Director, Competition Policy

Closing date: 30 April 2013

Job reference:

2013-COMP-17

Closing date:

30 April 2013

Business group:

Competition Group

Business team:

Competition Group

Reports to :

Group Director, Competition Group

About the job:

Job Purpose

The role of a Policy Director in Competition Group is to lead and deliver major policy projects, potentially across all of the sectors regulated by Ofcom: telecoms, broadcasting and post.  The successful applicant will join the Competition Group Management Team (CGMT), through which he/she will contribute to the management of Competition Group and the formulation of the Group?s policy and work priorities. Policy Directors are responsible for progressing projects through Ofcom?s governance processes and bodies, up to and including the Ofcom Board. Policy Directors are also expected to take on a significant role in representing Ofcom externally, with external stakeholders, the media and otherorganisations.

What you will be doing:

Key Objectives of the Competition Group

Competition Group (CG) is responsible for discharging Ofcom?s statutory responsibilities in respect of economic regulation and competition policies in communications markets in the UK. The objective of the group is to help deliver maximum benefits to UK consumers by ensuring that Ofcom?s regulatory policies promote effective competition in communications markets and safeguard consumer interests, and the competitive process, where necessary.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities

• Lead, direct and deliver policy projects to address relevant competition issues and concerns by developing well-considered policies and measures which are practical and promote consumer interests.
• Take responsibility for leading those policy projects through Ofcom?s governance processes and ensuring that policy proposals take appropriate account of advice and input from other relevant groups within Ofcom (such as Legal, Consumer Policy etc).
• Ensure that policy projects are not only relevant and appropriate but also delivered to time and to agreed budgets.
• Lead relevant policy work and issues externally and manage relationships with senior personnel and executives in stakeholder organisations.
• Represent and , if necessary, defend Ofcom?s regulatory policy decisions in formal proceedings (such as appeals to the CAT/CC),
• Contribute to the management and leadership of Competition Policy Skills Group, Competition Group and Ofcom as a whole.
• Contribute to direction setting and prioritisation of Competition Group?s policy work.
• (Where appropriate) direct Ofcom?s policy work in particular communications sectors, which may require:
  • Anticipating future consumer and competition issues in the relevant sector,
  • Providing subject matter and technical leadership in respect of the competition issues in the sector,
  • Prioritising projects/workload within the sector,
  • Ensuring that appropriate governance arrangements apply to each project,
  • Taking responsibility for the overall delivery of the sector work programme.
•  (Where appropriate) Lead  the Competition Policy Skill Group by:
  • Ensuring that the skill group is appropriately resourced (as agreed wtih the Group Head),
  • Maintaining effective processes to manage the Skill Group, individual colleagues and the deployment of colleagues on projects and other work assignments,
  • Ensuring Compliance with Ofcom?s relevant HR processes (eg objective setting, appraisals, salary and bonus reviews, personal development plans, recruitment, promotion etc),
  • Maintaining regular Communications within CPG to ensure colleagues are aware of CG priorities, issues of relevance to the Group and colleagues as individuals, and to provide colleagues with opportunities to raise issues as necessary.

Qualities we're looking for:

Essential Skills/ Experience

• Strong analytical and management skills and an ability to identify key issues when faced with complex, challenging problems.
• Extensive background in a relevant discipline or occupation ? such as, Economics, Competition Law, Engineering, Finance, Business Strategy  or line management in a relevant sector.
• Previous experience and deep knowledge of the industries/sectors we currently regulate (or of industries which are relevant to the communications sector): ideally, close familiarity with at least one of the following - telecoms (fixed, mobile or broadband), television, radio, post, the Internet.
• Ability to apply skills across the industries we regulate.
• Good judgement and awareness of the commercial environment within which our stakeholders operate.
• The ability to communicate effectively, succinctly and persuasively, both verbally and in writing.
• The ability to lead and manage relationships at the most senior level internally and with external stakeholder organisations (CEO level and direct reports).
• A strong track record in both managing and delivering large, challenging analytical projects.
• Strong interpersonal skills, a team player and the ability to direct, lead and motivate teams.

Application process:

If you would like to apply please state your suitability for the role, details of your current package, provide a copy of your CV and complete the diversity monitoring form and send to:

Human Resources
Ofcom
Riverside House
2a Southwark Bridge Road
London SE1 9HA

or to:

applications@ofcom.org.uk

Ofcom is an equal opportunities employer. It wishes to reflect the diversity of contemporary UK society and is therefore actively seeking to recruit colleagues from all cultural and ethnic backgrounds as well as those who have a disability.