Senior Specialist Engineer

Job summary

At Ofgem, shaping the future of Great Britain’s energy networks requires deep technical expertise, and we’re seeking a Senior Specialist Engineer to play a leading role in scrutinising and influencing the strategic direction of the whole energy system.

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

With an excellent benefits package and opportunities for flexible and hybrid working, we’re offering a permanent opportunity to operate as a senior internal engineering expert, advising across the organisation at the highest levels. You’ll provide specialist insight to Executive Committees, the Board and Directorates, helping ensure that engineering policy and regulatory decisions are grounded in robust technical judgement.

You’ll lead the technical scrutiny of strategic energy network development plans, including Regional Energy Strategic Plans and the Centralised Strategic Network Plan. Your work will help ensure that long-term network development across electricity, gas and hydrogen is coherent, optimised and aligned with statutory obligations and regulatory objectives.

Working within a multidisciplinary environment, you’ll act as a focal point for specialist engineering expertise, providing challenge and advice to senior leaders and supporting teams in delivering complex work to a high standard. This is a role that combines technical authority with organisational influence.

Job description

We’re looking for an experienced electricity networks engineer with extensive planning capabilities and a strong working knowledge of technical codes and standards. You’ll be confident operating in complex environments, advising senior stakeholders and communicating technical issues clearly to non-technical audiences. A relevant engineering degree and professional qualification, such as Chartered status or working towards it, will be essential.

In return, you’ll join a collaborative and forward-looking organisation where your expertise will directly influence nationally significant decisions. You’ll have the opportunity to shape the development of strategic network planning across the whole energy system and contribute to frameworks that support a secure, coordinated and decarbonised future.

We have a critical purpose to ensure energy networks are planned, governed and developed in a way that supports Net Zero while protecting consumers. Join us and help provide the engineering scrutiny that underpins the future of Great Britain’s energy system.

Read on and find out more.

Person specification

Please ensure you demonstrate clearly within your supporting statement, how you meet each of the criteria below (not more than 1250 words). In the event of receiving a large number of applications, an initial sift may take place on just the lead criteria indicated below.

Essential Criteria:

• Extensive experience in a specialist engineering role relevant to Ofgem’s work – in particular knowledge and experience in Electricity network planning. (LEAD)
• Working knowledge and experience of the technical codes and standards governing electricity networks and connections. (LEAD)

• Experience of working in a complex and diverse environment, acting as an internal expert – advising and challenging senior leaders on strategic and operational performance related matters, supporting the teams delivering the work including effective scoping of work and setting of clear responsibilities.

• Excellent communication/interpersonal skills including the ability to explain technical issues to non-technical audiences.

• Educated to degree level in a relevant engineering discipline or equivalent industry experience. Expertise/capability in a related professional engineering specialism, evidenced through an appropriate professional qualification – chartered status or working towards it.

• Knowledge and experience in the development of technical codes and standards.

Desirable Criteria:

• Knowledge and experience in Gas or Hydrogen network planning.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,446, OFGEM contributes £17,800 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 (eg. part-time, job-share, term-time working, etc.). 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 : Rob Wilkins
• 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

449637 - Senior Specialist Engineer Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 704kB)449637 - Senior specialist Engineer Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 155kB)Terms and Conditions April 2025 Opens in new window (pdf, 335kB)