Successful candidates may be based in any of our office locations – Cardiff, Glasgow or London. We especially welcome applicants from Cardiff and Glasgow.
Job Summary
Come along to our recruitment open event where you can meet the team and explore what a Head of Data Research Unit at Ofgem does. This is a free to attend event with a Q&A section for you to ask any questions you may have. To book your spot, click here: https://buytickets.at/ofgem/2040040
At the forefront of the fight to ensure energy markets deliver fair outcomes for millions of consumers, Ofgem is harnessing data and research to shape smarter, evidence-led regulation. We’re looking for a Head of Data Research Unit to join us and lead the analytical capability that underpins some of the most important decisions in the retail energy market.
Ofgem is Great Britain’s independent energy regulator. We’re at the forefront of change across the energy sector, driving toward Net Zero whilst protecting energy consumers, especially vulnerable people.
We’re offering a permanent opportunity working at the heart of the Office of Research and Economics. This leadership role has direct influence over how consumer behaviour, pricing and market outcomes are understood during a period of significant change. You will lead a specialist team responsible for delivering the rapid insight and longer-term research that informs high-profile regulatory and policy decisions.
You will oversee the ownership and analysis of granular retail market data, ensuring robust, timely and policy-relevant insight. You’ll guide the application of sophisticated analytical techniques to assess causation, evaluate interventions and understand distributional impacts, strengthening the evidence base across Ofgem. Working closely with policy, strategy and economics colleagues, you will help shape how data informs regulatory priorities and market reform.
You’ll also play a key role in enhancing our data capability, identifying new and valuable data sources, championing innovation in analytical approaches and raising awareness of the power of insight across the organisation.
We’re looking for someone with strong and inclusive leadership skills, alongside significant experience leading data analysis and insight functions. You’ll bring advanced technical research capability, including coding skills in R or Python and data visualisation expertise, and the ability to translate complex analysis into clear, compelling narratives for varied audiences. A proven track record of building strong stakeholder relationships and initiating impactful data initiatives will be essential.
You’ll have access to a terrific benefits package within a role offering intellectual challenge, visibility and the chance to leave a lasting mark on how the retail energy market is understood.
Job Description
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage a small team of data researchers and econometricians
- Manage demand for granular data projects including leading educational initiatives and raising awareness
- Oversee both rapid analysis and insights in response to urgent market questions, and longer term research pieces for policy teams
- Own, manage and analyse granular data sets on consumer behaviour, pricing and outcomes
- Oversee the use of sophisticated analysis techniques to assess causation, to support other ORE functions including Evaluation, competition, teams analysing distributional impacts and economic drivers within the data
- Create and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with regulatory teams
Key Outputs and Deliverables
- Analysis and maintenance of granular data sets to answer policy questions
- Insights, reports and data visualisations
- Enable access to new and valuable data sources
- Educational initiatives to increase awareness of the data insights team
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage a small team of data researchers and econometricians
- Manage demand for granular data projects including leading educational initiatives and raising awareness
- Oversee both rapid analysis and insights in response to urgent market questions, and longer term research pieces for policy teams
- Own, manage and analyse granular data sets on consumer behaviour, pricing and outcomes
- Oversee the use of sophisticated analysis techniques to assess causation, to support other ORE functions including Evaluation, competition, teams analysing distributional impacts and economic drivers within the data
- Create and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with regulatory teams
Key Outputs and Deliverables
- Analysis and maintenance of granular data sets to answer policy questions
- Insights, reports and data visualisations
- Enable access to new and valuable data sources
- Educational initiatives to increase awareness of the data insights team
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Strong leadership and management skills including empathetic, inclusive line management and teamwork (Lead Criteria)
- Strong stakeholder relationship skills including the ability to elicit, understand and act on Policy’s research priorities (Lead Criteria)
- Significant experience leading data analysis and insight, and strong technical research skills including hypothesis development, economic modelling, coding in R and/or Python, data visualisation, telling a story with data
- Track record of leading and initiating new and innovative data initiatives, demonstrating value and bringing others with you
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- You will be asked to conduct a presentation at interview. Further details will be provided in your interview invite.
Alongside your salary of £61,446, OFGEM contributes £17,800 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; 30 days annual leave after 2 years; Excellent training and development opportunities; The opportunity to join the generous Civil Service pension which also includes a valuable range of benefits; hybrid working (currently 1 day a week in the office but this is kept under review), flexible working hours and family friendly policies. Plus lots of other benefits including clean and bright offices based centrally, engaged networks and teams and an opportunity to contribute to our ambitious and important targets of establishing a Net Zero energy system by 2050. This exciting blend of professional challenge and personal reward identifies career opportunities at Ofgem as something to get excited about.
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 23rd March 2026
