Overview
Ofcom is the regulator for the communications services that we use and rely on each day. We make sure people get the best from their broadband, home phone and mobile services, as well as protecting viewers and listeners form harmful material in TV, radio and on-demand programmes. We also oversee the universal postal service, the radio spectrum over which wireless devices operate, and also help to make sure people don’t get scammed and are protected from bad practices.
We have recently taken on the regulation of UK-established video-sharing platforms such as Tik Tok and Twitch, and we are preparing for a future role as the Online Safety regulator under the Governments proposed new laws. Protecting consumers is at the heart of what we do.
On our graduate scheme, you will embark on a two-year series of intensive job placements, moving regularly between projects and departments to ensure that the knowledge and insight you are exposed to is as broad as possible. One week you might be devising new policy directives; the next, monitoring content standards of broadcast programmes.
Ofcom is a forward-thinking, inclusive, diversity champion, and disability confident employer.
Join us, it has never been a more exciting time to join Ofcom as the communications sector and regulatory environment evolves to tackle new online challenges.
The Role
Ofcom has one of the largest competition and regulatory economics teams in the UK, with more than 60 economists working on issues related to the BBC, TV, radio and video-on-demand sectors, broadband, landlines, mobiles, online and postal services, plus the airwaves over which wireless devices operate.
As a graduate data-analytics economist you will get involved in a wide range of projects which require analysing data using tools such as econometrics and machine learning. For example, you might be working in teams that:
- Use operator and household level data to analyse the competitive conditions in broadband markets, and identify ways to promote competition in the build out of fibre networks
- Collect and link large datasets, and apply econometric and machine learning techniques to analyse consumers’ experience online and the existence, prevalence and potential consequences of harmful online content
- Use customer-level data and data analytic tools to analyse the extent to which broadband providers charge higher prices to loyal customers, and assess the merits of regulation to address this problem
- Use econometric techniques to examine the cost of capital for communications providers to help inform the level of price controls in wholesale broadband markets
- Use artificial intelligence techniques to analyse the patterns of broadcast content to help inform future policy
- Use difference in difference techniques to conduct ex-post policy evaluations to assess the impact of previous Ofcom interventions in communications markets
As a graduate data-analytics economist, you will be working collaboratively in multi-disciplinary teams from day one to help ensure our policies are supported by evidence and deliver a real, long-term benefit to consumers. Your personal development is also important to us. You will benefit from a range of training opportunities that will help you build and further your data-analytics skills, including internal and external courses, seminars and on-the-job learning.
During your two years on the programme, there will be four six-month placements moving between projects, industry sectors, exposing you to a broad range of competition, consumer and regulatory issues. There will be an opportunity for you to spend a placement outside the Economics Group, for example, in our Data Innovation Hub or in our Market Research team. When allocating you to specific projects, we consider your interests and skill sets to ensure that you can get the most out of the programme.
Candidate Profile
At Ofcom, we're looking for:
- Ambitious and passionate individuals who live by our values of: Excellence, Collaboration, Agility, Empowerment and Respect
- An undergraduate degree in economics or a mixed degree that includes economics, or post-graduate qualification
- A basic understanding of, or familiarity with quantitative tools in the fields of econometrics, artificial intelligence or machine learning; and relevant analytical software (for example, Stata, Python or R)
- Enthusiasm about economic thinking and its empirical application to the real world
- Strong communication skills
- Team-players
Benefits
- Flexible benefits allowance
- Pension allowance
- 25 days’ holiday
- Private medical insurance
- Life assurance
- Annual health check
- Income protection insurance
Application
The application process consists of four stages:
- Initial application
- Blended assessment & video interview
- Assessment Centre (to be held virtually February - March 2023)
For this role, you can be based in either the London or Edinburgh offices. We also support flexible ways of working, wherever possible.
Diversity & Inclusion at Ofcom
Ofcom is a forward-thinking, inclusive employer and recognises the value of diversity to truly “make communications work for everyone”. Here at Ofcom, our vision is to ensure people are part of an environment when they can truly strive and be themselves, therefore we aim to recruit from the widest pool of candidates possible – irrespective of social background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or disability. We are an organisation that strives to be truly representative of the whole of the UK and our aim is to be an employer of choice for everyone.
We champion flexible working and so wherever possible we support flexible working patterns including job shares.
As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview disabled applicants who meets the minimum selection criteria of the role as outlined in the job specification, if applicants would like to be considered under this scheme. We pride ourselves on ensuring all candidates are treated fairly throughout the application and selection process including making our process as accessible as possible. You can find more information on the scheme here. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/jobs/disability-confident-scheme
Should you require any adjustments to be made, please do contact us directly at ofcomresourcing@omnirms.com
For more information and guidance please visit: https://www.scope.org.uk/advice-and-support/ask-for-adjustments-at-interview