About the job

Job summary

Ofgem works on behalf of energy consumers to ensure that every household and business in the UK can rely on a safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy supply.  We are playing a vital part in accelerating the transition to Net Zero and a carbon neutral energy system. 

We are working alongside government to deliver the largest electricity market reform in a generation (REMA) – to ensure the sector can decarbonise in an affordable and secure way. Ofgem is central to this effort, providing key economic and policy insights to aid government decisions and sector-wide reforms. This is a high profile team and project with plenty of senior exposure and ability to influence.

We are looking for an enthusiastic Senior Policy Lead who has expertise in electricity markets, systems, or economics to spearhead change in this vital sector. Familiarity with a wide range of electricity markets is key

In this role, you will be deployed in the Wholesale Market Reform team in the Energy Systems Management & Security (ESMS) Directorate, within the Policy and Strategy profession.

Your key responsibilities include leading the development and analysis of market reform options and packages and delivering high-quality, evidence-based recommendations, and building on strong influencing skills.

You will be leading work streams drawing on people within the core team and externally as required. Through leveraging your technical expertise and strategic thinking, you will provide deep insights into the feasibility, value, and implementation challenges of specific policies for GB, along with the associated risks and pathways.

You will lead the drafting of clear and concise documentation, including briefings, policy documents, consultations, open letters, and impact assessments, ensuring complex information is effectively communicated alongside managing workstreams, requiring effective prioritisation.

Your role is crucial in ensuring effective cross-team collaboration to develop coherent policies across the ESMS charging and market signals portfolio, identifying cross-portfolio risks, opportunities for collaboration, and improvements to ways of working.

Ofgem embraces a culture of inclusion, where the diversity of our team members is celebrated, driving innovation and improving our representation of the consumers and communities we advocate for. We offer a welcoming environment that promotes genuine self-expression.

Open Event

We are running a Virtual Open Event to give candidates the opportunity to learn more about working for Ofgem and discuss the roles we have available in more detail. This virtual event will be on Thursday 29th February 12:30pm-13:30pm, to attend please register via: https://buytickets.at/ofgem/1160247

Job description

The successful candidate will be initially deployed in the Wholesale Market Reform team in the Energy Systems Management & Security (ESMS) Directorate, within the Policy and Strategy profession. This is a high-profile, technical and fast-changing area of work that requires effective collaboration with multiple teams and Directorates across Ofgem and effective working with DESNZ, ESO and other key stakeholders. You will join at a critical period that will require the application of strong analytical, policy and influencing skills to ensure future market arrangements enable consumers to benefit fully from a low carbon, and cost-effective flexible electricity system. Ofgem operates a flexible working model. Longer-term, you will have the opportunity to work flexibly across Ofgem on a range of projects.

Flexible Resourcing

Operate a Flexible Resourcing model. Longer term, you may have the opportunity to work flexibly across Ofgem supporting on a range of projects or may have a longer deployment within a team where you have in-demand specialist skills, knowledge, and expertise.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities and Outputs

• Lead the development and analysis of market reform options and packages to deliver high quality, timely and robust evidence-based recommendations, task managing others within and outside the core team as required.
• Apply and leverage technical expertise and strategic thinking to provide deep insight into the feasibility and value of specific policies for GB and the risks, challenges and pathways for implementation
• Lead the drafting of clear and concise documents, including briefings, policy documents, consultations, open letters, and impact assessments
• Project management of workstreams, effectively prioritising, scoping and delivering work and engaging effectively with a wider range of stakeholders.
• Effective cross-team working to ensure the development of coherent policy across the ESMS charging and market signals portfolio, including identifying cross-portfolio risks, opportunities for collaboration and improvements to ways of working
• Lead internal procurement process and managing deliverables by external consultants.

 Stakeholder Management

• Represent Ofgem externally, build constructive stakeholder relationships and identify opportunities for effective strategic engagement across interest groups to advance policy development and industry debate
• Effectively communicating complex technical concepts and analysis to senior colleagues within Ofgem and across government to support policy development and decision-making
• Work collaboratively across team boundaries and engage with key Ofgem functions to understand Ofgem’s remit and procedures for delivering change and developing close working relationships to manage risks and challenges

Essential Criteria​

• Understanding of energy markets and of the economics of investment and operation in markets such as Wholesale Market, Balancing Services and mechanism, and network charging and access (LEAD)
• Proven experience and strong skills in policy development, including: identifying, analysing, and articulating complex problems; working with analytical, technical, and legal professionals to develop solutions and options; and presenting policy recommendations that consider the trade-offs and risks, and dependencies that help senior colleagues reach a decision
• Proven ability to think strategically and produce and use quantitative and qualitative evidence to develop a thoughtful and independent viewpoint, coupled with strong influencing skills.
• Proven experience of managing and delivering projects against challenging deadlines with minimal supervision, and the ability to react appropriately to fast changing circumstances and unforeseen challenges
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex issues to non-expert audiences 

Desirable Criteria

• Analytical mindset – in particular the ability to interpret and critique outputs large scale energy systems models and the assumptions they are based on large scale energy systems models  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,614, OFGEM contributes £11,785 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 skills 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.