Economist

Job description

Job summary

Ofgem is Great Britain's independent energy regulator. We are at the forefront of change across the energy sector, playing a vital role in ensuring that households and businesses across Great Britain have access to reliable, affordable and sustainable energy. As the energy system becomes more complex and the transition to Net Zero accelerates, robust analysis and evidence-based decision-making are more important than ever.

The Infrastructure Economics team sits within Ofgem's Office of Research and Economics (ORE), providing economics and analytical support to a wide range of projects across the Infrastructure Group. Our work contributes to major regulatory decisions affecting energy consumers, infrastructure investment and the development of Great Britain's future energy system.

This role provides an excellent opportunity for economists looking to develop their experience across a broad range of energy and regulatory issues. Working alongside experienced economists and multidisciplinary colleagues, you will contribute to analytical projects that inform policy development and regulatory decision-making in areas such as network regulation, major infrastructure projects and energy system reform.

You will support the delivery of economic analysis and impact assessments, help develop evidence bases for policy decisions, and communicate analytical findings to a range of audiences. The role offers exposure to complex and high-profile work while providing opportunities to build expertise in economic analysis, regulation and the energy sector.

You will:

• Support the delivery of high-quality analytical work across a range of infrastructure and energy system projects.
• Apply economic thinking and analytical techniques to assess issues and develop practical recommendations.
• Develop effective working relationships with colleagues across Ofgem and, where appropriate, with external stakeholders.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Reporting to a Senior Economist, your responsibilities will include:

• Undertaking economic and analytical work to support policy development, regulatory decision-making and problem solving across a range of infrastructure-related projects.
• Gathering, interpreting and analysing evidence and data to support the development of robust recommendations and policy options.
• Supporting the delivery of impact assessments, policy evaluations and other analytical outputs, ensuring work is accurate, proportionate and delivered to agreed timescales.
• Applying economic thinking and established analytical approaches to assess the potential impacts of regulatory and policy proposals.
• Contributing to analytical work supporting major infrastructure projects, energy system reforms and network price control activities.
• Producing clear written outputs, including briefings, presentations, consultation material and analytical summaries for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Working collaboratively with economists, policy teams and other specialists across Ofgem to support project delivery.
• Building productive working relationships with internal stakeholders and contributing to engagement with external organisations, including DESNZ, NESO and other regulatory partners.

Person specification

Essential

• Degree in Economics or a related subject, or equivalent capability gained through relevant professional experience applying economic analysis. (Lead Criteria)

• Experience of delivering analytical or economic work, including gathering, interpreting and presenting evidence to support decision-making across one or more projects. (Lead Criteria)

• Ability to apply structured analytical thinking to complex issues and develop evidence-based conclusions and recommendations.
• Ability to synthesise and communicate analysis, ideas and data clearly for different audiences, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues from different professional backgrounds.
• Ability to manage and prioritise work effectively to deliver quality outputs within agreed timescales.

Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 35,232, OFGEM contributes 10,206 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; 30 days annual leave after 2 years; 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 and Experience.

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 criteriaand 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.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

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 : Shannon Ward
• 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.

Attachments Economist Role Profile 477905 Opens in new window (pdf, 113kB) Terms and Conditions Opens in new window (pdf, 335kB)