About the job

Job summary

Play a key role in the delivery of sustainable energy across the UK.

Ofgem works on behalf of energy consumers to ensure that every household and business in the UK can rely on a safe and environmentally sustainable energy supply. We are playing a vital part in accelerating the transition to Net Zero and a carbon neutral energy system – a goal that many want to achieve. You’ll be playing your part in focusing our efforts to develop cleaner forms of transport and heat.

In this role, you’ll quickly learn to apply the principles of economic regulation to the fast-moving, dynamic environment of Ofgem. Responsible for high quality analysis and knowledge sharing you’ll develop links with economists inside and outside the organisation. Your knowledge sharing will extend to representing Ofgem at industry events, participating in recruitment activities, creating and explaining economic analysis, and collating clear and concise management papers and policy documents.

With demonstrable qualifications or experience, you’ll be an analytical, strategic thinker with a firm understanding of economic regulation. You’ll have excellent, well-rounded communication skills and proven qualitative and quantitative analytical experience. Combined with a knowledge of the energy sector you’ll effectively build relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders, see linkages between various areas of the organisation and efficiently review economic models.

Ofgem relies on having a workforce that reflects the society we serve, so we welcome candidates from all backgrounds, and especially those from underrepresented groups. While this is a full-time role, flexible working patterns and job shares are welcome. We will also support you with excellent training and development opportunities, plus a competitive benefits package.

Job description

The energy market situation in recent years is unprecedented. The record increase and volatility in global gas prices has put the energy market under severe strain and has put ongoing upward pressure on customers’ energy bills. Now more than ever we need to go further and faster in pursuing the country’s climate goals and reduce our reliance on fossil fuels to protect ourselves from similar future price shocks. 

Such times require bold action. We are looking for people to meet the issues we face head-on, and help us deliver a greener, fairer energy system.  

You will be someone who: 

• Thrives in an agile fast-paced environment with a proven background of delivering benefits for consumers, communities, or society in a role across strategy development, digital transformation, policy development and regulation analysis, commercial analysis, compliance and risk management.   
• Encourages and understands our culture of inclusion and encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our colleagues, fuelling our innovation and ensuring we best represent the consumers and the communities we serve.   

Team purpose and role  

Ofgem works on behalf of energy consumers to ensure that every household and business in the UK can rely on a safe and environmentally sustainable energy supply.  We are playing a vital part in accelerating the transition to Net Zero and a carbon neutral energy system – a goal that everyone wants to achieve. Whatever your role, you’ll be playing your part in creating new energy solutions that are great for customers, and great for the environment. 

Delivering the Energy Price Cap 

The energy price cap was introduced in January 2019 and protects over 25 million customers on default tariffs. Our team works collaboratively updating the cap methodology to ensure changes in the market are reflected in the cap design where needed. In doing so, we put consumer protection at the heart of our decision making. We aim to ensure default tariff customers are charged a fair price.  

Our team is responsible for: 

• Delivering quarterly changes to the price cap. 
• Carrying out detailed analysis and modelling related to the price cap. 
• Ensuring suppliers adhere to the price cap, using analysis to inform our view of compliance. 
• Planning and implementing changes following clear consultation processes. 
• Working closely with internal colleagues to provide price cap expertise. 
• Setting the strategic direction of the cap in line with other Retail priorities. 

We work collaboratively across the wider price cap teams to implement policy changes to the cap in line with consumers’ interests, and to consider what measures could follow the default tariff cap and how this links into Ofgem’s strategy. The team carry out an interesting mix of policy design, analysis, drafting and external stakeholder engagement, while working closely supporting colleagues across Ofgem. 

In taking on a role working on the energy price cap, you will be responsible for delivering high quality analysis that delivers one of the most important and impactful policies of the energy sector in Great Britain.  

To be successful at the role, the successful candidate will be able to navigate and understand complex models quickly, will have a strong track record of delivering analytical outputs in a fast-paced environment, and will be able to collaborate and communicate complex information effectively to a range of internal and external stakeholders. 

Key Responsibilities  

• Quantitative and qualitative analytical and commercial skills and/or the ability to analyse complex concepts and work with uncertainty to solve problems and contribute to effective policy recommendations. 
• Good data analysis skills and ability to apply wider policy and strategic context to interpret and present clear, concise, and actionable information and insight to senior colleagues and stakeholders. 
• Undertaking high quality research and proactively identifying applicable evidence and analytical methods that contributes to the development of the evidence base to support policy creation.   
• Engaging with internal stakeholders, and co-operating with other specialists where necessary, to scope and agree analytical input to develop policy options.   
• Co-operating collaboratively with peers to support, quality assure, and build others’ analytical capability.  
• Identifying opportunities to use analysis, including developing new frameworks or using established frameworks, to progress decisions.   
• Effectively communicating the benefits, challenges and trade-offs from policy proposals to senior colleagues​. 
• Working across teams to deliver the best available evidence and understanding of operational implications when developing and reviewing policy and developing close links to manage risks and issues.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Good quantitative analytical skills, and ability to use a range of analytical approaches such as Excel in order to manage uncertainty to solve problems. (LEAD CRITERIA)  
• Experience of providing analytical input or assurance into consultancy, government, policy, regulatory, energy sector or academic projects that deliver benefits for consumers, communities, or society.  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills that effectively communicate complex issues to both managers and non-expert audiences. 
• Demonstration of meeting challenging deadlines and managing multiple priorities, with ability to take initiative, think creatively and work independently. 
• Experience working collaboratively with a diverse range of colleagues, and actively contributing to a culture of inclusion. 

Desirable Criteria

• Good sector knowledge, including commercial understanding of the energy sector and/or regulatory and competition economics. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,498, OFGEM contributes £8,774 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. 

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expect all candidates to abide by these principles. Ofgem take any incidences of cheating very seriously. Please ensure all examples provided are of your own experience. Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant applications will be withdrawn from the process. 

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.