About the job

Job summary

Join Ofgem, safeguarding Great Britain's energy consumers, as we ensure a safe, affordable, and green energy supply. In the face of the global gas crisis and rising living costs, your expertise in quantitative research will be crucial in our Customer Insight & Behavioural Science team. This role is key to producing research that directs Ofgem's policies towards achieving a Net Zero, carbon-neutral future.

We’re looking for an experienced social researcher with particular experience conducting quantitative research to lead impactful analyses that shape our decision-making process and ensure the consumer voice is embedded in all of Ofgem’s work Ofgem promotes an inclusive, diverse culture that spurs innovation and connects us to our communities. Here, you're encouraged to be your true self and make a significant impact.

In this pivotal role, you'll lead diverse consumer research projects for Ofgem, utilising both quantitative and qualitative methods to engage households and businesses. Your leadership is essential for delivering high-quality research and analysis, aimed at maximising the impact of data from both Ofgem and external sources. You'll lead in-house analysis of survey data to address critical policy questions, providing insights and engaging outputs crucial for senior leadership..

Additionally, you'll provide technical support in survey research, mentor junior staff, and collaborate with data scientists and other analysts, triangulating data to enrich our understanding of consumer behaviour.. Collaborating with the behavioural science team, you'll adopt a holistic approach to address policy challenges and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders, further extending our influence.

We are looking for someone with advanced skills in quantitative social research methods, including survey design and multivariate analysis. Experienced in managing research projects, proficient in statistical software like SPSS, R, Python or similar, and creating engaging data visualisations. Capable of synthesising evidence effectively for non-specialist audiences and mentoring junior researchers is also valued.

This role offers the chance to stand at the forefront of shaping the future of energy in Great Britain, making a lasting impact on both the environment and consumer welfare. If you're prepared to leverage your expertise in quantitative research to drive forward our mission, we eagerly await your application.

Job description

We are recruiting for an experienced social researcher, with particular expertise in quantitative research to work as a senior member of our Customer Insight & Behavioural Science team.

The successful candidate will play a leading role in ensuring we deliver high quality qualitative and quantitative research and analysis, providing the evidence needed to support Ofgem decision making.

Ofgem has a culture of inclusion that encourages, supports, and celebrates the diverse voices of our colleagues. It fuels our innovation and connects us closer to the consumers and the communities we serve. Everyone is welcome—as an inclusive workplace, our employees are comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work. 

 

 

 

Purpose

1. Deliver high quality research and analysis by leading or overseeing quantitative (or ) consumer research projects (with households and businesses)
2. Maximise the value and impact of data collected by Ofgem and external organisations, conducting analysis and synthesising evidence to address key policy and strategic questions.
3. Ensure senior leaders have access to timely insights on consumers, including vulnerable consumers and help ensure the consumer voice is central to policy making.

 

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading, shaping and delivering high quality and inclusive quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods research projects, ensuring they have a tangible impact on policy decisions and support our strategic objectives.
• Supporting the Principal Researcher (and wider team) through provision of technical expertise/oversight in survey research and quality assurance at all stages of the research process.
• Provide mentoring to less experienced members of staff on quantitative research methods and play an active role in the Research and Behavioural Science sub profession to help build capability.
• Conduct innovative analysis of large datasets to build our evidence base on consumers, including through working with data scientists
• Ensure research and analysis has impact within Ofgem and that research is effectively interpreted and communicated in policy papers.
• Present consumer insights to internal and external stakeholders (at all levels) in an engaging way, helping to raise the profile and impact of the team
• Work effectively with the behavioural science team to help ensure that as a team we take a holistic view of policy issues and what methods are most appropriate.
• Build and maintain relationship with external stakeholders eg peers in other regulators or government departments and research agencies.

 

Key Outputs and Deliverables

• Identify research needs, plan and lead or oversee commissioned (or in-house) projects to ensure timely, publishable standard research outputs, clear recommendations and effective dissemination
• Provision – eg critically review agency approaches and outputs at all stages to ensure accuracy and quality – including sampling methodologies, weighting approaches, data quality and accuracy of analysis and reporting
• Lead in-house quantitative analysis of survey data sets to address key policy questions, generating clear, simple and engaging outputs
• Embed the consumer voice and unique insights around consumers into Ofgem’s decisions, working effectively with other analytical disciplines to triangulate evidence from different sources and generate a holistic narrative around consumers.
• Keep abreast of advances in the social/market research profession and cutting-edge external research, finding effective ways to channel it into Ofgem.
• Work with peers in other regulators, Government and other stakeholders to identify opportunities for collaboration.
• Draft clear and concise documents, including briefing, reports, and management papers.
• Represent Ofgem at external events, conferences etc to showcase the work of research and wider analytical work in Ofgem.
• Help to strengthen links with the Government Social Research profession and improve the skills/capabilities of people and quality and rigour of outputs, including through taking ownership for own continued professional development.

Person specification

• Advanced technical expertise in quantitative social research methods eg complex survey design and multivariate analysis (LEAD)
• Established track record of end to end management of quantitative social research projects
• Experience using statistical software packages to analyse research data eg SPSS, R, Python
• Ability to evaluate, synthesise and interpret evidence from a variety of sources, coming to logical conclusions and communicating this effectively to senior non-specialists.
• Experience of creating visualisations of data and analysis which make it easy for non-analytical colleagues to understand and engage (e.g. creating engaging reports, presentations and dashboards)
• Experience managing or mentoring less experienced researchers

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,650, 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 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.