About the job

Job summary

The Competition and Markets Authority is the UK’s principal competition and consumer protection authority. We help people, businesses and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. We adopt an integrated approach to our work, selecting those tools we believe will achieve maximum positive impact for people and the UK economy.

It is our job to ensure that markets work well and that consumers get a fair deal. We have a vital role to play in relation to many important challenges facing the UK, including improving productivity and economic growth, mitigating cost of living pressures, as well as addressing the power of large digital firms and the potentially unprecedented opportunities and risks of emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence. We must understand how new technologies are reshaping markets and the implications for consumers and competition, as well as exploit all the same technological advances internally to maximise our operational efficiency and effectiveness.

In this context, the CMA has established a new Executive Directorate for Data, Technology, and Insight which consolidates our capability and expertise across these areas of growing importance. It brings together colleagues with an exciting mix of complementary skills and expertise, spanning strategic, business and financial analysis, data science, Artificial Intelligence (AI), data engineering, technology insight, behavioural science, eDiscovery and digital forensics, as well as core technology systems, infrastructure, services, digital products and tooling.  

The candidate pack will provide you with full information relating to the role.

Job description

The Senior Director – Technology and Digital will lead on all aspects of technology for the CMA. This includes technology strategy, systems, infrastructure, data, digital products, IT services, and cyber security. They will build on our solid foundations in these areas and ensure that the CMA’s systems and capabilities meet the demands of a complex, evolving operation now and in the future. Together with the Senior Director for Strategic Insight, Analytics and AI, they will co-lead the CMA’s digital transformation, ensuring that data, digital, analytics and AI can be leveraged impactfully across the organisation, whether to streamline operations, get ahead of potential harms to consumers and competition, or enhance our insight, analysis, and evidence to inform CMA decisions – all enabled by close collaboration with other areas of the organisation and underpinned by the right systems, infrastructure, security, and tooling.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. For tips on how to make the most your application, please have a look at our guidance document.

• An accomplished technology leader with a proven track record of successfully leading and implementing technology and digital transformation in a complex, fast-paced operating environment;
• Strong technical expertise across infrastructure/cloud, applications, systems & cyber, with a good understanding of emerging technologies and their potential applications;
• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, particularly in disseminating complex and technical issues to non-technical audiences and in evangelising technology-driven change;
• Ability to operate in a multistakeholder environment, forming highly collaborative and trusted relationships with other senior leaders to effect impactful change;
• Inspirational and inclusive leadership of cross-functional and expert teams, including the ability to motivate develop people to achieve high performance and to promote a culture of respect, equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Strong financial and budgetary acumen with a focus on achieving an effective balance and high return across in-house and external resources, whether specialist contractors, in-house build of platforms or tools, or procurement via third-party suppliers

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £128,966, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £34,820 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

The CMA has retained Russell Reynolds Associates to advise on this appointment. For further information about the position and additional details on qualifications, requirements, terms and conditions of service and how to apply you can review the candidate pack or visit: www.rraresponses.com 

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process no later than the advert closing date which is 23:55 on 15 July 2024, full details are within the candidate pack.  Application involves uploading the documents outlined below:

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), giving examples of how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.
3. A completed Diversity Questionnaire.

All applications will be acknowledged. Please submit your full application by email to responses@russellreynolds.com. 

At the longlist meeting w/c 22 July, applications will be sifted and longlisted candidates will be invited to a preliminary interview with Russell Reynolds to discuss the role and their suitability in more detail. Due diligence checks will be carried out on all longlisted candidates. 

Following the preliminary interview, a panel shortlist meeting will take place w/c 12 August where the results of the preliminary interviews will be discussed. Those candidates who demonstrate strongest suitability will be invited to final interview scheduled on 27 September 2024 in person at the CMA offices in London.

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to take part in a series of assessments which could include psychometric tests and a staff engagement exercise and you will have the opportunity to speak with the vacancy holder in advance of the interview.

Interviews will consist of questions where candidates will be expected to build on the information provided in their personal statement and CV. Candidates may be asked to complete an assessment or prepare a short presentation on a topic to be advised if/when invited to the interview stage. Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process.

For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

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.