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Form of work
SalaryThe Infrastructure Group is central to the creation and delivery of a reliable, intelligent, clean energy system that will meet the UK's demand and supply needs.
Our programmes of work are centred around 5 strategic goals aligned to consumer interest. These are (i) creating strong institutions and governance, (ii) building infrastructure fit for a low cost future, (iii) achieving system efficiency and fairness in cost allocations, (iv) maintaining a high quality of service from regulated firms, and (v) ensuring secure and resilient supplies.
The Infrastructure Group has five directorates that support the delivery of our strategic goals:
• Major Projects Directorate, which focuses on accelerating infrastructure build onshore and offshore, supporting the development of nuclear, carbon capture and hydrogen, and creating the right regulatory frameworks to support the development of a new low carbon infrastructure future.
• System Planning, Grid Connections and Technology Directorate, focuses on developing national and regional system plans alongside Government and FSO, setting out the Connections action plan and longer-term connections reform, engineering and asset health oversight and driving forward technology/innovation.
• Price Controls Directorate, focuses on the setting, operation and monitoring/compliance of the electricity and gas network price controls.
• Cyber Directorate, focuses on cyber security and assurance, cyber resilience and how we meet the challenge of opening up data whilst maintaining security.
• Energy Systems Management and Security Directorate, focuses on charging and access arrangements, market operations, design, energy security, and new institutions and frameworks required for Net Zero and energy systems regulation.
Person specification
Director of Energy Systems Management and Security
The post-holder will play a pivotal role at the heart of the energy system to prepare it to meet net zero targets for 2035 and 2050. They will lead Ofgem's work in setting up and regulating effective institutional and governance arrangements for whole-system planning at both the national and regional levels (including the creation and regulation of the Future System Operator and regional system planners); the reform of wholesale markets and network charging arrangements to minimise the costs of the net zero transition for consumers; the development of markets for flexibility at both the retail and wholesale levels; and the fair distribution of infrastructure and system costs across households and businesses through network and system charges on bills.
Director of Network Price Controls
The post-holder will lead Ofgem's work in carrying out periodic price reviews for all onshore energy networks including gas and electricity. The next price reviews for the gas and electricity transmission and gas distribution sectors are due by April 1, 2026. The objective is to facilitate the investment required to meet net zero targets, while ensuring that network companies deliver a high quality of service; maintain a reliable and resilient network; and deliver good value for money for consumers.
Director of System Planning, Grid Connections & Technology
The post-holder will lead a team of economists, engineers, data scientists, technologists and policy professionals to oversee the production of integrated spatial plans for the future energy system, which enable the proper co-ordination of generation, storage and network infrastructure to meet net zero targets for 2035 and 2050. Alongside this, they will lead the reform of grid connection arrangements so that the queue for grid connections is managed efficiently and in line with system plans; viable projects can connect when ready; and projects needed to meet net zero targets do not face connection delays. Finally, the post-holder will lead the development of enabling regulations to create a digital, open and secure energy system, maximising the benefits for consumers from new technologies and innovation.
Director of Major Projects
The post-holder will lead the delivery of the entire infrastructure build programme for the 2035 and 2050 net zero targets. This includes the onshore network upgrades; the offshore network upgrades; and setting up new regulatory regimes to enable the investment in low carbon assets (hydrogen; carbon capture; and new nuclear) through the low carbon RAB programme. It will also include senior representation with Government and industry on other enablers such as planning reform and supply chain management and capacity. Finally, the post-holder will develop and deliver models for competitive delivery of network infrastructure through the CATO and OFTO build programmes.
More information about the roles, responsibilities and application process can be found in the attached candidate pack below.
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Please refer to the candidate pack for further details.
Alongside your salary of £120,000, OFGEM contributes £32,400 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:
- Up to 30 days annual leave.
- Excellent training and development opportunities.
- The opportunity to join the Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%.
- Flexible working hours and family friendly policies.
- Restaurant (London only).
- Interest free season ticket loan.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.
To apply for one or more of these roles, you will need to submit the following documentation to Odgers Berndtson online at no later than 23:55 on Sunday 3rd March 2024.
1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A Statement of Suitability (no longer than two pages) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential and desirable criteria.Please make it clear in your application which role (s) you are applying for. Where you are applying for more than one role, you will only need to submit one application. However, you will need to ensure you address all relevant role specific criteria in your statement of suitability, in addition to the core essential criteria that applies to all four roles. If you are applying for more than one role, the statement of suitability should not exceed three pages.
- Failure to submit both documents (CV and Statement of Suitability) will mean the panel have only limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.
- Please ensure that both documents contain your full name.
- Should you encounter any issues with submitting your application please get in touch with Anna Dickinson, Odgers Berndtson ().
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 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 . click apply for full job details
