Regulation Managers

Job summary

We are the independent regulator of higher education in England. We aim to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers.

The higher education sector in England is complex and diverse and the OfS’s approach to regulation recognises this. Our strategy signals a shift from an organisation in a start–up phase to an established regulator that understands its regulatory tools and how best to use them to shape incentives across the sector we regulate. We work to ensure that students in England enjoy higher education provision that is high quality; that their access to opportunity, success and progression is not limited by background, location or characteristics; and that providers are well and sustainably led.

We are looking for a number Regulation Managers to work across the Regulation directorate on a wide range of projects, building breadth and depth of regulatory experience over time. This is one of a number of agile roles that supports the OfS’s statutory functions and plays a key part in protecting the interests of students through proportionate, evidence–based regulation.

Job description

You may be involved in:

• managing and assessing provider applications for registration, degree awarding powers, and university title

• monitoring and investigating provider compliance with registration conditions, using regulatory intelligence to assess risk and intervene where needed

• managing and delivering quality and standards assessments and contributing to policy development

• leading work on financial sustainability, market exit, and student protection

• delivering funded programmes and initiatives

• improving internal systems that support provider services

• supporting complaints–handling work, including a future free speech complaints scheme.

You will work collaboratively within and across teams and portfolios to deliver the OfS business plan, respond to urgent work requests, and support shared objectives. The role involves clear communication with internal and external stakeholders, managing complex relationships with professionalism and sound judgement. You will produce robust, evidence–based assessments and recommendations to support effective decision–making and consistent regulatory delivery.

As part of this you may engage with providers to better understand their work and gather evidence, with some portfolios requiring a willingness to undertake 4–6 site visits per year (typically over two consecutive days).

How we do things is as important to us as what we do, and your approach will be grounded in our strategic attitudes – being ambitious, collaborative, vigilant, and vocal.

To find out more about the OfS and the type of work you may get involved in, visit Home – Office for Students

Person specification

While you don't need previous experience of working in a regulator, you will bring strong transferable skills and be ready to apply them confidently in a role that helps protect students and supports confidence in the higher education sector.

Person specification (essential skills)

Ability to:

1. work as part of a flexible team and work closely with colleagues to support the delivery of the OfS’s regulatory functions

2. understand and interpret the OfS’s regulatory framework and to use this to undertake assessments, risk assessments, and interventions; to implement and communicate aspects of the regulatory framework and support teams to do this

3. reach and convey reliable and robust judgements on the basis of complex and, at times, imperfect information and articulate the OfS’s approach clearly to providers

4. work with high levels of complexity and ambiguity

5. think broadly about the theory and practice of regulation

6. adopt a systems approach to service design and delivery

7. work collaboratively and flexibly to deliver the team’s functions

8. effectively communicate policies and requirements clearly when working in teams and teams that include external members

9. produce clear written documentation to comply with the OfS’s tone of voice guidance.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,536, Office for Students contributes £13,191 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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

To apply, please submit your CV and covering letter. Your covering letter should be no more than 1000 words and should clearly explain how you meet the essential criteria set out in the person specification.

Applications will be shortlisted against criteria 1, 4, 6 and 8, so please ensure you address these fully in your application.

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.

If shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview. As part of the interview process, you will be asked to complete a case study based task on the day. During the interview, you will also be asked to present your findings from the case study, and discuss your approach. The remaining essential criteria will be assessed through competency-based questions and discussion.

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

Please note this Post is NOT regulated by the Civil Service Commission.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.

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

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 : The Recruitment Team
• Email : recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk
• Telephone : 0117 931 7444

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk

Further information

https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/