About the job

Job summary

We are looking for 4 exceptional leaders for the following SCS2 Director level roles:

• Director of Energy Systems Management and Security
• Director of Network Price Controls
• Director of System Planning, Grid Connections & Technology
• Director of Major Projects

Job description

The Infrastructure Group is central to the creation and delivery of a reliable, intelligent, clean energy system that will meet the UK’s demand and supply needs.
Our programmes of work are centred around 5 strategic goals aligned to consumer interest. These are (i) creating strong institutions and governance, (ii) building infrastructure fit for a low cost future, (iii) achieving system efficiency and fairness in cost allocations, (iv) maintaining a high quality of service from regulated firms, and (v) ensuring secure and resilient supplies.

The Infrastructure Group has five directorates that support the delivery of our strategic goals:
• Major Projects Directorate, which focuses on accelerating infrastructure build onshore and offshore, supporting the development of nuclear, carbon capture and hydrogen, and creating the right regulatory frameworks to support the development of a new low carbon infrastructure future.
• System Planning, Grid Connections and Technology Directorate, focuses on developing national and regional system plans alongside Government and FSO, setting out the Connections action plan and longer-term connections reform, engineering and asset health oversight and driving forward technology/innovation.
• Price Controls Directorate, focuses on the setting, operation and monitoring/compliance of the electricity and gas network price controls.
• Cyber Directorate, focuses on cyber security and assurance, cyber resilience and how we meet the challenge of opening up data whilst maintaining security.
• Energy Systems Management and Security Directorate, focuses on charging and access arrangements, market operations, design, energy security, and new institutions and frameworks required for Net Zero and energy systems regulation.

Person specification

Director of Energy Systems Management and Security

The post-holder will play a pivotal role at the heart of the energy system to prepare it to meet net zero targets for 2035 and 2050. They will lead Ofgem’s work in setting up and regulating effective institutional and governance arrangements for whole-system planning at both the national and regional levels (including the creation and regulation of the Future System Operator and regional system planners); the reform of wholesale markets and network charging arrangements to minimise the costs of the net zero transition for consumers; the development of markets for flexibility at both the retail and wholesale levels; and the fair distribution of infrastructure and system costs across households and businesses through network and system charges on bills.

Director of Network Price Controls

The post-holder will lead Ofgem’s work in carrying out periodic price reviews for all onshore energy networks including gas and electricity. The next price reviews for the gas and electricity transmission and gas distribution sectors are due by April 1, 2026. The objective is to facilitate the investment required to meet net zero targets, while ensuring that network companies deliver a high quality of service; maintain a reliable and resilient network; and deliver good value for money for consumers.

Director of System Planning, Grid Connections & Technology

The post-holder will lead a team of economists, engineers, data scientists, technologists and policy professionals to oversee the production of integrated spatial plans for the future energy system, which enable the proper co-ordination of generation, storage and network infrastructure to meet net zero targets for 2035 and 2050. Alongside this, they will lead the reform of grid connection arrangements so that the queue for grid connections is managed efficiently and in line with system plans; viable projects can connect when ready; and projects needed to meet net zero targets do not face connection delays. Finally, the post-holder will lead the development of enabling regulations to create a digital, open and secure energy system, maximising the benefits for consumers from new technologies and innovation.

Director of Major Projects

The post-holder will lead the delivery of the entire infrastructure build programme for the 2035 and 2050 net zero targets. This includes the onshore network upgrades; the offshore network upgrades; and setting up new regulatory regimes to enable the investment in low carbon assets (hydrogen; carbon capture; and new nuclear) through the low carbon RAB programme. It will also include senior representation with Government and industry on other enablers such as planning reform and supply chain management and capacity. Finally, the post-holder will develop and deliver models for competitive delivery of network infrastructure through the CATO and OFTO build programmes.

More information about the roles, responsibilities and application process can be found in the attached candidate pack below. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £120,000, OFGEM contributes £32,400 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 Experience and Technical skills.

To apply for one or more of these roles, you will need to submit the following documentation to Odgers Berndtson online at no later than 23:55 on Sunday 3rd March 2024.

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

2. 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 essential and desirable criteria.Please make it clear in your application which role (s) you are applying for. Where you are applying for more than one role, you will only need to submit one application. However, you will need to ensure you address all relevant role specific criteria in your statement of suitability, in addition to the core essential criteria that applies to all four roles. If you are applying for more than one role, the statement of suitability should not exceed three pages.

• 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.
• Please ensure that both documents contain your full name.
• Should you encounter any issues with submitting your application please get in touch with Anna Dickinson, Odgers Berndtson (anna.dickinson@odgersberndtson.com). 

3. As part of the application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select ‘prefer not to say’. The information you provide when submitting your application will help us monitor our progress towards the Civil Service becoming an inclusive employer.

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.