Ofgem Digital Graduate Programme 2024

Embark on a transformative journey with the Ofgem Digital Graduate Scheme, a platform for those eager to make a lasting impact on the UK's energy landscape and the delivery of a Net Zero future. It’s not merely a step into the world of energy regulation but a leap into a future where your contributions drive sustainable change, innovation, and fairness across the energy sector. What sets the scheme apart is its leading approach to professional development, offering a rich array of experiences across Architecture & Technology, Data, Digital Product Development & Engineering and Performance Management & Business Analysis.

You will gain insights into the challenges and opportunities within the sector. From day one, you'll be part of a vibrant community of professionals and fellow graduates, working on projects that matter. Ofgem's commitment to mentorship stands out, pairing you with seasoned experts dedicated to guiding your journey, providing a learning environment that is both supportive and challenging.

The scheme offers rotations to ensure a well-rounded understanding of the organisation’s role in shaping the energy market. This approach, combined with bespoke training sessions and workshops, ensures that you acquire a diverse skill set, from innovation, solutions generation to research.

What truly differentiates the scheme is its emphasis on real-world impact. You'll be involved in formulating systems that protect consumers, encourage fair market competition, and promote green energy initiatives. Contributing to projects that directly affect millions of people's lives offers a sense of purpose and achievement unmatched by many other graduate programmes.

The scheme champions diversity and inclusion, creating an environment where every voice is heard and valued. This extends to the support and resources available to graduates, ensuring that everyone has the tools and confidence to succeed and we have the diversity of thought to tackle complex problems.

As you progress through the programme, you'll find that the learning never stops. The dynamic nature of the energy sector means that you'll always be at the forefront of developing solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.

If you're looking for a graduate scheme that offers more than just a job, you're seeking a role where your work has meaning, where you can grow professionally while contributing to a sustainable energy future, then this scheme is for you. Here, you'll not only kickstart your career; you'll become part of a legacy of change-makers dedicated to shaping a better, more sustainable world for generations to come

Job description

Ofgem works on behalf of energy consumers to ensure that every household and business in the UK can rely on a safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy supply. We are playing a vital part in accelerating the transition to Net Zero and a carbon neutral energy system – a goal that everyone wants to achieve. Whatever your placement, you’ll be playing your part in creating new, secure energy solutions that are great for customers, and great for the environment.

We have a culture of inclusion that encourages, supports and celebrates the diverse voices and experiences of our colleagues. It fuels our innovation and helps ensure we can best represent the consumers and the communities we serve. Everyone is welcome - as an inclusive workplace, our employees are comfortable bringing their authentic selves to work.

The work of the Digital Delivery and Technology (Ddat) profession across government is diverse, working on services that are used by thousands of people every day. For Ofgem, this include supporting the organisation through installing and maintaining the software across the estate, analysing the data to inform how we can help consumers and developing software applications to support government services i.e. applying for a grant to install a heat pump.

Ofgem operates a Flexible Resourcing model led by professions. Throughout your career with us this will provide you with the opportunity to work across Ofgem on a range of projects or you may have a longer deployment within a team where you have in-demand specialist skills, knowledge, and expertise.

The digital graduate scheme is designed to give you placements across our teams and to support your career development and progression in your preferred profession. We will consider your career interests and development needs in the way we manage your placements.

Ofgem’s graduate scheme has played a critical part in developing people throughout Ofgem. Like them, your career progression will be overseen by your own Development Lead with support of all the Profession Leads, Human Resources and all your colleagues.

Ofgem’s critical work attracts some of the best and most capable to us and there is a wealth of expertise to learn from across the organisation as well as through your structured learning programme.

Person specification

You will be someone who:

Has a keen interest in the energy sector, committed to delivering energy security, net zero and, most critically, ensuring consumer focus.

Enjoys developing new skills, capabilities and being engaged across a broad range of diverse activities, such as: innovation, solutions generation, research and working collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders across the sector and other governmental organisations.

Has at least a 2:2, and although our intake often comes from disciplines with a technical foundation like Numerical, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, Geography and Sciences, if you are applying for Performance Management & Business Analysis you may also have studied humanities, social sciences or journalism.

What we care about most are your skills and attitudes, these should include:

• Proactive, resourcefulness and motivated to deliver for our users
• Problem Solving
• Adaptability
• Creativity & Innovative
• Communication, both oral and written
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team focused on delivering user needs

What you will gain from the experience

Graduates will be asked to select up to 2 sub professions to apply for that will inform your eligibility criteria and shape your placements and development. The four sub professions are: Architecture & Technology; Data; Digital Product Development & Engineering; and Performance Management & Business Analysis.

During the programme you will undertake four placements of usually six months (dependent upon progress and business needs) these may include:

• Data science where you will be able to demonstrate an understanding of how analytical approaches to data can drive decision making.
• Modern schemes where you will help build software applications for government services.
• IT Help desk where you will identify and register incidents, gathering the required information and allocating it to the appropriate channel.

During the Programme you will have your own Development Lead who will provide mentoring, career development advice and support. They will help advise and contribute to the placements and development opportunities needed to meet the needs of the scheme (and progression). They will play the leading role in identification and support for your development – both in terms of input learning (training) and experience needed through placements and projects.

Each placement will have specific training and there will be a common development programme for all graduates – introducing you to Ofgem, the scheme and a selection of expert speakers sharing their perspectives, research and experience.

With plenty of networking opportunities for all graduates, you will also learn from the diverse experiences of your colleagues across the professions of Ofgem – who will support you to develop to your full potential.

Further details of the sub-professions, the roles within the team and the support you will be given are included within the candidate pack, but in summary the sub-professions you will chose from are:

• Architecture & Technology: Joining our team, you will work as part of a team with a diverse set of skills. We design, support, and build the infrastructure. It is the backbone of our organisation supporting and empowering schemes, data and corporate functions. We make use of cloud technologies such as Azure hosted applications, platform services, and building a robust and secure platform.
• Digital Product Development & Engineering: Joining this sub profession, you will work as part of a multi-disciplinary product team to build and run secure applications and products that drive our schemes and corporate functions. Our tech stacks vary between products 3rd party products like Salesforce and bespoke development using C#, SQL Server and Microsoft Azure. Whatever you work on it will be unique, varied, and will have a direct and rewarding impact on the success of our organisation.
• Performance Management & Business Analysis: Day to day you will work with stakeholders to understand problems, draw up requirements on an ideal outcome and help design a solution to reach that outcome for our users. You will incorporate user centred design into every stage of product development, products and services that delight end-users. As part of the team, you will provide unique insight into prioritising areas for change, focusing on the way users interact with products, or developing captivating visual concepts. Overall, you will be at the heart of designing products and services for Ofgem.
• Data: There couldn’t be a better time to join our Data team here at Ofgem. Data is at the heart of a modern energy sector ecosystem and one of our most valuable tools in creating a more dynamic approach to regulation. Unlocking the full potential of the data that we currently have access to, as well as planning for a future where we have even more real-time information at our fingertips, will be vital to achieving our Net Zero goal.

Behaviours

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

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

Technical skills

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

• Please refer to the candidate pack

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £29,500, OFGEM contributes £7,965 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Ofgem can offer you a comprehensive and competitive benefits package which includes; up to 30 days annual leave. Excellent training and development opportunities. The opportunity to join the Civil Service pension arrangements which include a valuable range of benefits. Flexible working hours and family friendly policies. Interest free season ticket loan.

More information about the role and the application process can be found in the attached candidate pack and documents.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

Regardless of which sub profession you select, you will be assessed against the universal essential criteria. In addition, each sub profession will also assess against the specific technical criteria for that sub profession.

Universal essential criteria 

• An ability to problem solve, generate options and communicate issues clearly and effectively, including effective presentation of data, written and spoken communication.
• An ability to build and maintain effective relationships within a multi-disciplinary team.
• Able to plan-ahead, prioritise and sequence tasks, manage progress and deliver against deadlines.

Technical criteria per sub profession 

Architecture & Technology Technical Criteria:

• Knowledge and awareness of Cloud Infrastructure IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC).
• Awareness of Information Security and the security controls that can be used to mitigate security threats within solutions and services

Performance Management & Business Analysis Technical Criteria:

• Excellent interpersonal, communication skills at all levels with the ability to produce and present clear, concise documentation.
• Some experience or knowledge in user centred design, business analysis, business engagement, process improvement and the software development lifecycle.

Digital Product Development & Engineering Technical Criteria:

• Knowledge and understanding of the Software Development Lifecycle.
• Experience with an Object-Oriented programming language such as C# or Java.

Data Technical Criteria:

• Experience of using data modelling with data visualisation software such as Power BI to develop reports and dashboards.
• Experience of Data Management, GDPR and Data Stewardship.

We will be hosting a free virtual recruitment event on Tuesday 26th March with the opportunity to learn more about the role and ask questions of the panel.

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