About the job

Job summary

Join Ofgem as a Senior Strategy Manager to join our Infrastructure Coordination and Prioritisation Portfolio. 

Come and play a key role in the decarbonisation of the GB economy! 

We are looking for a candidate who can not only independently lead specific work programmes, but also work collaboratively with other teams in Ofgem to share developments, identify interactions with related projects and ensure we are coordinated within Ofgem and with developments in Government.   

The Senior Strategy Manager will be responsible for understanding the policy landscape and strategic context relevant to energy infrastructure and systems and applying organisation and coordination skills to map the policy gaps we need to address, and the strategic questions we need to answer, to deliver on our vision and goals. 

This is a diverse, dynamic, and exciting area of work. As such, we are looking for an independent thinking, self-motivated and creative person with the ability to identify links and dependencies between project areas, manage a varied and fast-paced portfolio and work collaboratively with other Ofgem teams.  
 
We are looking for a candidate who can not only independently lead specific deliverables, but also work collaboratively with other teams in Ofgem to share developments, identify interactions with related projects and ensure we are coordinated within Ofgem and with developments in Government.   

To join us, you’ll need to be able to demonstrate ability to create clear structure and defined deliverables to address ambiguous and complex problems. You’ll have experience of building effective working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders; influencing outcomes and managing inputs across complex and diverse projects and policy areas. You’ll also be a strong communicator (both written and verbally) and be able to meaningfully engage with, and provide critical assessment of, new and unfamiliar issues. Knowledge of regulation, policy development or the energy sector is desirable, but not essential.  

We are serious about offering you professional development, training and support. You can also expect an excellent benefits package, a great working environment with scope for 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 are welcome. 

Job description

The energy sector is going through an unprecedented period of change and transformation. In the near-term, with high and volatile gas prices, Ofgem must ensure that energy consumers are protected, and our energy system is reliable and resilient. Simultaneously, Ofgem must support the transformation to a net zero and data-enabled future. 

The role sits within the Infrastructure Coordination and Prioritisation Portfolio. The portfolio oversees development and delivery of the Infrastructure group (at Director General level) governance, strategy, business operations and stakeholder.  

Achieving net zero (a clean power system by 2035; a net zero economy by 2050) will require the building of an immense amount of generation, storage and network infrastructure.  It will also require the creation of an intelligent energy system where demand can flex to match increasingly intermittent renewable power supplies, so that demand and supply can be balanced at least cost.   

The Senior Strategy Manager will be responsible for understanding the policy landscape and strategic context relevant to energy infrastructure and systems and applying organisation and coordination skills to map the policy gaps we need to address, and the strategic questions we need to answer, to deliver on our vision and goals. This entails (1) undertaking early scoping and prioritising gaps in the Group’s work programme – including new emerging issues (2) support, track and evaluate progress against strategic questions the Infrastructure group has identified we need to answer (3) providing coordination and strategy support on high profile, cross cutting topics across the Infrastructure group.  

As the postholder increasingly embeds these functions within the Infrastructure DG group, there are opportunities to expand into other areas of coordination of strategy in the future.  

We are looking for a candidate who can not only independently lead specific deliverables, but also work collaboratively with other teams in Ofgem to share developments, identify interactions with related projects and ensure we are coordinated within Ofgem and with developments in Government.   

This is a diverse, dynamic, and exciting area of work. As such, we are looking for an independent thinking, self-motivated and creative person with the ability to identify links, gaps and dependencies between project areas, manage a varied and fast-paced portfolio and work collaboratively with other Ofgem teams.  

We operate a Flexible Resourcing model. Longer term you will 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

• Structure, run and deliver strategy projects or key workstreams as part of more complex projects that support delivering Ofgem’s Strategy Programmes.
• Proactively and constructively challenge thinking within the Director General group and beyond, encouraging the organisation (and industry) to be more efficient, more effective and more ambitious.
• Engage with colleagues in Strategy and policy teams, as well as external stakeholders, to develop a shared understanding of the problem and solutions.
• Conduct high-quality, well-structured analysis and insights, as required, to support strategy projects and story-telling in Board slide pack presentations. 
• Contribute to both internal and external documents.
• Develop and actively manage project plans.
• To closely follow developments in the energy sector relevant to the specific projects and net zero transition. 

Essential Criteria 

• Strategic thinking: A track record of translating strategy into delivery, ability to understand the work of the team and the Directorate in a wider, strategic context, and to identify and take up opportunities to develop this knowledge over time. (LEAD) 
• Analysis and evidence: excellent ability to analyse quantitative and qualitative information, identify issues, synthesise diverse sources and intelligence and develop options and recommendations on a wide range of issues.  
• Stakeholder engagement: a track record of building collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, engaging influencing skills to secure desired outcomes, 
• Experience working in a fast-paced environment and managing multiple, concurrent priorities and projects.  
• Communications: Excellent ability to communicate effectively to a range of internal and external audiences, both in writing and in presentations, and to convey complex issues clearly and concisely. 

Desirable Criteria 

• Knowledge and understanding of regulation, policy development or the energy sector  

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.