of government policy.

With a team of c25 staff, the role requires an inclusive and empowering leader, providing direction and motivation to your teams, and supporting the professional development of individuals across Ofgem.

The post will support the Interim Director of Policy & Scheme Development on the continued development of our schemes, increasing impact for customers, ensuring they are feasible and are delivering net zero and fuel poverty outcomes through the achievement of policy outcomes and intent. The post will lead the teams responsible for delivering key administration functions and support delivery of Ofgem’s key objectives

The role will be part of the directorate’s senior leadership team, helping the organisation to achieve its objectives, by developing, executing and evolving our strategy and working with other senior leaders to drive organisational effectiveness and operational excellence.

The Deputy Directors will be expected to have a close relationship with senior leaders across the energy sector including companies, NGOs and officials who lead on energy policy across government whilst representing Ofgem externally, leading engagement and bringing the best ideas and insights into Ofgem to inform our work. 

Job description

​Key Responsibilities, Outputs and Deliverables: ​

• ​Oversee the development, negotiation and agreement of proposed changes to the policy and legislative framework relating to our Schemes, to ensure that any amendments can be effectively and efficiently administered, whilst adequately managing exposure to risk.
• Work closely with other portfolios to ensure any policy changes are implemented smoothly into operational work.
• Ensures scheme delivery matches the regulations and policy set down by government, from concept and throughout the life cycle of schemes.
• Develop and implement (through influencing other Government departments where necessary) policy and legislative improvements that reflect the administrative experience gained within Delivery and Schemes and Ofgem’s core strategic focuses.
• SRO for Programmes overseeing the development of new schemes up to go-live, including any successor schemes.
• Contribute to the effective management and leadership of the Policy & Schemes Development Portfolio, Delivery & Schemes directorate and wider Ofgem. 
• Manage the key relationships with scheme participants, government, consumer and energy sector bodies and key delivery partners related to your programme of work.
• Develop, retain and motivate a sizeable team, including supporting and enabling a strong management team within your area and across the wider portfolio. 
• Lead on media and political engagement, as appropriate. 

​Neil Lawrence (Director of Delivery and Schemes and other members of the Delivery and Schemes team, will hold a presentation on 6th June to talk about the fantastic work the directorate does and provide an opportunity for Questions and Answers. If you would like to attend that session Please contact Clare Williams at clare.williams@ofgem.gov.uk who will add you to the invite.  ​

Person specification

Essential Criteria​

• Exceptional leadership qualities including ability to set clear direction, engage, motivate and inspire sizable teams to deliver. (Lead)
• Proven leadership in policy delivery, including the use of analysis and evidence in policy design.
• Extensive experience of managing the regulatory and political aspects of policy making, including strong track record in influencing senior stakeholders in difficult and complex contexts.
• Leading and delivering significant projects and programmes within a complex organisation.
• Demonstrable understanding of the portfolio and the scheme users it serves, or proven ability to develop this at pace.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including ability to engage and influence at the highest levels.

Desirable 

• Experience and/or knowledge of government scheme administration.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £90,000, OFGEM contributes £24,300 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.

Full selection process included in the candidate pack.

Please indicate as part of your application which role you wish to be considered for or if you wish to be considered for both. 

You will be directed to attach a CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. This should not exceed two pages, and please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. You will also be required to complete a Statement of Suitability (no longer than two pages) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification. If you wish to be considered for both roles please sure that you fully evidence within your statement of suitability the essential criteria for both roles. 

Failure to submit both documents (CV and Statement of Suitability) will mean the panel have only limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

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.