Policy Enforcement & Research Graduate 2024

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. Protecting consumers is at the heart of what we do.

In 2020, we took on the regulation of UK-established video-sharing platforms such as Tik Tok and Twitch, and we have recently been granted new powers to regulate online services – including social media, messaging, dating, search and adult services – in terms of how they keep their users safe.

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.

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

The Policy, Enforcement & Research pathway is wide and varied, reflecting Ofcom’s work. Graduates will have the unique opportunity to fully immerse themselves in all areas of Ofcom on this rotational programme.

You could be working to promote effective competition and informed choice in our Consumer team, helping to maintain and strengthen public service broadcasting in the Content Policy team, or ensuring best use of the UK’s spectrum resource as part of Spectrum Policy. You can also work on our strategy – setting the agenda and direction for the future of the sectors Ofcom regulate. We also have graduate rotations in Ofcom’s Online Safety Group where you may be working to develop the future regulatory framework for online safety or supervising online platforms. 

Ofcom’s enforcement teams are at the heart of ensuring consumers are treated fairly and audiences and users are protected. As part of the graduate programme you might be leading regulatory investigations in the Enforcement Team or considering audience complaints against the Broadcasting Code in our Standards & Audience Protection team.

Ofcom is a leader in world class in market research and intelligence. In our research and intelligence team, you could be publishing sectoral insights or leading consumer research projects to provide an evidence base for policy development.

Graduates at Ofcom have the opportunity to work across our full regulatory remit and immerse themselves in the fast-paced and evolving communications sector. As such, there is no ‘right’ degree to have studied. Strong academics coupled with a willingness to learn and enthusiasm are a must.

Being on Ofcom’s graduate scheme will enable you build on the communication experience and knowledge you already have, contributing to one of the UK's largest industries.

About you

At Ofcom, we're looking for:

• Ambitious and passionate individuals who live by our values of: Excellence, Collaboration, Agility Empowerment and Respect
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Must have the Right to Work in the UK for the duration of the programme without requiring sponsorship.

Benefits

Ofcom offers a number of benefits to employees including:

• Flexible benefits allowance
• Pension allowance
• 25 days holiday 
• Day off for your birthday
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance
• Annual health check
• Income protection insurance

The application 

The application process consists of three stages:

• Initial application
• Blended Assessment
• Assessment Centre (to be held in Feb-Mar 2024)

For this role, you can be based at our London, Manchester, or Edinburgh offices.

Ofcom is a forward-thinking, inclusive employer and recognises the value of diversity to truly make communications work for everyone. Our vision is to ensure Ofcom is a place where our people can work hard and be themselves. We aim to recruit from the widest pool of candidates possible – no matter your social background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or disability. We strive to be representative of the whole of the UK and our aim is to be an employer of choice for everyone.

We champion flexible working patterns including job shares where we can. Discover more about working at Ofcom at careers.ofcom.org.uk

We strive to ensure all our recruitment information and processes are accessible to and useable by everyone. If you would like to receive any information in a different way or would like us to do anything differently to help you apply for our roles, please let our recruitment team know by emailing resourcing@ofcom.org.uk or by telephone on 0330 912 1378.

As a Disability Confident employer, we offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for our advertised jobs. When you apply, you can let us know if you would like your application to be considered under this scheme (sometimes known as ‘guaranteed interview scheme’). Find out more about the scheme here:  https://www.ofcom.org.uk/about-ofcom/jobs/disability-confident-scheme