Private Secretary

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.

The Infrastructure Group plays a key role in delivering one of the UK’s most important national priorities: achieving a clean power system by 2030. This major transition requires new generation, storage and network infrastructure, alongside an energy system that works efficiently for consumers. As part of this work, we collaborate extensively with industry, government and wider energy partners.

This is an excellent opportunity, which we’re looking for a Part-Time Private Secretary (up to 0.6) to join another Part-Time Private Secretary in the Infrastructure Private Office, a small team that provides strategic, policy and operational support to a member of our senior leadership team. This is an opportunity to work at the centre of varied and meaningful priorities, ensuring your Director is well supported, well informed and able to deliver their priorities effectively.

You’ll act as a reliable and trusted point of coordination, providing accurate and timely briefing, anticipating upcoming needs and managing the flow of information to and from the Director’s office. Working closely with colleagues across Ofgem and with some external stakeholders, helping to maintain progress on key areas of work, support collaborative problem solving and ensure alignment across the organisation.

Responsible for delivering organised and effective administrative and logistical support, acting as a central coordination point, helping teams understand priorities, supporting clear communication and monitoring progress so that emerging issues and opportunities are identified early.

Supporting policy and strategy activity within the directorate, helping ensure that advice is well drafted, clear, practical and aligned with organisational goals. Working collaboratively across teams, professions and evidence sources to support understanding of proposals and their implications.

Building positive relationships with other Private Offices to support consistency and shared learning across the function, while providing day-to-day management to EAs and PAs in the directorate, supporting resourcing activity where needed and contributing to a culture of professionalism and continuous improvement.

We’re looking for someone who is well organised, able to manage multiple priorities and comfortable working alongside senior colleagues. You’ll enjoy working in a collaborative environment, be proactive in anticipating needs and help bring clarity to busy or complex situations.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee the delivery of excellent administrative and logistical support, making sure that your Director has first class diary and IT support; taking responsibility for getting them in the right place, at the right time, with the right papers.
• Act as an interface between your Director and the wider organisation, supporting the senior team in delivering your Director’s priorities and provide steers to teams and ensuring they are fully actioned.
• Work with the relevant team to ensure plans are in place, they are clear and transparent for execution of the directorate and work internal stakeholders to ensure that there is regular reporting and monitoring of progress in place, recommending remedial action as required. Make opportunities to strengthen or accelerate progress and support the communication of Director’s goals.
• Scan ahead and take action to further opportunities and mitigate potential risks against Directors area to deliver and proactively ensure the organisation provides briefings and other information required by and for your Director in a timely way to a high standard.
• Attend internal and external meetings with my Director as needed. Ensuring your Director is briefed as needed and you allocate necessary actions arising to teams with clarity.
• Work flexibly to support the wider team and form effective relationships with other Private Offices to ensure consistency and a commitment to excellence across the PO function.
• Provide direct management to the related EA and PAs in the directorate and support/lead on resourcing requirements where needed.

Flexible Resourcing

Operates a Flexible Resourcing model where you will have the opportunity to work flexibly across Ofgem supporting on a range of projects or may have a longer deployment within a team where you have in-demand specialist skills, knowledge, and expertise. We will support you to learn and develop the Policy & Strategy skills and knowledge you need to build your career.

Key Responsibilities and Outputs

Policy Development

• Ensuring the advice produced for your Principal and from your directorate is well-drafted, concise and action-oriented.
• Supporting the directorate in directing key workstreams and projects, including contributing to effective internal and external stakeholder engagement by prioritising, scoping and delivering work.

Stakeholder Management

• Effectively communicating the benefits, challenges and trade-offs of policy proposals to senior colleagues and partners
• Ensuring delivery by effective collaboration across teams, supporting professions and other sources of evidence and expertise to understand and manage risks and issues

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills (LEAD)
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills (LEAD)
• Demonstrable interest and/ or experience in public policy/energy/net zero
• Demonstrative experience in engaging with/managing multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to manage different work activities or workstreams to keep projects 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 £47,895, OFGEM contributes £13,875 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 and Experience.

When you press the ‘Apply now’ button, you will be asked to complete personal details (not seen by the sift panel), your career history and qualifications.

You will then be asked to provide a 1250 word ‘personal statement’ evidencing how you meet the essential and desirable skills and capabilities listed in the role profile. Please ensure you demonstrate clearly, within your supporting statement, how you meet each of the criteria listed in the role profile.

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].

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.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Lisa Buchanan
• Email : recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of these Recruitment Principles.

In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission, please visit their website.

Attachments

Candidate Pack_Private Secretary_445147 Opens in new window (pdf, 662kB)Role Profile_Private Secretary_445147 Opens in new window (pdf, 107kB)Terms & Conditions April 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 323kB)