Graduate Digital Programme

Job summary

Are you looking for a Digital graduate programme with a difference? We’re offering a two-year programme that will set you up for success in a public sector career where it really matters.

As Great Britain’s independent energy regulator. We’re at the forefront of change across the sector, driving toward Net Zero whilst protecting consumers, especially vulnerable people.

This is a graduate programme where you’ll gain experience across our organisation. You’ll complete placements in different teams, giving you the chance to explore where your strengths and interests lie while building a strong foundation for your career.

From the start, your development will be a priority. You’ll be supported by a dedicated Development Lead who will guide your progression, alongside a work manager in each placement to support your day-to-day learning. You’ll also take part in a structured development programme, including targeted training, expert speakers and opportunities to build your professional network.

You’ll be part of a collaborative and inclusive organisation where people are encouraged to share ideas, challenge thinking and learn from one another. Our work attracts talented people with a wide range of expertise, giving you the chance to learn from experienced colleagues while contributing your own perspective.

This programme is a recognised pathway into long-term careers at Ofgem. Many of our graduates go on to take up permanent roles across the organisation, continuing to develop their expertise and shape how the energy system works for consumers.

We’re looking for people who hold, or expect to achieve, at least a 2:2 undergraduate degree. if you want to be considered for placements within Digital Product Development or Engineering you will need a degree in a technical discipline, such as Numerical, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Geography, or the Sciences. If you want to be considered for placements within Digital Product and Delivery and/or User Centred Design you may also have studied humanities, social sciences or journalism.

You’ll be a collaborative problem solver, a data and evidence person, and someone who is curious and motivated. Most importantly, you’ll have an interest in the energy sector and the role it plays in delivering Net Zero and protecting consumers, and the drive to learn and develop your skills.

We have a critical purpose to ensure the energy system works in the interests of consumers, now and in the future. Join us and start building a career that makes a real difference.

Job description

Ofgem works on behalf of energy consumers to ensure that every household and business in the UK can rely on a safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy supply. We are playing a vital part in accelerating the transition to Net Zero and a carbon neutral energy system – a goal that everyone wants to achieve. Whatever your placement, you’ll be playing your part in creating new, secure energy solutions that are great for customers, and great for the environment.

We have 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.

The work of the Digital Delivery and Technology (Ddat) profession across government is diverse, working on services that are used by thousands of people every day. For graduates in the Ofgem digital graduate scheme, this will focus on designing, delivering and improving software applications to support government services i.e. applying for a grant to install a heat pump.

Ofgem operates a Flexible Resourcing model led by professions. Throughout your career with us this will provide you with the opportunity to work across Ofgem on a range of projects or you may have a longer deployment within a team where you have in-demand specialist skills, knowledge, and expertise.

The digital graduate scheme is designed to give you placements across our teams and to support your career development and progression in your preferred profession. We will consider your career interests and development needs in the way we manage your placements.

Purpose

Ofgem’s Digital graduate scheme has played a critical part in developing people throughout Ofgem. Like them, your career progression will be overseen by your own Development Lead with support of all the Profession Leads, Human Resources and all your colleagues.

Ofgem’s critical work attracts some of the best and most capable to us and there is a wealth of expertise to learn from across the organisation as well as through your structured learning programme.

You will be someone who:

• Has a keen interest in the energy sector, committed to delivering energy security, net zero and, most critically, ensuring consumer focus.
• Enjoys developing new skills, capabilities and being engaged across a broad range of diverse activities, such as: innovation, solutions generation, research and working collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders across the sector and other governmental organisations.
• Has at least a 2:2, and although our intake often comes from disciplines with a technical foundation like Numerical, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Geography and Sciences, if you are applying for Digital Product and Delivery and/or User Centred Design you may also have studied humanities, social sciences or journalism.
• What we care about most are your skills and attitudes, these should include:
• Proactive, resourcefulness and motivated to deliver for our users
• Problem Solving
• Adaptability
• Creativity & Innovative
• Communication, both oral and written
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team focused on delivering user needs

What you will gain from the experience:

Graduates will be asked to select up to 2 sub professions to apply for that will inform your eligibility criteria and shape your placements and development. The three sub professions are: Digital Product Development & Engineering, Digital Product and Delivery, and User Centred Design.

During the programme you will undertake four placements of usually six months (dependent upon progress and business needs) these may include:

• Modern schemes where you will help design or build software applications for government services that meet user needs.
• Legacy schemes where you will help transition the service to a modern platform whilst ensuring scheme availability and stability.
• Bespoke projects that support organisational priorities, for example testing out common use cases for automation or agentic AI.

During the Programme you will have your own Development Lead who will provide mentoring, career development advice and support. They will help advise and contribute to the placements and development opportunities needed to meet the needs of the scheme (and progression). They will play the leading role in identification and support for your development – both in terms of input learning (training) and experience needed through placements and projects.

Each placement will have specific training and there will be a common development programme for all graduates – introducing you to Ofgem, the scheme and a selection of expert speakers sharing their perspectives, research and experience.

With plenty of networking opportunities for all graduates, you will also learn from the diverse experiences of your colleagues across the professions of Ofgem – who will support you to develop to your full potential.

Further details of the sub-professions, the roles within the team and the support you will be given are included within the candidate pack, but in summary the sub-professions you will chose from are:

• Digital Product Development & Engineering: Joining this sub profession, you will work as part of a multi-disciplinary product team to build and run secure applications and products that drive our schemes and corporate functions. Our tech stacks vary between products 3rd party products like Salesforce and bespoke development using C#, SQL Server and Microsoft Azure. Whatever you work on it will be unique, varied, and will have a direct and rewarding impact on the success of our organisation.
  
  
• Digital Product & Delivery: This sub profession will see you working on product priorities and stakeholder needs and ensuring that the team has a clear vision for the product. It will also require you to work daily with stakeholders to understand problems, draw up and define requirements on an ideal outcome and help design a solution to reach that outcome for our users. Finally, you will be responsible for ensuring that the multi‑disciplinary team delivers these priorities using the most appropriate ways of working, in accordance with the agreed product roadmap. Overall, you will be at the heart of defining and delivering products and services for Ofgem.
  
  
• User Centred Design: In this sub-profession, you'll help to design and improve public‑facing services. You'll focus on identifying user needs, pain points and opportunities. You'll learn how to apply user-centred design (UCD) principles. We engage users in research sessions, map user journeys and create interactive prototypes. We make complex information clear and accessible. UCD team members collaborate in projects, working with product managers, business analysts and operational stakeholders.

Person specification

Regardless of which sub profession you select, you will be assessed against the universal essential criteria. In addition, each sub profession will also assess against the specific technical criteria for that sub profession.

Universal Essential Criteria:

• An ability to problem solve, generate options and communicate issues clearly and effectively, including effective presentation of data, written and spoken communication.
• An ability to build and maintain effective relationships within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Able to plan-ahead, prioritise and sequence tasks, manage progress and deliver against deadlines.

Digital Product Development & Engineering:

• Knowledge and understanding of the Software Development Lifecycle.
• Experience with an Object-Oriented programming language such as C# or Java.

Digital Product & Delivery:

• Excellent interpersonal, communication skills at all levels with the ability to produce and present clear, concise documentation.
• Some experience or knowledge in business analysis, business engagement, process improvement and the software development lifecycle.

User Centred Design:

• Excellent interpersonal, communication skills at all levels with the ability to produce and present clear, concise documentation.
• Some experience or knowledge in user centred design.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Technical criteria for each sub profession is highlighted above

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,500, OFGEM contributes £8,546 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; 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, Experience and Technical skills.

We will be hosting a free virtual recruitment event on Tuesday 21st April with the opportunity to learn more about the role and ask questions of the panel. Please register here https://app.tickettailor.com/events/ofgem/2153886

This is a great opportunity for you to meet us, find out more about our business and also ask questions to our existing Graduates on the programme

We are working to a start date of September 2026

Application & Selection Process

The first stage of our application process is for you to complete an online application form through our recruitment partner Cohesion, this enables us to capture information about your motivation, skills and strengths. In addition, you will also be asked to attach your CV.

On successful review of your online application form, you will be invited to complete online testing. This stage helps us ensure our graduates demonstrate proficiency in numerical, logical, critical reasoning.

Candidates who are successful at online testing will be invited to complete a video interview, which is a great way for us to get to know you better! It's not a live interview, instead we have pre-recorded the questions so that you can answer them at a time that is convenient for you (from your smartphone, tablet or laptop).

Following the video interview, some roles may also require candidates to complete additional role-specific online testing. Where this applies, full details and guidance will be provided in advance.

Our final stage of the process is an Assessment Centre which will be held virtually from w/c 15th June – w/c 22nd June.

If you’re invited to attend, you will complete a variety of exercises on the day – including an interview and presentation as well as a scenario and group exercises.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice, and other seriously improper conduct. If any of these are detected, you could be refused certain services or employment. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found by [https://www.cifas.org.uk/fpn].

At Ofgem, we expect our staff to carry out their roles with honesty, fairness and openness. They should follow the Civil Service code and be free from any influence or bias. We are committed to making sure interests are recognised, declared and managed appropriately so that we can fulfil our duties as an energy regulator. Our Conflicts of Interest policy outlines the types of interests Ofgem staff must declare before onboarding, and the rules they must follow throughout employment so that we can clearly demonstrate that our decisions are not influenced by private interests.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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 : cohesion
• Email : ofgem@earlytalent.careers

Recruitment team

• Email : ofgem@earlytalent.careers

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Jon Townley, Head of Talent Acquisition (jon.townley@Ofgem.gov.uk) in the first instance.

We are working with our recruitment partners Cohesion, to apply for the role please use the link which will redirect you to their application page. Should you encounter any issues with submitting your application, please get in touch with Cohesion .

Attachments

Role Profile Ofgem Digital Graduate programme 2026 Opens in new window (pdf, 208kB)Ofgem Digital Graduate Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1294kB)Terms and Conditions April 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 366kB)