Assistant Director, Technology Insight

Job summary

As Assistant Director of Technology Insight, you will have substantial opportunity to make a real difference, shaping how we think about the regulation of data and technology markets, and of the activities and systems of large technology companies that affect our lives

About the CMA

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.

The Technology Insight (TI) team, within Strategic Insight, Analysis & AI, advises multidisciplinary CMA case and project teams. Our work includes helping to define the scope of CMA investigations, analysing trends in digital markets, designing remedies to address harms to competition and consumers. We critically assess evidence, consider societal impacts of technology, and communicate technical concepts to colleagues from other CMA professions, including lawyers, economists and senior decision makers.

We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

You can read more about working at the CMA in our candidate pack

Job description

You will work directly on multidisciplinary teams investigating complex cases and projects with a data or technology focus. You will help determine the key areas for investigation and the technical evidence and analysis required to assess them. You will provide strategic direction for the technologist input to cases. You will take responsibility for delivery of these inputs, including overseeing the work of other technologists working on your cases.

No two cases are the same. One month you might be examining the role of AI in digital markets, the next exploring cybersecurity ecosystems, cloud infrastructure, software platforms or emerging technologies. You will work alongside economists, lawyers, behavioural scientists and data specialists to tackle novel problems where there are often no established answers.

You will play a significant role in shaping the future direction of the Technology Insight profession at the CMA, helping build new capabilities, develop colleagues and influence how the organisation understands emerging technologies. You will also have staff management responsibility for Senior Technology Insight Advisers, and you will be part of the management team for DTI contributing to the effective operation of DTI and development of colleagues and capabilities within the Group.

In addition, there will be opportunities to work collaboratively across other aspects of the DTI portfolio, such as proactively monitoring trends in emerging technologies that affect consumers and competition (including developing a pipeline of future cases) and developing the CMA’s capability and approach to regulating complex sociotechnical systems that use AI and machine learning.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. For tips on how to make the most your application, please have a look at our guidance document.

Essential:

• Significant experience of building, researching, evaluating or investigating complex technology-enabled systems, including how people, organisations and technology interact to shape outcomes. (lead criteria)
• Experience researching, analysing, and communicating (in writing and verbally) complex information about technical subjects, including to non-technical and senior audiences.
• Experience leading, developing and supporting technical or analytical professionals, creating an environment where people can perform at their best and continue to grow.
• Experience of exercising judgement in situations involving uncertainty, incomplete evidence or novel technological developments.
• Demonstrable ability to build and leverage strong relationships both inside and outside the organisation, including with senior stakeholders.
• Active interest in technology and digital markets, and in understanding how technological developments can affect competition, consumers, innovation and wider societal outcomes.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Data Scientist capability framework as described in the Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) profession. (Lead Data Scientist)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £84,800, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £24,566 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).

You’ll also get:

• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

You can read more about our benefits in our candidate pack.

Our Values

We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence.​ We treat everyone with Respect and are Collaborative and Inclusive.​

Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.

You can read more about life at the CMA in our candidate pack.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

Application and sift stage

• As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.
• The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review), and an interview, which will include a presentation. Arrangements for the interview will be enclosed in the invitation.
• Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application. Your personal statement should be no more than 1250 words.
• An initial sift based on the first criteria point (Lead Criteria) may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered. If you do not meet the lead selection criteria in your application, the panel will not be required to score your application against the remaining essential criteria of the role.
• We may raise the score required at sift stage to progress to interview if we receive a high number of applications and take through the highest performing candidates to the interview stage.
• Successful candidates at sift will be invited to an interview which will be conducted via Microsoft Teams.

Interview stage

• At the CMA we apply a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you and we use the Success Profiles framework assessing the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the advert and attached role profile.
• The interview will be a 45 minute-one hour panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the role profile.
• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Timeline (the dates outlined below are indicative and may be subject to change)

• The advert closing date is 23 November 2026 (23:55). We are not able to accept late applications.
• The sift is scheduled to take place between 24 and 27 November 2026.
• Interviews will be held from the week commencing 07 December 2026. Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams.

During the interview and presentation process, we will assess you against the Digital, Data and Technology profession capability framework. Specifically, you will be assessed against the Data Scientist capability framework https://ddat-capability-framework.service.gov.uk/role/data-scientist#lead-data-scientist

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. You can also email recruitment@cma.gov.uk.

For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.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, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Serena Connor
• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Further information

If your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Recruitment@cma.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.

Attachments

TI G6C Role Profile Nov 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 241kB)