Closing Date:
28/08/2023
Group:
Corporate Group
Management Level:
Associate
Job Type:
Permanent
Job Description:
Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Monday 28th August and therefore we advise getting your application in no later than Sunday 27th August
About Ofcom
Ofcom is the regulator for the communications services that we use and rely on each day. We make sure people get the best from their broadband, home phone and mobile services, as well as keeping an eye on TV and radio.
Our culture is clear - we live by our values: Empowerment; Excellence; Collaboration; Agility and Respect. These define how we work to deliver our purpose, now and in the future. The behaviours which support these values set the path for a fully inclusive and innovative culture at Ofcom.
We focus not only on what we do, but how we do it. We pride ourselves on being an organisation of people who genuinely care about helping others.
About the Team
This role sits within our Public Policy Team, who sit at the centre of Ofcom. We act as the bridge between Ofcom and its work as an independent body, and the wider public policy, political and regulatory developments that affect the sectors we regulate. We work with teams across Ofcom to ensure that the wider public policy context is properly considered in Ofcom’s work. We co-ordinate and lead Ofcom’s engagement with Government and Parliament.
The team’s role is to support the Board, senior management and the wider organisation to ensure Ofcom acts as an effective regulator which fully understands and participates in public debates about how best to make communications work for consumers. It also supports Ofcom’s work through the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (the ‘DRCF’) on digital matters with the Competition and Markets Authority (the CMA), the Information Commissioner’s Office (the ICO), and the Financial Conduct Authority (the FCA), and some team members work as part of the DRCF core team which is comprised of employees from each of the DRCF members.
The work of the public policy team is fast paced, collaborative and blends both internal and external stakeholder engagement.
Purpose of the Role
You will help shape the work of our team under one of our key sector portfolios, working closely and collaboratively with colleagues across Ofcom to deliver on our objectives effectively. You will have experience of working in or closely with Government or Parliament or a Regulatory body, influencing and communicating policy, have an understanding of the policy making process and be accomplished at building strong collaborative relationships quickly.
The portfolio the post will cover is Networks, Communications, and Spectrum. This is an incredibly varied portfolio that includes telecoms, spectrum, post, and consumer matters. We engage directly with stakeholders in Government and Parliament and contribute to internal policy discussions on a diverse range of matters including the security and resilience of the telecoms network, ensuring efficient use of spectrum, and helping consumers who may be struggling with the cost-of-living.
Please note there is another vacancy working with the DRCF with similar skills, knowledge and experience soon to be advertised. Therefore the recruiter/hiring manager may consider candidates for both roles where appropriate.
Key Responsibilities
Work with Public Policy colleagues and other Ofcom teams, including in our offices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to co-ordinate UK Government and Parliamentary engagement across different policy issues
Engage directly and confidently with officials in Government and Parliamentarians and be a key point of contact for UK Government departments on work relating to your portfolio
Provide accurate and plain English written materials and briefings – and manage correspondence with MPs ensuring that it is of a consistently high standard
Work with Public Policy Managers, the DRCF Secretariat and other Ofcom teams to co-ordinate UK Government and Parliamentary engagement across different policy issues;
Be a key point of contact for UK Government departments on policy queries and Parliamentary Questions, working with internal teams to ensure responses are accurate, high-quality and well communicated;
Contribute to the effective management of Ofcom’s relationship with Parliament by monitoring Parliamentary business, identifying opportunities for engagement with MPs and Peers and recording/reporting on that engagement;
Contribute to the Ofcom policy-making process by making policy teams aware of relevant external policy developments through regular monitoring, as well as by scanning ahead and spotting opportunities.
Skills, knowledge and experience
An interest in politics and/or policy-making and skilled at cutting through to the essentials on complex policy issues
An ability to juggle a diverse workload and respond to changing priorities in a fast-paced environment
Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to get complex information across clearly and concisely
Experience of reaching out to build collaborative relationships with others, including more senior colleagues and external stakeholders
To apply: please include a covering letter outlining your relevant experience and interest in the role. Applications without covering letters will not be accepted.
Ofcom is a forward-thinking, inclusive employer and recognises the value of diversity to truly “make communications work for everyone”. Here at Ofcom, our vision is to ensure people are part of an environment when they can truly strive and be themselves, therefore we aim to recruit from the widest pool of candidates possible – irrespective of social background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or disability. We are an organisation that strives to be truly representative of the whole of the UK and our aim is to be an employer of choice for everyone.
We champion flexible working and so wherever possible we support flexible working patterns including job shares.
As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview disabled applicants who meets the minimum selection criteria of the role as outlined in the job specification, if applicants would like to be considered under this scheme. We pride ourselves on ensuring all candidates are treated fairly throughout the application and selection process including making our process as accessible as possible. You can find more information on the scheme here. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/jobs/disability-confident-scheme
Should you require any adjustments to be made, please do contact us directly at resourcing@ofcom.org.uk
or call 0330 912 1378