Ofcom Sponsorship Adviser

Job summary

At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.

We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.

We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.

We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.

We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.

Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.

Our Inclusive Environment

We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.

Please note

Former DSIT recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles will be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.

Job description

In the Digital Infrastructure Directorate, we work to create the conditions that will ensure world-leading communications infrastructure and services are available to every UK individual and business. This includes sponsorship of the Office of Communications (Ofcom). Ofcom is the independent regulatory and competition authority for the UK communications industries, with responsibilities across television, radio, telecommunications, wireless communications, radio, online safety and postal services.

We are recruiting for an HEO to join the Ofcom Sponsorship Team as Ofcom Sponsorship Adviser, who will report to the Grade 7. The team is responsible for ensuring effective sponsorship of Ofcom, including overseeing the governance and working with the appointments team to ensure that board vacancies are filled. We’re looking for someone who can take responsibility for delivery of their workstreams, develop effective working relationships with key teams, and be comfortable working flexibly and adapting to changing priorities.

Person specification

Your work will follow the evolving needs of the Ofcom Sponsorship team, and can be expected to include:

Ensuring effective governance through leading on secretariat support to the Ofcom Working Group and supporting the Permanent Secretary-chaired Ofcom Senior Forum.

Developing effective relationships with Ofcom, key DCMS teams including telecoms, online safety, broadcasting, finance, partnerships, private offices and parliamentary, as well as policy teams in BIST, to ensure effective join up as needed on key workstreams, and to develop good visibility of emerging risks so that appropriate mitigations can be put in place.

Leading on workstreams as required, likely to include updating the Memorandum of Understanding on Pre-Disclosures and managing the pre-disclosure process. This will also include supporting the update of the Framework Document and the board appointments process. You will assist with oversight of Ofcom's delivery against the Statements of Strategic Priorities and wider regulatory reform commitments, including monitoring progress against Growth Goals and supporting biannual ministerial performance reviews, using appropriate project management tools.

Developing an understanding of the sponsorship role, of relevant policy work and of Ofcom’s ways of working in order to provide timely and accurate briefings, often at short notice, to seniors and ministers, and leading on responses to parliamentary questions, correspondence and FoIs.

Essential Criteria

We welcome applications from people who bring transferrable skills from other fields or sectors.

Strong prioritisation and project management skills, able to adapt to changing priorities and to be flexible, playing a key role in ensuring that the sponsorship team delivers.

Excellent communication skills, able to draft high quality briefings, correspondence and PQs to tight timelines, and able to adapt communication styles for different audiences.

Strong attention to detail, with the ability to produce accurate reports, papers and project documentation.

Strong interpersonal skills. You are confident and effective at building productive relationships with a diverse range of people.

Experience in managing workflow in a large complex organisation (assigning tasks, tracking progress, liaising with stakeholders around scope and deadlines, and ensuring completion).

Curiosity and a desire to understand the reasons behind a particular issue or problem, and an ability to think creatively and analyse evidence in order to identify a solution.

Desirable Criteria

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates;

Experience in policy development, sponsorship or governance would be beneficial.

Behaviours

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

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

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,655, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £10,908 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).

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
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