About the job

Job summary

Shape the policy that delivers a greener, fairer energy system for the UK

Global political events and record price volatility have put the energy market under severe strain and have driven upwards pressure on consumers energy bills. Now more than ever we need to ensure security of supply whilst pursuing the country’s climate goals, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, and keeping the energy system on track to deliver Net Zero.

We are looking for a Senior Policy Manager to help us maintain electricity security of supply, an area of work that is extremely topical, high profile and high impact.

The successful candidate will sit within the Electricity Security & Market Management team in ESMS. This is a multi-disciplinary team, responsible for electricity security of supply, wholesale market functioning, as well as overseeing policy on the capacity market.

We operate a Flexible Resourcing model where you will have the opportunity to work across Ofgem supporting on a range of projects or may have a longer deployment within a team where you have and build specialist skills, knowledge, and expertise.  We will support you to learn and develop the Policy & Strategy skills and knowledge you need to build your career.

To join us, you must have knowledge or expertise of the GB electricity system, which could include electricity generation. Numerical skills are essential, able to demonstrate evidence of analysis skills and be a competent user of Microsoft Excel. You’ll need policy skills, able to identify, analyse and articulate complex problems. You’ll be able to work with others to develop solutions and present policy recommendations that consider trade-offs. You will also be able to manage delivery, setting clear priorities, supporting others to solve problems and to seek continuous improvement. You’ll be able to clearly demonstrate the relevance of your work internally and externally. As well as being able to create open and inclusive engagement.

The ongoing professional development, training and support of all our dedicated colleagues is at the core of our way of working. You can also expect an excellent benefits package, a great working environment sounded by professional expertise to learn from and with, hybrid working, and a shared sense of purpose.

We welcome candidates from all backgrounds, and especially welcome individuals from underrepresented groups. While this is a full-time role, flexible working patterns and job shares are welcome.

Job description

Global political events and record price volatility have put the energy market under severe strain and have driven upwards pressure on consumers energy bills. Now more than ever we need to ensure security of supply whilst pursuing the country’s climate goals, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, and keeping the energy system on track to deliver Net Zero.

We are looking for a Senior Policy Manager to help us maintain electricity security of supply, an area of work that is extremely topical, high profile and high impact.

The successful candidate will sit within the Electricity Security & Market Management team in ESMS. This is a multi-disciplinary team, responsible for electricity security of supply, wholesale market functioning, as well as overseeing policy on the capacity market.

Whilst Government holds ultimate accountability for energy security of supply in GB, Ofgem has a key role to play. Our role is to monitor risks on a regular basis, provide advice to DESNZ and contribute to the deployment of mitigations and interventions to reduce the probability of commodity shortages materialising, and where possible, the impact.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

Policy Development & Delivery

• Proactively leads a policy area and provides the end-to-end knowledge and strategic oversight to support effective decision making and continuous improvement
• Proactively leads continuous development of their domain knowledge, policy proposals, research, technology, consumer needs and stakeholder perspectives in their policy/strategy area
• Works flexibly across Ofgem to ensure delivery of organisation priorities in line with business planning, guiding, supporting, and collaborating with colleagues to respond effectively to change
• Leads on the delivery of high quality, timely, and robust analysis of core issue/s and policy options resulting in evidence-based and deliverable recommendations.
• Leads key projects, including responsibility for internal and external stakeholder engagement, prioritising, planning and delivering work.
• Ensures decision makers consider relevant legislation and regulation and any specific case issues and escalates critical issues as needed to ensue delivery for consumers.

Stakeholder Management

• Effectively communicating the benefits, challenges, and trade-offs from policy proposals to Ofgem colleagues and sectoral stakeholders, effectively using evidence to build understanding and commitment to action.
• Ensures effective delivery by working collaboratively across team boundaries and engaging with key Ofgem functions and relevant government departments - developing close links to manage and mitigate risks
• Representing Ofgem externally and building constructive stakeholder relationships to ensure challenges and issues are identified and resolved in consumers’ interests
• Is demonstrably accessible and identifiable to all who operate in their policy/strategy area as and Ofgem lead/expert and in turn knows who to engage to improve policy design and delivery

Essential Criteria

• Knowledge or expertise of the GB electricity system, which could include electricity generation (LEAD).
• Numerate skills, able to demonstrate evidence of analysis skills and be a competent user of Microsoft Excel.
• Policy Skills: identifying, analysing, and articulating complex problems; working with other professionals (for example analytical, technical, and legal) to develop solutions and options, and presenting policy recommendations that consider the trade-offs, risks, and dependencies to aid effective decision making.
• Managing delivery: set clear goals and priorities, supports others to solve problems, overcome challenges, seeking feedback and means of continuous improvement.
• Clearly identifies and communicates the relevance, interdependencies and strategic fit of their work to organisational priorities both internally and externally
• Demonstrably identifies and understands the value/contribution of internal and external partners and effectively creates open, creative, constructive, timely and inclusive engagement.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,614, OFGEM contributes £12,315 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.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expect all candidates to abide by these principles. Ofgem take any incidences of cheating very seriously. Please ensure all examples provided are of your own experience. Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant applications will be withdrawn from the process.

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.