Locations: We especially welcome applicants from Glasgow and Cardiff.

 

Stand at the forefront of fair energy markets and deliver justice for consumers, Ofgem is looking for a Deputy Director, Enforcement to help combat poor practice in the energy sector and lead high-profile investigations that hold companies to account. 
 
Ofgem is Great Britain's independent energy regulator. We're at the forefront of change across the energy sector, driving toward Net Zero whilst protecting energy consumers - especially vulnerable people. 
 
We're offering a permanent position at the heart of a fast-moving, high-impact policy area, where your work will support the strategic enforcement agenda across the energy sector. You'll oversee cases spanning poor treatment of vulnerable customers, the integrity of energy network assets, and the competitiveness of the energy system. With enforcement tools ranging from informal redress to formal sanctions, you'll help shape how Ofgem tackles misconduct and drives up standards across the industry. 
 
This is a rare opportunity to join a high-performing, values-driven team and lead enforcement action that protects millions of energy customers. You'll work closely with the Director of Market Oversight & Enforcement and collaborate with senior stakeholders across Ofgem and the energy sector. The work is varied and intellectually stimulating, offering opportunities to lead strategic reform, drive continuous improvement and enforcement practice at a national scale. 
 
We're looking for someone with strong leadership credentials and the proven ability to manage complex investigations and stakeholder relationships in high-pressure environments. You'll bring strategic insight, sound judgment, and the ability to lead and inspire diverse teams delivering cross-cutting regulatory work. 
 
At Ofgem, you'll be a leader within an inclusive, supportive culture where bold ideas are welcomed. We offer flexible and hybrid working, generous leave and pension benefits, and the opportunity to work on some of the most challenging and rewarding regulatory issues in the UK today. There's genuine scope to shape the role and bring new perspectives, practices, and energy to how we enforce for the benefit of consumers. 
 
We have a critical purpose to lead enforcement in the energy sector - ensuring companies meet their obligations, driving out poor behaviour and upholding standards that protect consumers and markets alike. You'll be instrumental in delivering outcomes that deter misconduct, deliver redress, and help build a fairer, more accountable energy system.

Key Responsibilities

• Deliver a significant programme of enforcement work to a high standard, managing and co-ordinating to ensure successful outcomes across teams. 
• Develop, plan and deliver outcomes, including clear and transparent objectives, milestones and success metrics.  
• Deliver on agreed budget and resource requirements.  
• Build and support the teams delivering work, including effective scoping and setting of clear responsibilities.  
• Encourage and support development of colleagues within teams and the Compliance and Enforcement Profession.  
• Jointly responsible with the Personal Development Lead (PDL) on welfare and pastoral care of all colleagues. 
  
  

Key Outputs and Deliverables 

Delivery 

• Collaborate with other regulatory teams across Ofgem to support compliance and rule-setting activities, identify enforcement needs and embed processes. 
• Prioritise casework and manage resources through responsible planning and oversight, to ensure that good customer outcomes are achieved efficiently and effectively. 
• Ensure internal and external enforcement guidelines and processes are transparent, robust and sufficiently flexible to support effective outcomes. 
• Develop strong relationships with external stakeholders to support delivery. 
• Effectively advise GEMA, Senior Executive Committee, the Enforcement Oversight Board and the Enforcement Decision Panel (as appropriate) on the enforcement risks and decisions which impact upon consumers, stakeholders, and the organisation. 
• Represent Ofgem across government and the energy sector to ensure Ofgem's rules and enforcement activities promote, mandate and deliver the right kind of behaviour by regulated companies and by potential new market entrants - encouraging good consumer outcomes (fair prices, quality and standards, low-cost transition and resilience).
   

Portfolio Management  

• Build a high performing, high morale set of enforcement teams. 
• Ensure strong project management tools and practices, including prudent management of the associated budgets. 
• Develop organisational capacity.  
• Establish robust governance processes ensuring a balance between strong oversight and ability to respond in an agile fashion.  
  
  

Relationship Management 

• Lead and effectively manage relationships with senior leaders at energy suppliers and other regulated entities in relation to compliance matters, preventing escalation where appropriate. 
• Lead senior engagement with Government, other regulators, and relevant external stakeholders, building strong relationships.  
• Be a visible and accessible representative of Ofgem, providing effective and intelligent input to relevant stakeholders. 
  
  

Essential Criteria

• Proven track record in leading a large and complex portfolio of enforcement investigations, or equivalent, and in delivering robust and defensible outcomes at pace. (Lead criteria) 
• Experience of leading and developing diverse teams and collaborative ways of working to drive continuous improvements and ability to motivate teams and individuals to excel in delivery in a high-pressure environment. 
• Proven ability to make robust decisions with significant financial and reputational implications and with a risk of legal challenge.  
• Experience of engaging with/managing multiple senior stakeholders in high-pressure situations. 
• Strong analytical skills, with ability to exercise sound judgement in often highly complex and contested areas. 
  
  

Desirable Criteria

• High degree of knowledge of regulatory compliance and/or enforcement processes. 
• Knowledge of the Energy Sector. 
  
  

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
  
  

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.
  
  

Alongside your salary of £76,000, OFGEM contributes £22,017 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

 

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 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.

 

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.

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).

 

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

 

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Job contact

• Name: Lynn Robertson
• Email: [email protected]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email: [email protected]