Senior Economist

Job description

Job summary
Ofgems price cap protects around 22 million energy customers from unfair prices. Were looking for a Senior Economist to bring their expertise to this high-profile area of work and help ensure that protection continues to work for consumers as the energy market changes.

Ofgem is Great Britains independent energy regulator. Were at the forefront of change across the energy sector, driving toward Net Zero whilst protecting energy consumers especially vulnerable people.

This is a permanent opportunity to use your expertise to make a real difference to millions of people across Great Britain. Working in an area that directly affects household finances, youll contribute to fairer outcomes for individual consumers whilst helping ensure the energy market works effectively for the public.

Youll shape analytical work and influence significant policy decisions across economics, competition analysis and financial evidence, working alongside specialists on some of the most important questions facing the retail energy market.

Whats more, youll have the chance to strengthen your leadership experience, leading key areas of work, setting direction for junior colleagues and bringing together policy, analytical and legal expertise from across Ofgem.

So, what will you bring to the role? Youll be an experienced economist or analyst with strong quantitative skills and demonstrable experience of complex analysis and modelling, including applying economics, competition analysis and financial analysis to relevant markets. Youll have proven policy development and writing skills, excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities, and experience of shaping and leading analytical work programmes and major projects to fixed deadlines.

In return, youll be enabled to stretch yourself tackling complex challenges and broaden your experience across high-profile analytical and policy work. Within our inclusive and diverse environment, youll also discover a market-leading rewards package, alongside plenty of professional development opportunities that will allow you to continue your trajectory on your career path.

We have a critical purpose to protect energy consumers, and ensuring people pay a fair price for their energy is central to that mission. Join us and use your economic expertise to help shape effective price protection as the energy market continues to change.

Read on and find out more

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing and evidencing changes to price cap policy;

• Ensuring policy recommendations are based on robust and quality assured economic analysis;

• Communicating policy proposals to internal and external stakeholders;

• Coordinating / managing a team of policy analysts to ensure the completion of team deliverables on time;

• Identify interdependencies and working collaboratively with other experts across Ofgem. Engaging with other policy teams and legal advisors.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

• Analytical skills Strong quantitative skills using a range of methods and demonstrable experience of conducting complex analysis / modelling; including strong evidence of applying economics and competition analysis (including financial analysis) to relevant markets. (Lead Criteria)
• Policy skills policy analysis and policy writing skills with demonstrable application of those skills to policy development, consultation, decision-making processes and implementation.
• Communication skills the ability to communicate complex and often technical issues clearly and effectively with both experts and non-experts.
• Project and management skills Evidence of shaping and leading analytical work programmes that support policy decisions, and successful management of major projects with fixed deadlines. This includes proactively managing your own work independently with minimal supervision and setting direction for junior colleagues.
• Stakeholder management skills - ability to communicate credibly and effectively with stakeholders at all levels as part of a targeted stakeholder management strategy

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of 49,452, OFGEM contributes 14,326 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 butthis is keptunderreview), flexible working hours and family friendly policies.Pluslots 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 ofestablishinga Net Zero energy system by 2050. This exciting blend of professional challenge and personal rewardidentifiescareer 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, Ability and Experience.

When you press the Apply now button, you will be directed to a Civil Service test guidance for this can be found here Civil Service online tests - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) The test you are due to take is not timed and you can complete it at your own pace. Upon passing the tests, 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 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.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. You must ensure that any evidence submitted as part of your application or used during interview, including your CV and any statements or examples, are truthful and factually accurate. Ofgem takes 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. Please note that plagiarism can include presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own.

Please refer to Civil Service candidate advice on the acceptable use of artificial intelligence within the recruitment and selection process - Artificial intelligence and recruitment , Civil Service Careers

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 ].

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 : Sabrina Wilson
• 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.

Attachments Senior Economist, Role Profile 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 110kB) Analysis Candidate Pack - Senior Economist Opens in new window (pdf, 766kB) Terms and Conditions Opens in new window (pdf, 335kB)