Deputy Director, IT Service Operations

Job description

Job summary

Could you thrive at the forefront of transforming technology within the energy sector?

Ofgem, Great Britains independent energy regulator, is looking for a Deputy Director of IT Service Operations to lead the delivery of secure, resilient and user-centred IT services that underpin our vital regulatory mission.

This is a high-profile leadership opportunity with significant scope to shape the future of digital operations at a nationally critical organisation. You will provide strategic and operational leadership across Ofgems enterprise IT services, ensuring they continuously evolve to meet organisational needs and deliver measurable outcomes.

You will lead four core capabilities:

• Service Design and Transition,

• Service Management,

• Service Desk and

• End User Computing (EUC).

A particular focus will be on the need to develop strong customer service approach, as well as assisting with the preparation and onboarding of the services associated with Ofgem's hunger for data exploitation and AI adoption.

The role combines strategic oversight with delivery accountability. You will champion innovation, lead transformation across the live service portfolio, strengthen operational governance and embed a culture of continual improvement, aligned to ITIL principles and Ofgems strategic priorities.

Job description

We are looking for an experienced digital and technology leader who can demonstrate:

• Strategic Leadership & Service Vision

Proven and extensive ability to set and lead the strategic direction for IT Service Operations, aligning delivery with organisational goals and translating vision into measurable outcomes. This will be demonstrated across a variety of enterprise scale operations, covering the full range of Digital Services (i.e. End User Compute, Data, Applications etc).

• Operational Excellence & Service Improvement

Demonstrable experience in leading large-scale service delivery, service introduction and transformation, including implementation of ITIL-aligned frameworks, governance controls, and continuous improvement initiatives. Extensive experience of introducing, operating and refining services will be required across a broad range of Digital, Data and Security Services.

• End User Computing & Digital Workplace Leadership

Strong track record in managing and evolving EUC services at scale (at least 1500 users), ensuring secure, reliable, and user-centred access to digital tools and technologies.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Commercial Acumen

Excellent communication and influencing skills, with experience in managing large budgets, Enterprise-wide vendor relationships, and building trust across senior stakeholders.

• Procurement & Commercial Awareness

Knowledge or experience of civil service procurement processes, including tendering, contract management, and commercial negotiations for IT services.

• Budget and Financial Management

Knowledge or experience of budget/financial management for Digital services, including the basic accounting treatments for the various types of IT services/contracts/assets. In terms of scale, you will be able to demonstrate multi-million-pound direct budget accountability.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Strategic Leadership & Service Vision
  • Proven and extensive ability to set and lead the strategic direction for IT Service Operations, aligning delivery with organisational goals and translating vision into measurable outcomes. This will be demonstrated across a variety of enterprise scale operations, covering the full range of Digital Services (i.e. End User Compute, Data, Applications etc). (Lead Criteria)
• Operational Excellence & Service Improvement
  • Demonstrable experience in leading large-scale service delivery, service introduction and transformation, including implementation of ITIL-aligned frameworks, governance controls, and continuous improvement initiatives. Extensive experience of introducing, operating and refining services will be required across a broad range of Digital, Data and Security Services. (Lead Criteria)
• End User Computing & Digital Workplace Leadership
  • Strong track record in managing and evolving EUC services at scale (at least 1500 users), ensuring secure, reliable, and user-centred access to digital tools and technologies.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Commercial Acumen
  • Excellent communication and influencing skills, with experience in managing large budgets, Enterprise-wide vendor relationships, and building trust across senior stakeholders.
• Procurement & Commercial
  • Awareness Knowledge or experience of civil service procurement processes, including tendering, contract management, and commercial negotiations for IT services.
• Budget and Financial Management
  • Knowledge or experience of budget/financial management for Digital services, including the basic accounting treatments for the various types of IT services/contracts/assets. In terms of scale, you will be able to demonstrate multi-million pound direct budget accountability.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of estates management.

If you would like to discuss the opportunity or find out more, please contact Lauren OBrien on 020 8253 1806 or email [email protected] .

#LI-DNI

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Changing and Improving
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• You will be asked to conduct a presentation during your interview. Details of the presentation will be included in the invitation to interview.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 81,000, OFGEM contributes 23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Ofgem can offer you a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes; SCS1 holiday entitlement; Excellent training and development opportunities; The opportunity to join the generous Civil Service pension which also includes a valuable range of benefits; hybrid working (currently 1 day a week in the office but this is kept under review), flexible working hours and family friendly policies. Plus, lots of other benefits including clean and bright offices based centrally, engaged networks and teams and an opportunity to contribute to our ambitious and important targets of establishing a Net Zero energy system by 2050. This exciting blend of professional challenge and personal reward identifies career opportunities at Ofgem as something to get excited about.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of your application, you will be asked to upload a 2-page copy of your CV and 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 criteria listed in the role profile. In the event of receiving a large number of applications, an initial sift may take place on just the lead criteria indicated in the essential criteria.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by [ https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn ].

At Ofgem, we expect our staff to carry out their roles with honesty, fairness and openness. They should follow the Civil Service code and be free from any influence or bias. We are committed to making sure interests are recognised, declared and managed appropriately so that we can fulfil our duties as an energy regulator. Our Conflicts of Interest policy outlines the types of interests Ofgem staff must declare before onboarding, and the rules they must follow throughout employment so that we can clearly demonstrate that our decisions are not influenced by private interests.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window) .

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants
Job contact :

• Name : Lauren O'Brien
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commissions Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of these Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website.

Follow link to apply
[email protected]

Attachments DD IT Service Operations Role Profile Final Opens in new window (pdf, 181kB) Deputy Director of IT Service Operations Candidate Pack (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 942kB)