Assistant Director, Technology Insight

Job summary

As Assistant Director of Technology Insight, you will have substantial opportunity to make a real difference, shaping how we think about the regulation of data and technology markets, and of the activities and systems of large technology companies that affect our lives

About the 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 Technology Insight (TI) team, within Strategic Insight, Analysis & AI, advises multidisciplinary CMA case and project teams. Our work includes helping to define the scope of CMA investigations, analysing trends in digital markets, designing remedies to address harms to competition and consumers. We critically assess evidence, consider societal impacts of technology, and communicate technical concepts to colleagues from other CMA professions, including lawyers, economists and senior decision makers.

We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

You can read more about working at the CMA in our candidate pack

Job description

You will work directly on multidisciplinary teams investigating complex cases and projects with a data or technology focus. You will help determine the key areas for investigation and the technical evidence and analysis required to assess them. You will provide strategic direction for the technologist input to cases. You will take responsibility for delivery of these inputs, including overseeing the work of other technologists working on your cases.

No two cases are the same. One month you might be examining the role of AI in digital markets, the next exploring cybersecurity ecosystems, cloud infrastructure, software platforms or emerging technologies. You will work alongside economists, lawyers, behavioural scientists and data specialists to tackle novel problems where there are often no established answers.

You will play a significant role in shaping the future direction of the Technology Insight profession at the CMA, helping build new capabilities, develop colleagues and influence how the organisation understands emerging technologies. You will also have staff management responsibility for Senior Technology Insight Advisers, and you will be part of the management team for DTI contributing to the effective operation of DTI and development of colleagues and capabilities within the Group.

In addition, there will be opportunities to work collaboratively across other aspects of the DTI portfolio, such as proactively monitoring trends in emerging technologies that affect consumers and competition (including developing a pipeline of future cases) and developing the CMA’s capability and approach to regulating complex sociotechnical systems that use AI and machine learning.

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.

Essential:

• Significant experience of building, researching, evaluating or investigating complex technology-enabled systems, including how people, organisations and technology interact to shape outcomes. (lead criteria)
• Experience researching, analysing, and communicating (in writing and verbally) complex information about technical subjects, including to non-technical and senior audiences.
• Experience leading, developing and supporting technical or analytical professionals, creating an environment where people can perform at their best and continue to grow.
• Experience of exercising judgement in situations involving uncertainty, incomplete evidence or novel technological developments.
• Demonstrable ability to build and leverage strong relationships both inside and outside the organisation, including with senior stakeholders.
• Active interest in technology and digital markets, and in understanding how technological developments can affect competition, consumers, innovation and wider societal outcomes.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

Technical skills

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

• Data Scientist capability framework as described in the Digital, Data and Technology (DDAT) profession. (Lead Data Scientist)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £84,800, Competition & Markets Authority contributes £24,566 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

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.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

Appli