Price Control Performance Evaluation and Cost Assessment Expert

Job description

Ofgem works on behalf of energy consumers to ensure that every household and business in the UK can rely on a safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy supply. We are playing a vital part in accelerating the transition to Net Zero and a carbon neutral energy system - a goal that everyone wants to achieve. Whatever your role, you'll be playing your part in creating new energy solutions that are great for customers, and great for the environment.

The renewed urgency in the UK's decarbonisation goals underlines the need for our energy networks to be ready for new patterns of energy supply and energy use. As we embark on a deeper and faster transformation of our energy system, we need to ensure that networks play a full role in that whilst ensuring we protect consumers by ensuring they benefit from a low-cost energy system. This role will play a key part of that process, ensuring Ofgem's regulation of the energy networks and beyond enables a wider transformation of the energy in the coming decades, helping to achieve net zero targets for 2035 (a net zero clean power system) and 2050 (a net zero economy).

Ofgem has a culture of inclusion that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our colleagues. It fuels our innovation and helps ensure we can best represent 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

• Providing expert cost analysis to inform Ofgem of the network companies' performance and delivery of the price controls. Work through how to apply cost assessment techniques in our regulation of the electricity and gas networks, and how to leverage these cost assessment techniques beyond network price control.
• Shaping Ofgem's ongoing development and implementation of cost modelling and assessment tools and techniques for longer term network price control setting.
• Be the focal point and expert in a multi-disciplinary team supporting the delivery of high-quality cost assessment programmes across the energy sector.
• Driving continuous improvement in our technical and analytical capabilities for cost modelling and assessment within the organisation.
• Plan, oversee and deliver a set of work deliverables on time and to a high standardthrough effective project management and support of multidisciplinary team members.
• Provide inclusive corporate leadership, using your expertise to provide comprehensive knowledge sharing, support and development that demonstrate commitment to Ofgem's values.

Key Outputs and Deliverables

• Takes a leadership role in the development and implementation of an annual monitoring process, including annual report, on network companies' performance and delivery of the price control.
• Presents our assessment of performance to Directors and our board (GEMA).
• Leads deep-dive analysis on specific element of price control, as well as developing cost benchmarking and unit cost modelling.
• Works collaboratively to establish Ofgem as a centre of excellence in cost assessment and price regulation.
• Collaborates closely with Team Managers to manage interdependencies, risks and resourcing to support portfolio delivery.
• Supports corporate objective to develop inclusive team resourcing and staff onboarding.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Established expertise in regulatory performance monitoring, cost assessment and/or data analysis, as demonstrated by proven record of high performance and substantial achievements in current or previous roles over several years. (Lead criteria)
• Proven experience in electricity transmission or electricity distribution sector. (Lead criteria)
• Excellent analytical skills, with demonstrated ability to think critically, validate and analyse complex data, and to challenge and sense check results.
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to communicate technical information clearly and concisely and to work collaboratively to solve problems.
• Experience of developing and implementing robust regulatory monitoring frameworks and processes.
• Experience of developing cost benchmarking and unit cost modelling.
• Experience in the application of regulatory economics and/or cost assessment techniques in practice.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Please refer to the Candidate Pack and Role Profile attached for full details.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,520, OFGEM contributes £15,800 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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 is in 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

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.

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) .