CMA1979 Director, Markets


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Details

Reference number

328574

Salary

£96,923 – £116,307
A
Civil Service Pension
with an average employer contribution of 27%

Job grade

SCS Pay Band 1

Contract type

Permanent

Type of role

Investigation
Legal Services
Operational Delivery
Senior leadership
Strategy

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, London, Manchester

Job summary

This is a career defining opportunity to play a pivotal role at the forefront of some of the highest profile and challenging work that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has faced.

Join the CMA’s Markets Group where you will be central to our mission to ensure markets work well for consumers, businesses can innovate and thrive, and the economy can grow productively and sustainably.

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.

Our Markets function is a core part of the CMA’s work. We continue to use our powers to carry out market studies and investigations across a range of sectors, which continues to deliver real impact for people, as seen most recently in our work on Road Fuel, Housebuilding, Groceries and Veterinary Services.

What you will do

As Director of Markets, you will be responsible for the development and delivery of major, high quality markets projects that lead to effective outcomes to benefit consumers.

You will lead teams consisting of economists, financial advisers and lawyers to deliver high-quality market investigations, market studies or policy projects, setting the strategic direction for all work conducted across the CMA’s portfolio.

The role involves a significant amount of external representation to a wide range of audiences, including competition professionals, politicians, stakeholder groups and the public. It can also involve media appearances.

The role also involves being a senior member of the CMA’s Markets leadership team, supporting staff development and promoting the culture of the team as an inclusive environment that celebrates diversity and respectful treatment of staff.

What you will need

You will need demonstrable experience in leading, managing and delivering complex, multi-disciplinary projects, ideally in a competition, regulatory or related policy context.

A strong track record of making decisions, using sound analysis and judgement, and devising effective and innovative solutions to complex strategic issues is essential.

You will also need the demonstrable ability to take broad themes and scope them into projects with clearly defined plans that lead to high quality outputs.

Very high-level analytical skills, coupled with the ability to think flexibly and take on new information and new approaches are also essential.

A strong awareness of the policy-making environment, and experience of engaging and actively managing senior level internal and external stakeholders is equally important.

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 11 December 2023.

Job description

Key Responsibilities

  • To lead teams to deliver high-quality market investigations, market studies or policy projects in a timely and effective manner, and which have maximal effect in improving the position of consumers.
  • To lead multi-disciplinary teams of delivery professionals, economists, financial advisers and lawyers, working as appropriate with the Strategy, Comms and Advocacy and DaTa teams, setting the strategic direction and taking responsibility for delivery.
  • To engage with senior leadership, including to agree the strategic direction of projects and communicate findings.
  • To work across the CMA’s portfolio, including the possibility of deployment in another area of th CMA’s work, in response to business needs.
  • To manage the risks of a challenging work programme in terms of delivery, reputation, and litigation.
  • To lead and maintain open, professional and proactive engagement with key external partners including politicians and other policy-makers in Whitehall, regulators, consumer and business groups.
  • To support the development of the portfolio of future projects, identifying and exploring priority areas for future work.
  • To develop our people and to build capability within the CMA through coaching, learning, development, mentoring and performance management.
  • To participate in an open and collegiate manner in the markets senior management team, as well as in the CMA’s senior leadership team.
  • To represent the CMA’s work externally at conferences and seminars, and also in the media.
  • To role-model the CMA’s values by promoting a culture that celebrates diversity and the respectful treatment of all colleagues.

Person specification

  • Demonstrable experience in leading, managing and delivering complex multi-disciplinary projects within defined resources and tight timescales, leading to high quality outcomes, ideally in competition, regulatory or related policy context. (Lead Criteria)
  • A strong track record of taking decisions, using sound analysis and judgement taking account of the wider context, and of devising effective and innovative solutions to complex strategic issues. (Lead Criteria)
  • Demonstrable ability to take broad themes and scope them into projects with clearly defined project plans leading to high quality outputs that meet expectations.
  • Very high-level analytical skills, coupled with an ability to think flexibly taking on new information and new approaches as appropriate.
  • Strong communication skills; both written and verbal, essential for a strong awareness of the policy-making environment, and experience of engaging and actively managing senior level internal and external stakeholders and decision-makers.
  • Significant experience of managing the development of staff through coaching, mentoring and performance management.
  • Strong commitment to creating an environment that celebrates diversity and promotes a culture of respect towards colleagues at all levels.

Behaviours

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

Alongside your salary of £96,923, Competition & Markets Authority contributes
£26,169 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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 currently 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.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application:

  • Demonstrable experience in leading, managing and delivering complex multi-disciplinary projects within defined resources and tight timescales, leading to high quality outcomes, ideally in competition, regulatory or related policy context. (Lead Criteria)
  • A strong track record of taking decisions, using sound analysis and judgement taking account of the wider context, and of devising effective and innovative solutions to complex strategic issues. (Lead Criteria)
  • Demonstrable ability to take broad themes and scope them into projects with clearly defined project plans leading to high quality outputs that meet expectations.
  • Very high-level analytical skills, coupled with an ability to think flexibly taking on new information and new approaches as appropriate.
  • Strong communication skills; both written and verbal, essential for a strong awareness of the policy-making environment, and experience of engaging and actively managing senior level internal and external stakeholders and decision-makers.
  • Significant experience of managing the development of staff through coaching, mentoring and performance management.
  • Strong commitment to creating an environment that celebrates diversity and promotes a culture of respect towards colleagues at all levels.

The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review) and an interview. Arrangements for the interview will be enclosed in the invitation.  Interviews will be either conducted either virtually, by Microsoft Teams, or in-person at a CMA office. 

An initial sift based on criteria 1 and 2 (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 (above and in the attached role profile) will then be considered.

The sift will take place week commencing 11th December 2023

Successful candidates at the shortlisting stage will be asked to participate in an Individual Leadership Assessment (ILA) which is a one-to-one psychological assessment of candidates in selection for Senior Civil Service (SCS) roles. Candidates will complete a range of questionnaires on-line, the outputs of which are explored during a structured interview of approximately 1-2 hours with an assessor. The ILA must occur prior to interviews taking place. The assessment does not lead to a pass or fail decision; rather, it is intended to highlight areas of strength and possible concerns which the panel can probe at interview.

Please note that where an individual has been assessed for an individual leadership assessment via Civil Service Resourcing and applies for another SCS post at the same pay band within a two year period, it is now policy to automatically re-use the original report.

If your application is successful you will be invited to attend an interview. You will be notified via email to log-in to your Civil Service Account and book your interview slot. You will be sent an email with full details of your arrangements for interview.

Interviews will be held from week commencing 8th January 2024.

The first part of the interview will comprise of a presentation, details of which will be forwarded in advance of the interview. The second part of the interview will be a 45 minute – 1 hour panel interview in which you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours, Experience and Technical elements outlined in the role profile.

If successful you must hold, or be willing to obtain, security clearance to SC level.

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.

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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

This role has a minimum assignment duration of 5 years. An assignment duration
is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them
to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through
building your depth of expertise.

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

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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) (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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).

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.
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 : recruitment@cma.gov.uk
  • 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.

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