Step into a high-impact leadership role where your expertise in economic analysis can shape decisions that affect millions. Ofgem is looking for a Principal Economist (Infrastructure and Price Controls) to drive analytical excellence at the heart of public policy, guiding how we regulate infrastructure and support the UK’s clean energy ambitions.
This is a rare opportunity to lead where it matters most – at the intersection of economic rigour, public value, and strategic influence. You’ll be leading the way in making meaningful change, in a role where your insight will help set the direction for infrastructure reform and long-term national investment. Your work will directly support consumers, ensuring that regulatory decisions are grounded in fairness, transparency and long-term value.
With plenty of scope to work in the best manner possible for you, you’ll influence the regulation of future-facing technologies, from clean generation to complex grid reform. You’ll be enabled to stretch your leadership skills and build capability to work effectively in dynamic, multidisciplinary teams. This is a role for those who want to do more than deliver analysis, it’s a chance to lead thinking, drive innovation and enable decisions that stand the test of time.
What sets this role apart is the opportunity to work across different areas of energy infrastructure regulation. You will use your economic skills and experience of regulation to draw upon expertise and promote integrated approaches to modelling and analysis across different areas of regulation. You’ll also support our mission to build an analytical culture that’s inclusive, forward-thinking and prepared for challenges ahead.
We’re looking for someone with the credibility to lead, the confidence to influence, and the drive to deliver. You’ll bring extensive experience in economic analysis, ideally within government, regulation or infrastructure settings, and a proven ability to lead multidisciplinary teams in complex environments. Strong communication skills, sound judgement and a collaborative approach will be key to building credibility and influencing decision-making at the highest level.
We have a critical purpose to drive strategic improvements across the UK’s energy system. By joining Ofgem, you’ll lead work that supports national infrastructure reform, informs long-term decisions, and helps protect consumers as we transition to a low-carbon future.
Job description
Key Responsibilities:
The candidate will deliver a programme of work designed to:
- Support and collaborate with policy teams in producing robust and high-quality analysis to enable good decision-making.
- With the Chief Economist and infrastructure regulation leads, design new analytical frameworks to assess Ofgem’s new roles in infrastructure regulation, including the regulation of new technologies, and changes resulting from the development of Clean Power 2030
- Manage a team and oversee the team’s work with policy teams to prepare impact assessments and economic analysis of Ofgem’s infrastructure regulation
- Design and deliver key training programmes to support the development of Ofgem’s analytical capability, with particular focus on infrastructure regulation.
- Represent Ofgem at external stakeholder events.
- Act as part of the leadership team of the Office for Research and Economics.
- Cooperate with programme leads across Ofgem and in some cases with partners (e.g. DESNZ, NESO) to provide assurance on the quality of analytical work on major projects.
Key Outputs and Deliverables:
- Management responsibility for a team producing economic analysis and impact assessments for infrastructure projects, including Ofgem’s RIIO price controls
- Development of effective relationships with infrastructure leadership, to ensure agreement on the role of the team and prioritisation
- Representing Ofgem effectively and enthusiastically with external stakeholders.
Setting-up and leading high-performing team based on effective resource management, ongoing support and professional development
- Manages effective and inclusive team resourcing and staff onboarding through close engagement with relevant Deputy Director, Workstream Managers, Heads of Professions, PDLs and HR Staffers to ensure best talent match to work needs.
- Helps team members deliver by building supportive, inclusive team environment based on trust-based relationships, transparency and inclusivity.
- Takes ownership for own and team members’ professional development by:
- Providing ongoing coaching and identification of development opportunities in regular performance conversations.
Key Stakeholders:
- Chief Economist
- Members of Ofgem’s infrastructure senior leadership team
- Legal Advisors
- Policy teams from across Ofgem, particularly those involved in analytical work underpinning key Ofgem decisions.
- External senior stakeholders including academia, other regulators, government departments etc
Person specification
ESSENTIAL:
- Degree in Economics/related subject or comparable capability built through relevant professional experience in economic analysis. (LEAD)
- Extensive experience of working on comparable economic issues, either working in the energy sector, or in relevant areas of economic regulation such as price controls. (LEAD)
- Significant experience and expertise in economic appraisal, particularly impact assessments.
- Excellent interpersonal and team working skills including building strong relationships both internal and external to the team.
- The ability to effectively communicate and synthesise analysis and data for senior decision-makers and external audiences, both verbally and in writing.
DESIRABLE:
- Experience leading and motivating a team.
- Proven ability to work flexibly in different roles across a range of different analytical projects.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Managing a Quality Service
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Please refer to the Candidate Pack and Role Profile attached for full details.
Benefits
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 Tuesday 27th May 2025
