Policy Officer - Consumer Vulnerability

Job summary

Energy is an essential service, but consumers in vulnerable circumstances can face additional barriers and pressures. In this role, you will turn evidence and stakeholder insight into practical policy and regulatory solutions that improve outcomes for consumers.

The opportunity

Join Ofgem’s Consumer Vulnerability and Debt team and contribute to high-profile work on our Consumer Vulnerability Strategy, domestic energy debt and prepayment meter rules. You will undertake policy development, respond to queries from MPs, the media and other stakeholders, and influence colleagues across Ofgem to consider vulnerability in their policy work.

This is a permanent opportunity to build experience at the heart of energy regulation while helping to deliver a greener, fairer energy system.

What you will do

• Analyse evidence, identify core issues and assess policy options.
• Draft clear briefings, consultations, impact assessments, guidance, decisions and stakeholder responses.
• Explain policy benefits, challenges and trade-offs to senior colleagues and partners.
• Build constructive relationships with consumer representatives, government and the energy industry.
• Support the prioritisation, scoping and delivery of projects and workstreams.

What you will bring

You may currently work in consumer vulnerability, fuel poverty, debt, welfare, consumer protection, regulation, public policy, research or analysis. We also welcome relevant transferable experience. You will bring:

• Demonstrable interest and experience in energy and consumer vulnerability (lead criterion).
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Clear and concise written and verbal communication.
• Experience of engaging with and managing multiple stakeholders.
• The ability to organise activities or workstreams and keep delivery on track.

Our team

We work collaboratively in an agile environment, focus on delivering value and keep user needs at the centre. We value different perspectives and experiences and encourage applications from people who can demonstrate relevant skills and a commitment to public service.

Help us improve outcomes for consumers in vulnerable circumstances.

Job description

The Portfolio protects and empowers consumers through policy development, supports new business models and propositions, and engages a wide range of stakeholders to understand industry behaviour and consumers’ needs. The team works collaboratively in an agile delivery environment, focusing on value and keeping user needs at the centre.

The Consumer Vulnerability and Debt team is focused on priority projects that aim to deliver real improvements for consumers in vulnerable circumstances. These include delivering our Consumer Vulnerability Strategy, helping to tackle debt in the domestic energy market and reviewing our rules on prepayment meters. The post holder will undertake policy development, respond to queries from MPs, the media and other stakeholders, and influence colleagues across Ofgem to consider vulnerability in their policy work.

Key Responsibilities and Outputs

Policy Development

• Contributing to and supporting the delivery of high-quality, timely and robust analysis of core issues and policy options, resulting in evidence-based recommendations.
• Drafting clear and concise documents, including briefings, policy documents, consultations, impact assessments, guidance, decision letters and responses to MPs, the media and other stakeholders.
• Supporting key workstreams and projects, including internal and external stakeholder engagement, and contributing to the prioritisation, scoping and delivery of work.

Stakeholder Management

• Communicating the benefits, challenges and trade-offs of policy proposals clearly and effectively to senior colleagues and partners.
• Collaborating effectively across teams, professions and other sources of evidence and expertise to support delivery and manage risks and issues.
• Representing Ofgem externally and building constructive relationships so that challenges and issues are identified and resolved in consumers’ interests.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

Demonstrable interest in energy and consumer vulnerability (LEAD)

Ability to analyse evidence, identify problems and develop proportionate solutions

Ability to communicate complex information clearly and concisely in writing and verbally

Experience of engaging with and managing relationships across multiple internal and external stakeholders.

Ability to organise different activities or workstreams and keep delivery on track

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,694, OFGEM contributes £7,733 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 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.

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 tests you are due to take are 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.

As part of your application, you will be required to answer a separate question of