Job Description

Details

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Reference number

434750
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Salary

81,900 - 87,633
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP
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Job grade

Grade 6#

Contract type

Permanent#

Type of role

Finance

Operational Delivery

Procurement and Contracts Management

Project Delivery

Risk Management#

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time#

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

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Location About the job Benefits Things you need to know Apply and further information

Location

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Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Manchester

About the job

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Job summary

Are you an experienced operations lead with a proven track record of ensuring efficiency, value for money and enhancing organisational performance? The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is seeking a

Head of Operations

to lead in critical role in supporting the Senior Leadership Team of the Data, Technology and Insights (DTI) directorate.

About the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

The CMA is an independent non-ministerial UK government department and is the UK's principal competition and consumer protection authority. We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour.


We provide the opportunity to work across all sectors of the UK economy, undertaking objective, evidence-based analysis that can have a direct and substantial impact on the economy and economic prosperity.


Learn more about the role and the CMA by clicking on our candidate pack.

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Job description

What you will do:

As a key member of the DTI team, you will support the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in financial oversight and contract management, resource planning and deployment, and governance, while leading projects and initiatives that embed operational excellence and accountability across DTI.


What you will be responsible for:

Financial and Resource Management

Lead on financial planning, monitoring, and reporting for the DTI Directorate, ensuring robust financial control and alignment with CMA central departments and budgetary frameworks. Support the Directorate's budget allocation process, providing accurate forecasts, variance analysis, and advice to DTI's senior leadership team on spending priorities and financial risks. Develop and maintain effective local processes for financial tracking, ensuring compliance with central financial policies and procedures. Work closely with central Finance and Procurement colleagues to oversee contract management, ensuring contractual obligations are met and supplier performance is monitored.

Risk, Governance and Compliance

Design, implement, and maintain a robust governance framework to monitor performance, risk, and compliance across the Directorate. Manage DTI's risk register, ensuring that key operational and project risks are identified, mitigated, and reported effectively. Support internal audit and assurance activities, ensuring actions are addressed promptly and lessons learned are shared. Oversee information governance and compliance processes, embedding good practice in line with CMA standards. Lead on policy and procedural updates related to operational, financial, and risk management areas for the Directorate.

Operational Leadership, Delivery and Programme Support

Lead the management of the DTI administrative support team, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Be accountable for procurement activities and tender processes, ensuring timely delivery of goods and services that align with operational and strategic priorities to the directorate. Develop contract reporting mechanisms and performance dashboards for senior leadership review. Lead the design and embedding of operational processes covering finance, risk, reporting, and resourcing. Ensure that projects are properly scoped, resourced, and governed to meet agreed goals, timelines, and standards. Work closely with the CMA Programme Management Office and cross-Directorate teams to maintain consistency in reporting and programme management. Provide operational leadership on key strategic programmes within DTI, particularly in support of digital transformation and data-driven innovation. Support the senior leadership team with the delivery of people initiatives such as local action plans, resource deployment, staff engagement and directorate ways of working. Support cross directorate communications, working closely with the senior leadership to ensure staff are informed, engaged, and aligned with organisational priorities. Lead organisation of DTI conferences, seminars, and staff events, ensuring effective stakeholder engagement and strategic alignment.

What we can offer you

In return the CMA is a hugely diverse, rewarding and stimulating place to work - an opportunity to work for the public good and to stretch and develop yourself in doing so. We offer generous benefits, including an excellent pension scheme, at least 25 days leave (increasing to 30 over five years), and generous maternity/paternity leave provision. You can also take advantage of interest-free season ticket loans, a cycle to work scheme, our employee assistance programme and flexible working options.

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Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. For tips on how to make the most your application, please have a look at our guidance document.


1)

Operational Process:

Experience designing and embedding operational processes that strengthen delivery and efficiency, with experience supporting digital or data transformation programmes

(Lead criteria).

2)

Finance Management:

Proven experience working in a public sector or regulatory organisation managing budgets, analysing financial performance, and delivering value for money in an organisation of similar size and complexity, ideally in a public sector or regulatory setting (

Lead Criteria

).


3)

Risk and Governance:

Strong understanding of risk management, governance frameworks, and internal control mechanisms (

Lead Criteria

).


4)

Leading and Managing teams:

Demonstrable leadership experience by way of leading teams, managing people, setting direction, allocating work effectively, and supporting professional development.


5)

Contract Management:

Practical experience in managing contracts, supplier relationships, and knowledge of procurement processes.


6)

Communication and Influence:

Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills with the ability to advise senior leaders and manage complex stakeholder relationships.

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Behaviours

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


Leadership Delivering at Pace Communicating and Influencing Changing and Improving Making Effective Decisions Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

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Alongside your salary of 81,900, Competition & Markets Authority contributes 23,726 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
You'll also get:

25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King's birthday. In addition, you'll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

You can read more about our benefits in our candidate pack.

Our Values

We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence. We treat everyone with Respect and are Collaborative and Inclusive.


Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.


You can read more about life at the CMA in our candidate pack above.

Things you need to know

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Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.
The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review), and an interview, which will include a presentation.


At application and interview you will be asked to demonstrate your suitability for the role in line with the essential criteria in the person specification.


Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential selection criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application.


An initial sift based on criteria 1, 2 and 3 (Lead Criteria) may be held if a large number of applications are received. If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered.


The closing date for applications is Monday 10th November 2025 (23:55 UK).


We cannot accept applications submitted after the closing date and time.


Sifting will take place 11-14th November 2025.


Interviews are planned to take place 21st and 24th November 2025. Those invited to interview will be asked to prepare a presentation, details of which will be provided in advance of the interview.


The interview will be a 1-hour panel interview where you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours and Experience elements outlined in the role profile.


Interviews will be face-to-face and take place in the London CMA office in Canary Wharf.


Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. If you are unable to meet these time frames, please let us know in your application.

Reasonable adjustments

We want to make sure no one is at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.



If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. You can also email recruitment@cma.gov.uk.


For example, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you are deaf, a Language Service Professional. You might also require additional time to complete a timed assessment or a sign language interpreter to support with the relaying of information.

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

for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

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) 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
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Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .
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 the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

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This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
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 : Becky Smith Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk #

Further information

If your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should contact Recruitment@cma.gov.uk in the first instance. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive you can contact the Civil Service Commission http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk.