CMA1965 – Assistant Director, Policy and International

Are you passionate about using your policy expertise to benefit the public good?

Do you possess the leadership skills needed to handle diverse policy projects and engage with stakeholders in the UK and abroad?

Join the CMA Policy and International Team to promote competition for the benefit of consumers.

About the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA)

We help people, businesses, and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour. Our work is wide ranging, ambitious and often new and challenging.

The Policy and International team leads on cross-cutting policy projects and manages relationships with other competition and consumer enforcers in the UK and internationally. 

Recent work led by the team includes:

• Working with colleagues at other Government departments on the Digital Markets Competition and Consumers Bill, before and during its passage through Parliament
• Developing new guidance for businesses on how competition law applies to environmental sustainability initiatives
• Working with teams across the CMA to develop and maintain policies on how the CMA carries out its work
• Working with other regulators and enforcers on competition and consumer protection matters including law enforcement
• Developing the CMA’s relationships with our international counterparts both bilaterally and through multi-lateral forums such as OECD

 What you will do

You will contribute to a wide range of work across the CMA portfolio. This will involve delivering key policy work streams and providing high-quality analysis and advice, advising on decisions, writing reports, and formulating policy positions.

Your key focus will be to ensure that the policy developed by the CMA and its engagement internationally aligns with the CMA’s mission to make markets work well for consumers, businesses and the economy.

The role will also include line management and staff coaching responsibilities.

What you will need

You will need the proven ability to identify solutions to complex problems, deliver high quality analysis, advise on decisions, write reports, and contribute to policy to deliver projects within challenging timescales.

The ability to create effective working relationships internally at all levels, and externally with stakeholders, both domestically and internationally, is essential.

An understanding of consumer protection, competition or other area of Government policy is desirable but not essential.

What we can offer you

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 with an average employer contribution of 27%, 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 our extensive flexible working options.

To find out more about this opportunity and about working for the CMA, please click on the APPLY button.

CMA – Working for the CMA , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk)

Or our LinkedIn page:

https://www.linkedin.com/company/competition-and-markets-authority/

Closing date for applications: 11:55pm on Monday 27 November 2023.

The main responsibilities of the role are:

• Providing high quality, clear and timely advice on policy issues and projects; and supporting the CMA’s interactions with UK and international stakeholders, including government departments, public bodies, and international counterparts.
• Developing the CMA’s policy and delivering on its policy priorities relating to competition or consumer law enforcement, mergers, markets studies and investigations, digital regulation, the UK internal market, subsidy control, and sector regulation/regulatory appeals
• Leading in the day-to-day management of policy work streams, including taking responsibility for designing and completing projects, supporting, and working with colleagues to meet deadlines.
• Representing the CMA in meetings and conferences and supporting others doing so, both in the UK and internationally.
• Providing support to teams across the organisation on the application of CMA policies to case and project work as well as making connections between different areas of the CMA’s work.
• Line managing, coaching, and motivating staff to address skill gaps, achieve individual and collective objectives, fulfil future CMA needs and offer support in developing innovative solutions to complex issues.

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership

As well as the interesting and varied work you’ll do to contribute to effective competition in the UK, and to ensure consumers get a good deal when buying goods and services, you’ll also benefit from:

• An exceptionally generous pension scheme with a significant employer contribution and range of options, including a tax-free lump sum at the point of retirement and injury, ill-health and life assurance benefits
• 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

Any move to the CMA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

Like many other organisations, we operate a hybrid working model with a mix of office and home working. We believe this supports us to deliver our best work while allowing the flexibility to maintain balanced and healthy lives. We work at least 40% of our time from our office locations across the UK.

If you’re already a civil servant being appointed on level transfer, you’ll retain your existing terms, including annual leave. If you are being promoted you’ll receive either a 10% pay increase or the new grade minimum, whichever is the greater. Applicants new to the civil service can be considered for appointment at a salary higher than the starting point indicated above, but not more than the advertised mid-point, depending on skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications.

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We want a diverse workforce that reflects the consumers we serve. We welcome applications from under-represented groups, including ethnically diverse people, people with a disability, people with diverse gender identities and from people of different ages. 

We are an accredited Disability Confident Employer and disabled applicants meeting the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

Our Values

The CMA delivers impactful outcomes for people, business and the UK economy.​ 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.

Job contact :

• Name : recruitment@cma.gov.uk
• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk
• Telephone : 020 3738 6808

Recruitment team

• Email : recruitment@cma.gov.uk