About the job

Job summary

Join Ofgem in our commitment to guaranteeing a stable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly energy provision for every UK household and business. As a pivotal contributor to the shift towards Net Zero and a carbon-neutral energy framework, our endeavours bring positive effects to consumers and the environment alike. Embrace a role that shapes a sustainable future for all.

We're seeking an exceptional Senior Business Assurance Manager to provide leadership and technical expertise in the delivery and continuous improvement of Ofgem’s Business Assurance Strategy. In this role, a primary objective is fortifying the adoption of an effective Three Lines of Defence (3LOD) strategy throughout Ofgem. Accomplishing this entails educating, guiding, and coaching individuals within the organisation.

The successful candidate will bring substantial experience in constructing business assurance frameworks, demonstrating the aptitude and assertiveness to both support and challenge the business in refining its approach, exceptional communication and collaboration skills, and the ability to build effective stakeholder relations and work seamlessly across diverse teams.

Your key responsibilities include providing subject matter expertise to ensure a consistent approach to assurance across Ofgem. You'll offer independent assurance advice, sharing knowledge to enhance colleagues' understanding and application of effective assurance and controls. support directorate leadership teams in improving assurance and control knowledge across the business.

The Senior Business Assurance Manager will contribute to the development of the Governance, Risk, and Compliance framework, enhancing the capability of the first and second lines of defence. Oversee the Directors Statement of Assurance process, ensuring a high-quality overview of governance, risk, and compliance oversight. Evaluate and challenge current controls within each business area, manage committee papers, and lead the Business Assurance review plan. Additionally, you'll mature the assurance monitoring model within the 2LOD, conducting regular assessments of 1LOD assurance activities and ensuring alignment with the Ofgem risk management framework.

You will work closely with key stakeholders, including the Finance, Procurement and Risk Leadership Team, Audit Risk and Assurance Committee (ARAC), Risk and Assurance managers across Ofgem.

Directors, Deputy Directors, and Head of Business Corporate Risk and Assurance staff.

Join Ofgem and contribute to shaping the future of energy regulation and sustainability. Apply now and be part of a dynamic team committed to making a positive impact.

 

 

Job description

The Senior Business Assurance Manager will provide leadership and technical expertise in the delivery and continuous improvement of Ofgem’s Business Assurance Strategy.  The post holder will play a critical role in the strengthening of the first and second line of defence and be responsible for and delivering supporting the delivery of the assurance review plan annually.  

Strengthening the understanding and implementing a successful Three Lines of Defence (3LOD) approach across Ofgem will be a key deliverable in this role.   This will be achieved through educating, guiding and coaching individuals across Ofgem.

The post holder will have significant experience in building business assurance frameworks and have the skill and confidence to support and challenge the business on their approach.  They will be tasked to guide and support directorates to implement a system of control that meets the need of the directorate and supports our Policy, Principles and Practices.

The role holder will be practised in leading a team of assurance specialists, providing leadership, coaching and support to develop their skills, confidence, and drive. 

Person specification

Key outputs and deliverables

• Provide subject matter expertise where needed, share good practice, and ensure common approach to assurance, ensuring that processes are applied consistently across Ofgem.
• Providing independent assurance advice. Sharing experience and expertise with colleagues to strengthen the understanding and application of effective assurance and controls. Supporting directorate leadership teams to improve assurance and controls knowledge and skills across the business.
• Support the further development of the Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) framework across Ofgem.  Working with key stakeholders to improve the capability of the first and second line of defence.
• Ensuring that the Directors Statement of Assurance (DSoA) process is run effectively, and the annual return provides a high quality, evidence-based overview of the adequacy of the governance, risk and compliance oversight provisions.
• Provide oversight and assessment of current controls and ensure that there is appropriate oversight within each business area. Positively challenge directors and senior management where necessary.
• Managing the provision of high-quality papers and reports for the Ofgem committees and boards, ensuring issues or risks requiring escalation are identified and communicated appropriately.
• Manage the Business Assurance review plan, engage directorates in all assurance review activities to define scope, provide accurate process evaluations and agree SMART improvement actions.
• Responsible for maturing the assurance monitoring model within the 2LOD and completing regular assessment and sampling of 1LOD assurance activities.
• Ensuring that all risk management is in line with the Ofgem risk management framework and supports proactive identification, assessment and treatment of all risks.

Key Stakeholder Relationships

Internal

• Finance, Procurement and Risk Leadership Team
• Audit Risk and Assurance Committee (ARAC)
• Risk and Assurance managers across Ofgem
• Directors, Deputy Directors, and Head of Business
• Corporate Risk and Assurance staff

 Essential

• Deep knowledge and understanding modern business assurance procedures, best practice and how this can be applied in real world scenarios.
• People leadership – mentors and coaches staff on personal and professional development, expert in developing individuals technical assurance skills.
• Great communication and collaboration skills and the ability to build effective stakeholder relationships and excellent working relationships with a wide range of teams and individuals.
• Able to operate and communicate effectively across all internal organisational levels, including confidence to negotiate with and influence senior and executive managers.
• Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills and good attention to detail.
• Able to scope, conduct and report routine assurance auditing across the 1st and 2nd LOD.

Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your personal statement, how you meet each of the criteria below (not more than 1250 words). 

In the event of receiving a large number of applications, an initial sift may take place on just the lead criteria indicated below: 

Deep knowledge and understanding modern business assurance procedures, best practice and how this can be applied in real world scenarios (LEAD).

 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,650, OFGEM contributes £11,786 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.

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.