Senior People Partner

Job summary

Ofgem is Great Britain’s independent energy regulator. Our primary responsibility is to protect energy consumers, especially the most vulnerable, while at the same time working with government, industry and consumer groups to deliver a clean, more affordable and secure net-zero energy system at the lowest cost to consumers and drive economic growth.

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.

Role Purpose

The Senior People Partner will act as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to Directorate leadership teams, ensuring People & Organisational strategies are embedded and aligned with Ofgem’s strategic priorities, including the Ofgem Operating Model and the outcomes of the Ofgem Review. The role combines deep HR expertise with business acumen to shape workforce planning, organisational effectiveness, employee experience and performance across a complex regulatory environment.

This role plays a critical part in Ofgem’s hybrid People model by bridging Directorates and Service Enablement Hubs (SEHs), ensuring people strategies are translated into practical delivery that enhances organisational performance and employee experience. It supports the delivery of transformation programmes ensuring people impacts are well managed and aligned with Civil Service values.

Job description

Key Accountabilities

• Act as a trusted advisor to Directorate leadership, aligning people strategies with organisational priorities and regulatory objectives.

• Influence senior leaders to embed a high-performance, inclusive culture and to champion diversity, equity and inclusion.

• Accountable for ensuring the implementation of robust, strategic workforce plans, performance management, talent development and succession planning to meet current and future capability needs of their client group (ensuring all are aligned to corporate frameworks).

• Provide guidance on organisational change programmes including consultation, TU engagement and statutory compliance, ensuring successful transformation aligned with Ofgem’s operating model.

• Use people analytics and workforce insights to inform strategic decisions, monitor key workforce metrics and integrate people priorities into business planning and governance.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Partnering

• Act as the primary People contact for Directorate leadership, providing strategic insight and challenge on all people related matters.

• Translate organisational priorities (including those emerging from the Ofgem Review) into Directorate workforce plans.

• Provide thought leadership and coaching to senior leaders on all people related matters, including culture, leadership, performance and change.

• Deliver support to develop a high-performing and inclusive environment for all colleagues.

• Host workshops and drop-in sessions with Business Units aligned to corporate and local people related initiatives.

Workforce & Organisation Effectiveness

• Lead workforce planning and resourcing strategies in collaboration with Organisation Effectiveness & Capability and Civil Service Workforce Planning frameworks.

• Shape organisational design and development interventions to build capacity and capability across regulatory and delivery functions.

• Partner with Finance and Strategy colleagues to align people priorities with business planning and workforce cycles, ensuring value for money and public accountability.

Performance & Culture

• Support leaders in driving performance management, talent development and succession planning aligned with local Ofgem and Civil Service competency frameworks.

• Promote an inclusive and high-performance culture, drawing on specialist advice from SEHs (e.g., Performance & Rewards, Wellbeing, EDI).

• Use data and insight (from People Analytics & HR Operations) to support evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement.

• Develop and action interventions from People Surveys.

Change Leadership

• Partner with leaders to deliver organisational change and transformation.

• Provide advice on employee engagement, consultation and change implementation approaches (including TU engagement and statutory obligations).

• Champion continuous improvement and innovation in people services delivery, supporting Ofgem’s ambition to be a modern and agile regulator.

Person specification

Key Skills & Capabilities

• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate regulatory and organisational priorities into people solutions.

• Demonstrated ability to influence and coach senior leaders, constructively challenging where needed.

• Experience in organisational design, workforce planning and change management in a public sector context.

• Strong understanding of employment law, employee relations and Civil Service people policy frameworks.

• Skilled in using data and analytics to inform decisions and measure impact.

• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Coaching skills to support leaders and teams in building capability and driving performance.

• Experience or ability to work effectively in a matrix environment.

• Resilient, collaborative and future-focused, with a commitment to Ofgem’s values, Civil Service Code and public service ethos.

Essential Criteria

• Significant experience in HR business partnering at a senior level within a complex or regulated environments. (Lead Criteria)

• Strong understanding of workforce planning, change management, succession/talent planning and building inclusivity. (Lead Criteria)

• Ability to align people strategies with organisational priorities and operating models.

• Ability to interpret workforce data and provide evidence-based recommendations.

• Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, including experience of coaching and challenging senior leaders.

• Professional qualification in HR or equivalent experience (e.g. CIPD Level 7 or equivalent).

Qualifications

Professional qualification in HR or equivalent experience (e.g. CIPD Level 7 or equivalent).

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £63,443, OFGEM contributes £18,379 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; up to 30 days annual leave. Excellent training and development opportunities. The opportunity