About the job

Job summary

Are you ready to lead the charge in shaping the future of the gas distribution networks that currently supply over 22 million homes and businesses? Ofgem is seeking a dynamic leader to spearhead the RIIO-3 cost assessment for the gas distribution sector for the current price control review (RIIO-3). This high-profile role offers a unique opportunity to develop deep expertise in network regulation and price control reviews. It will also allow you to , while applying your analytical skills to ensure efficient costs for gas network companies and the delivery of a safe and secure gas network for consumers. 

As the leader of the RIIO-3 cost assessment team, you will be at the forefront of developing, implementing, and applying the cost assessment toolkit. Your work will be crucial in ensuring that gas distribution network companies deliver their plans efficiently, benefiting consumers across the board. This role is perfect for someone with a passion for regulatory economics and a knack for critical analysis. 

In this role, you will provide cost analysis to inform Ofgem’s regulatory design decisions, implement cost modelling and assessment tools, and lead a team of analysts and economists. Your leadership will ensure that deliverables are on time and of high quality, driving continuous improvement in our technical and analytical capabilities. 

You will also play a key role in shaping Ofgem’s ongoing development and implementation of cost modelling and assessment tools for long-term network price control setting. This includes leading the cost modelling approach for the next current gas distribution price control review, providing effective solutions to regulatory and commercial challenges, and representing Ofgem at industry events. 

Your responsibilities will include providing delivering briefings analysis and recommendations to Networks’ and Ofgem’s boards help deliver RIIO-3. This will involve liaising with network companies, and collaborating with other teams to manage interdependencies and risks. You will also demonstrate effective diversity and inclusive team management, ensuring a supportive and inclusive team environment. 

If you have experience in regulatory economics, excellent analytical and communication skills, and a proven track record in developing and implementing cost assessment frameworks, we want to hear from you. Join us at Ofgem and be part of a team that is making a real difference in the energy sector. Apply now and help shape the future of gas distribution! 

Job description

Purpose 

• Providing cost analysis to inform Ofgem’s future regulatory design decision-making. This includes working through how to apply cost assessment techniques in our regulation of the gas networks, and how to leverage these cost assessment techniques beyond network price control setting or in other network sectors. 

• Implementing cost modelling and assessment tools by managing, and analysing, companies’ business plans. 

• Effective leadership of a team of analysts and economists to deliver high-quality cost assessment. Including planning and ensuring that deliverables are on time and to a high standard through effective project management and support of team members. 

• Driving continuous improvement in our technical and analytical capabilities for cost modelling and assessment within the organisation. 

• Support shaping Ofgem’s ongoing development and implementation of cost modelling and assessment tools and techniques for longer term network price control setting. 

Key Responsibilities  

• Lead on the cost modelling approach for the next gas distribution price control (RIIO-3), including identifying and developing effective solutions to identify and justify suitable benchmarks across all companies and networks, address significant regulatory and/or commercial issues and potential challenges. 

• Provide visible and effective leadership to a team of analysts, leading the project management in the team and representing Ofgem at relevant industry events, seminars and working groups.    

• Provide oral and written briefings to Networks’ and Ofgem’s boards and committees on key issues, working closely with policy, regulatory finance and legal colleagues. 

• Liaise with network companies on a regular basis to help refine and develop our approach. 

• Provide clear and transparent work objectives, milestones and success metrics in your area of expertise to oversee and co-ordinate successful team outcomes. 

• Collaborate closely with other teams to manage interdependencies, risks and resourcing to support portfolio delivery. 

• Demonstrate effective diversity and inclusive team management within their team and the wider organisation. 

• Where required, be jointly responsible with staff managers on welfare and pastoral care of team colleagues. 

Key Outputs and Deliverables  

Deliver the cost assessment toolkit for gas distribution network companies and apply it to formulate robust recommendations on the level of efficient costs for the sector 

• Develops and tests a robust cost assessment toolkit for gas distribution network companies - working with external stakeholders. 

• Effectively leads a team to conduct cost assessment of Gas network companies’ business plan.  

• Leads production, and present, documents including board papers, consultations and briefings related to cost assessment. 

• Collaborates closely with wider RIIO Team Managers to manage interdependencies, risks and resourcing to support portfolio delivery. 

• Supports corporate objective to develop inclusive team resourcing and staff onboarding.  

Support the development of a high-performing team based on effective resource management, ongoing support and professional development 

• Provides expert guidance to help team members deliver, by building supportive, inclusive team environment based on trust-based relationships, transparency and inclusivity. 

• Takes ownership for own continued expert development and other team members’ professional development relating to the role by: 

• Identifying your own continued professional development. 

• Providing ongoing coaching and identification of development opportunities.  

• Provide advice and support for colleagues who are pursuing professional qualifications.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience in the application of regulatory economics and applying cost assessment techniques in practice. (Lead criteria) 

• Excellent analytical skills, with demonstrated ability to think critically, validate and analyse complex data, and to challenge and sense check results. (Lead criteria) 

• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to communicate technical information clearly and concisely and to work collaboratively to solve problems. 

• Experience of developing and implementing robust cost assessment frameworks and processes. 

• Extensive experience working collaboratively with diverse colleagues. 

• Experience in the process of developing and managing a range of options to make recommendations to senior management. 

• Experience in agreeing, managing and delivering budget and resource requirements. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,520, OFGEM contributes £15,800 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.