Case Officer, Delivery Graduate Scheme

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is facing far-reaching changes, as we assume new responsibilities and gain significant powers that ensures we can fulfil our role in supporting the UK’s economy as it continues to grow. The importance of our role means we are always looking for different ways to attract talented individuals. Our Graduate Scheme, now in its fourth year, offers unrivalled career potential for ambitious graduates.

About the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

We drive market outcomes that benefits people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work benefits millions of individual people, is high profile, continually evolving and intellectually stimulating with a regular presence in national media and of interest around the world. 

The Scheme

The Case OfficerDelivery Graduate Scheme is an exciting springboard opportunity for aspiring graduates to gain valuable experience working alongside other experts across our delivery teams. As a Case Officer on the Graduate Scheme, you will do three 12-month placements in different parts of the CMA and will contribute to the delivery of high-quality outputs, assisting major investigations and studies. You will work on a variety of interesting cases and investigations, with your professional development regularly reviewed and discussed with those you work with.

You will also access a comprehensive formal learning programme, that includes professional learning, technical learning, leadership skills, management skills, business skills and conferences. Spread over the three years of the scheme, this programme is designed to:

• Expand your knowledge of the CMA through the CMA’s Induction, Understanding, and Deepening courses
• Sharpen your drafting, presenting, interpersonal and IT skills
• Develop your project management know-how through the CMA’s internal courses and by funding your place on an APM Project Management Qualification course

During the second year of the scheme, you will be sponsored to study part-time for an external qualification related to your work at the CMA. You will be able to choose from a pre-selected menu of courses, either legal, economic or leadership in focus, or apply to use the funding on another course relevant to the work of the CMA.

After successfully completing the Graduate Scheme, we expect successful candidates to have the skills, knowledge, and experience to consider applying for a Principal Case Officer (Grade 7) role at the CMA, which is a competition specialist role with a starting salary of £55,133.

What we are looking for

The key essential criteria for this scheme are as follows:

• Achieved or expect to achieve at least a 2:2 at degree level or similar equivalent
• Effective oral and written communication skills
• Ability to undertake complex analytical work, identifying and assessing a broad range of evidence and drawing out key conclusions and recommendations
• Demonstrable administrative and organisational skills that lead to delivering outcomes on time and to the required standard
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team, including through building relationships with internal colleagues or external stakeholders

What we can offer you

The CMA is a hugely diverse, rewarding and stimulating place to work – an opportunity to work for the public good and to stretch and develop yourself in doing so. We offer generous benefits, including an excellent pension scheme with an average employer contribution of 27%, at least 25 days leave (increasing to 30 over five years), and generous maternity/paternity leave provision. You can also take advantage of interest-free season ticket loans, a cycle to work scheme, and our extensive flexible working options.

We actively promote mental and physical wellbeing with access to an employee assistance programme, a varied programme of wellbeing initiatives and a network of mental health first aiders.

We will be hosting an online event at 17.30 on 24January, where we will give further details on the CMA and the Delivery Graduate Scheme, including the opportunity to hear from current scheme participants, and answer your questions. We would encourage applicants to attend this, and you can register for the event here Live Q&A event: CMA Grad Scheme 2024 Tickets, Wed 24 Jan 2024 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

To find out more about this opportunity and working for the CMA please click the apply button.

Closing date for completed applications: 11:55pm on Monday 6 February 2024.

Like many other organisations, we operate a hybrid working model with a mix of office and home working. We believe this supports us to deliver our best work while allowing the flexibility to maintain balanced and healthy lives.

The CMA is an accredited Disability Confident Employer, and we are an equal opportunities employer, welcoming suitably qualified applicants from all backgrounds. We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.