Job Description

Details

-----------

Reference number

436819

Salary

61,446 - 103,856
National: 61,446 - 76,510)


London: 65,835 - 103,856)


Please ensure that you read the Pay and Reward information for civil service and internal colleagues before applying.
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
GBP

Job grade

Grade 6
Level 3

Contract type

Fixed term

Length of employment

12 months

Business area

Financial Resilience and Controls

Type of role

Analytical


Debt Management

Finance

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

------------

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

Location

------------


Successful candidates may be based in any of our office locations - Cardiff, Glasgow, or London. We especially welcome applicants from Cardiff and Glasgow.

About the job

-----------------

Job summary

Do you want to play a leading role in safeguarding the financial stability of the UK's energy system? Ofgem is looking for a

Principal Corporate Financial Advisor - Debt

to join us and help shape the investment and financing strategies that underpin the energy sector's transition to Net Zero.


We're offering a 12-month fixed-term contract (maternity cover) position with the chance to lead some of the most significant and high-profile financial work in the energy sector. This is an opportunity to use your expertise in a role offering a unique view of the energy industry as we drive regulatory change for decarbonisation, resilience and consumer protection. You'll be based in one of our core offices (London, Glasgow or Cardiff) with hybrid working and flexible arrangements, such as job-shares, available.


In this pivotal role, you'll lead debt advisory across all areas of Ofgem, from the regulation of networks and the retail sector to newer areas like nuclear and carbon capture and storage (CCUS). You'll support major strategic initiatives, providing expert advice on financing models, engaging with rating agencies and City analysts, and playing a central role in credit risk assessments and financial resilience policy.


This is your chance to support major infrastructure development, including offshore and onshore transmission and other complex investment challenges. You'll help refine the Price Control Financial Model, lead external advisory projects, and shape high-level strategy through policy advice to senior leaders and our board.


We're looking for someone with extensive debt and financing experience, ideally from a financial institution or regulatory background, and a deep understanding of debt products, credit ratings and capital structures. You'll be confident operating at a strategic level, capable of analysing complex information and communicating it clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.


At Ofgem, you'll join a friendly and inclusive team of financial specialists working collaboratively across the organisation. You'll enjoy the intellectual challenge of advising on issues that affect the whole of the GB energy sector, whilst being part of a workplace that values diversity, inclusion, and flexible working.


We have a critical purpose to ensure the financial resilience and long-term viability of the UK's energy market. Through expert debt and financing advice, you will be central to our mission to safeguard consumer interests, enable investment in infrastructure, and support the UK's path to a low-carbon future.

Job description

Purpose

Lead Ofgem's debt advisory work across all areas of the organisation, providing outstanding finance and credit risk advice to policy and other teams. Provide thought leadership on key debt and finance ability issues for Ofgem, including input into Ofgem's financial resilience work across the organisation. Be the focal point and expert in a multi-disciplinary team in a specific work area in the context of operating in a Professions and Flexible Resourcing model. Plan, oversee and deliver a set of work deliverables on time and to a high standard through effective project management and support of multidisciplinary team members. Using your expertise, provide inclusive knowledge sharing, support and development that demonstrate commitment to Ofgem values.

Key Responsibilities:

To support the team deliverables, that utilise your expertise to ensure successful outcomes across team members and collaborating teams

Provide clear and transparent work objectives, milestones and success metrics in your area of expertise to oversee and co-ordinate successful team outcomes. Collaborate closely with other teams to manage interdependencies, risks and resourcing to support portfolio delivery. Where required, be jointly responsible with the PDL on welfare and pastoral care of all colleagues. Demonstrate effective diversity and inclusive team management within their team and the wider organisation.

Key Outputs and Deliverables

Lead on debt advisory across Ofgem, including on network price controls, the retail sector, and new sectors such as regulated nuclear and CCUS. Lead regular engagement with rating agencies and City analysts. Provide expert analysis relating to financing required to support the development of competitive regimes for offshore and onshore transmission and other discrete infrastructure projects and for new retail financing models. Be the focal point for technical advice in Ofgem relating to cost of debt, derivatives, gearing, rating agencies, finance ability; Support Regulatory Finance in its work on financial resilience and credit assessments of all companies in the GB energy sector. Support investor relations team, external regulator liaison and the CEO Private Office as appropriate in their communications with external stakeholders. Work with modelling team to refine Price Control Financial Model and other models to correctly implement policies and to answer stakeholder queries; Procure and manage projects delivered by external advisors and consultants; Write policy documents on debt and financing issues and general Regulatory Finance issues to inform senior management, GEMA committee and other parties as necessary.

Support the development of a high-performing team based on effective resource management, ongoing support and professional development

Provide expert debt and financing guidance to help team members deliver, by building supportive, inclusive team environment based on trust-based relationships, transparency and inclusivity. Take ownership for own continued expert development and other team members' professional development relating to cost of capital by: Identifying your own continued professional development. Providing ongoing coaching and identification of development opportunities. Provide advice and support for those Regulatory Finance colleagues who are pursuing the Chartered Financial Analyst qualification.

Key Stakeholder Relationships

Internal

Colleagues across the organisation Experts/Technical Specialists Heads of Professions Professional Development Leads

External

Other Government Departments Other Regulators, including UKRN Regulator counterparts, consultants, academia, and think tanks (as appropriate) Energy Sector Investor community, including rating agencies

Person specification

Please ensure you demonstrate clearly within your personal statement, how you meet each of the essential and desirable 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 identified lead criteria indicated below:

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

Have extensive debt and financing experience gained primarily through a financial institution or regulatory background, including a strong understanding of debt products, knowledge of credit market pricing and ratings agency methodologies (

Lead criteria

). Have significant finance or commercial experience, that can be demonstrated by proven record of high performance and substantial achievements in past positions. (

Lead criteria

). Extensive experience working collaboratively with diverse teams. Ability to process and communicate complex information and data to a wide range of stakeholders.

DESIRABLE:

Understanding of economic regulation, particularly in the utilities sector. Understanding of financial modelling.

Behaviours

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


Seeing the Big Picture Making Effective Decisions Communicating and Influencing Delivering at Pace

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. 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

---------------------------

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , 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.


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.


Shortlisted candidates may also be invited to a second-stage interview if required. This stage will focus on a selection of experience-based questions designed to explore your previous work experience and how it demonstrates the criteria set out 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) 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

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

---------------------------------


This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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 : Lisa Buchanan 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.