About the job

Job summary

Join our Policy & Strategy Profession as a Head of Strategic Projects.

This role sits within our Strategy, Economics, Research and Net Zero (SERN) Directorate which is at the heart of Ofgem’s work to deliver net zero and protect the interests of energy consumers. We work across the organisation – developing cross-cutting strategy and supporting the senior leadership and board to make Ofgem an even more dynamic and impactful organisation.

For this role, we are looking for an exceptional candidate, with experience of the energy sector, to oversee our strategic projects function. This team is responsible for answering some of the most important questions facing Ofgem and the sector that we regulate – by conducting our own analysis, working with experts, and learning from other countries and sectors. This is a high-profile and influential role within the organisation. The successful candidate will lead across Ofgem, working with a diverse range of policy, regulatory, and analytical experts, to make robust and impactful recommendations – informing key decisions made by our senior leadership team and board. 

Some key outputs for this role include advice to the Ofgem board on key strategic issues for the energy sector, overseeing the overall programme of strategic projects (leading some and delegating others), working with the Policy Head of Profession on developing Ofgem’s strategy capabilities, and taking ownership for your own continued expert development.

The successful candidate will have experience of working in a complex environment – advising and challenging senior leaders on strategic and operational performance related matters. You’ll also have a track record of translating strategy into delivery, helping organisations to prioritise effectively. You will ideally have energy experience, knowledge of the energy sector and an understanding of the energy transformation needed to get to net zero. Finally, you will have extensive experience working collaboratively with a diverse range of colleagues.

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 Strategy, Economics, Research and Net Zero (SERN) Directorate sits at the heart of Ofgem’s work to  deliver net zero and protect the interests of energy consumers. We work across the organisation – developing cross-cutting strategy and supporting the senior leadership and board to make Ofgem an even more dynamic and impactful organisation.

We are looking for an exceptional candidate – with experience of the energy sector – to oversee our strategic projects function. This team is responsible for answering some of the most important questions facing Ofgem and the sector that we regulate – by conducting our own analysis, working with experts, and learning from other countries and sectors. This is a high-profile and influential role within the organisation. The successful candidate will lead across Ofgem, working with a diverse range of policy, regulatory, and analytical experts, to make robust and impactful recommendations – informing key decisions made by our senior leadership team and board.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Lead a small team responsible for the overall programme of strategic projects – leading some and overseeing others led by teams across the wider directorate and beyond. These projects will seek to answer the key questions facing Ofgem and the sector we regulate – engaging with the most pressing issues for energy consumers and the journey to net zero.
• Take strategic decisions about how Ofgem resource and expertise is deployed and for identifying the most important issues that require action.
• Build relationships with consumer groups, academia, government, and industry to ensure the conclusions that the projects reach are informed by the best available evidence.
• Be a visible leader within Ofgem – creating the space for the team to have impact and acting as a thought leader on key policy and regulatory issues
• Ensure that the materials and advice going to senior leadership and the board is high quality: clear, accurate, and delivered at pace.
• Help build a culture that embraces the use innovative policy-making techniques to reach better outcomes – including systems thinking and horizon scanning.

Key Outputs and Deliverables:

• The overall programme of strategic projects – leading some and overseeing others led by teams across the wider directorate and beyond.
• Working with Policy Head of Profession and the strategy sub-profession lead(s) on developing Ofgem’s strategy capabilities.
• Taking 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

The essential for this role is:

• Experience of working in a complex environment – advising and challenging senior leaders on strategic and operational performance related matters. (LEAD)
• A track record of translating strategy into delivery, helping organisations to prioritise effectively. Evidence of professional experience focused on analysis and strategic advisory work, demonstrated by substantial achievements.
• Energy Expertise: Knowledge of the energy sector and an understanding of the energy transformation needed to get to net zero.
• Excellent problem solving and analytical skills: the ability to synthesise and identify key issues, solve complex policy / regulatory problems using expertise from across a wide range of sources, professions, and business areas
• Extensive experience working collaboratively with a diverse range of colleagues.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,000, OFGEM contributes £15,120 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 capabilities listed in the role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your supporting 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. 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.