Legal Director - Retail
Job description
- Job grade: SCS Pay Band 2
- Contract type: Permanent
- Business area: OFGEM - General Counsel
- Type of role: Legal Services
- Working pattern: Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
- Number of jobs available: 1
Location
About the job
Job summary
Ofgem’s legal function sits in the Office of the General Counsel (OGC). The OGC is responsible for the provision of all legal advice and management of all legal risk required by OFGEM and its governing body the Gas and Electricity Markets Authority and for managing the organisation’s exposure to legal risk.
The energy sector is going through an unprecedented transformation to a net zero and data-enabled future. You will be joining Ofgem OGC with a number of significant policy and legal matters all under development at a time of increasing change in the energy sector.
The OGC supports Ofgem’s activities through hubs focused on several areas. This Legal Director role will specifically be for: Retail and Consumers
Further information on the specific roles is available in the candidate pack
The work is interesting, intellectually challenging and varied, you will be involved in advising on a wide range of public law issues in a regulatory context. We will tailor the role according to your skills and experiences. You will enjoy the role if you are a lawyer who is pragmatic and solutions driven, can manage competing demands and deliver at pace to provide advice to policy colleagues at all levels.
Ofgem is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All employment is decided on the basis of open and fair competition, merit and business need.
Job description
The Director of Retail Legal and their Team provide advice primarily to the Markets Portfolio, particularly in relation to consumer protection and retail markets. Work includes standing charges, affordability, debt and the price cap. Teams deal with both litigation and advisory matters in respect of the Markets Portfolio. We welcome candidates with experience in regulation, energy pricing or consumer protection.
The Director of Retail Legal post reports directly to the General Counsel (GC) and will work as part of the Leadership Team for the Office of General Counsel as well as being part of the wider Director leadership of Ofgem. The Office of the General Counsel consists of a team of approximately 120, with four Legal Directors (SCS2) and two Deputy Directors (SCS1) reporting directly to the GC.
The Legal Directors are responsible for the strategic leadership of the General Counsel functions alongside the GC. They are also responsible for all legal leadership in their teams’ areas as well as providing individual advice to senior internal clients at Director and Director General level. This role will lead a team of approximately 25 legal professionals to deliver high-quality legal services, enable Ofgem to achieve its priorities and support and motivate the delivery of Ofgem’s Multi Year Strategy.
Key Accountabilities
Accountable for the delivery of high-quality legal services in their team to ensure successful delivery of Ofgem's priorities in line with PACT and the Multi Year Strategy.
- A high degree of accountability to the GC for strategic delivery of legal projects, legal risk management and mitigations.
- Analyse and manage all aspects of legal risk to ensure Ofgem makes the most effective use of its legal powers for the benefit of consumers.
- Lead large legal teams, empowering individuals and making decisions within specific areas of responsibility as well as collectively in the GC leadership team.
- Operate with regularity and propriety in line with public sector duties and associated Civil Service codes of conduct, including duties in managing public finance.
- Promote and practise equality and fairness across the organisation, role modelling exceptional behaviours and leadership.
- Provide clear strategic direction, defining priorities across the legal and governance function.
- As a member of the GC Leadership team, contribute effectively to legal leadership in Ofgem.
- As a member of the Director cadre of Ofgem, demonstrate an inclusive and engaging style of leadership internally and externally, promoting Ofgem as a great place to work.
- Represent Ofgem externally, principally on legal matters, and manage Ofgem’s relationship with relevant stakeholders.
- Prioritise resources to the highest priority or highest risk matters and be accountable for those decisions as well as on legal matters and ensure robust decision-making frameworks across Ofgem.
Key Corporate responsibilities
- Contribute to development of Ofgem’s strategic programmes and partner with senior leadership teams to deliver them.
- Represent Ofgem across Government, UK regulatory networks and the energy sector.
- Lead the portfolio in line with Ofgem’s operating model, supporting strategic workforce planning and flexible deployment decisions to meet strategic priorities.
- Support Ofgem’s Professions model, providing professional mentoring, development, leadership and thought across the role holder’s relevant professional disciplines.
Key Stakeholder Relationships
- Directors, Directors General and senior leaders across the organisation
- Government, in particular DESNZ
- Energy sector stakeholders and other thought leaders
- Consumer bodies and Non-Governmental Organisations
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
Strategic and inclusive leadership: Background and knowledge in strategic leadership. A collaborative leader who builds effective cross-team relationships, creates an inclusive environment and ensures the delivery of high performance in their teams.
Legal Leadership: Extensive senior-level legal experience as a qualified solicitor or barrister, gained across the public and/or private sectors. Significant experience of leading large legal teams and collective leadership of a legal function.
Senior-level advice and influence: Experience of working with Boards and senior officials and making a positive impact, providing direct support and legal advice to a range of senior stakeholders, taking an open and constructive approach and making well-informed decisions when necessary.
Effective communication: Highly credible communication skills, both in writing and in person, with experience of building strong stakeholder relationships both internally and externally, high emotional intelligence and engendering trusted relationships that achieve buy-in and commitment.
Commercial and public-sector awareness: Professional knowledge and experience evidencing an understanding of regulation and consumer priorities within a commercial and/or public body.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Changing and Improving
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- At Interview candidates may also be asked to deliver a short presentation, either scenario-based or on a specified topic.
Benefits
Ofgem can offer you a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes; SCS1 holiday entitlement; 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
Artificial intelligence
Selection process details
To apply for this post, candidates must submit the following documentation by email to scsrecruitment@ofgem.gov.uk no later than 1 December 2026 .
- A CV setting out career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Reasons should be provided for any gaps within the last two years.
- A Statement of Suitability, no longer than two pages, explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience demonstrate suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.
External candidates unfamiliar with what is expected in a Statement of Suitability may consult the Civil Service Careers guidance. Further guidance is available from lynn.robertson@ofgem.gov.uk
Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel has only limited information on which to assess the application. Both documents should contain the candidate’s full name.
As part of the application process, candidates will be asked diversity-related questions and may select 'prefer not to say'. The information supports monitoring of progress towards an inclusive Civil Service employer.
Assessment:
Shortlisted candidates will be asked to take part in a virtual staff engagement exercise with a psychologist observing. There may be further assessments; the psychologist report will not result in a pass or fail decision but will support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for further exploration at interview.
References may be taken up for shortlisted candidates prior to interview.
Shortlisted candidates will attend a panel interview for a more in-depth discussion of previous experience and professional competence against the essential criteria. Candidates may also be asked to deliver a short presentation, either scenario-based or on a specified topic.
Shortlisted candidates will have an opportunity to discuss the role informally with the current post holder before interview. Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates. All candidates will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible after final interview.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Lynn Robertson
- Email : lynn.robertson@ofgem.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment@ofgem.gov.uk
Further information
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
| Candidate Pack 489247 Legal Director - Retail Opens in new window (pdf, 857kB) |
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