Job summary
Ofgem is Great Britain's independent energy regulator, playing a vital role in protecting consumers, enabling investment and supporting the transition to a secure, affordable and low-carbon energy system.
The successful rollout of smart meters is central to the modernisation of Great Britain's energy market, helping consumers better manage their energy usage while enabling a smarter, more flexible energy system that supports Net Zero objectives. At the heart of this system sits the Data Communications Company (DCC), a licenced monopoly responsible for providing the secure communications infrastructure that connects smart meters with energy suppliers, network companies and other authorised users.
As a Senior Economist, you will provide economic and regulatory analysis to support Ofgem's oversight of DCC, helping to ensure consumers receive value for money through efficient costs, strong performance and effective regulation. Working within a small, collaborative team, you will apply economic thinking and analytical skills to some of the most important decisions affecting the future of the smart metering programme.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at a pivotal point as DCC transitions between regulatory regimes. You will contribute to the delivery of a final ex-post price control for the outgoing licensee and help develop a new multi-year ex-ante price control framework that will shape DCC's future revenues and incentives. Using evidence, data and economic analysis, you will scrutinise complex issues, assess regulatory options and develop robust recommendations that support effective decision-making.
You will work closely with colleagues across Ofgem, as well as senior stakeholders in DCC, government and industry, building constructive relationships and communicating complex analytical findings clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Job description
Key Responsibilities
- Leading workstreams within the final annual ex-post DCC price control process including the assessment of costs incurred by the licensee in given areas, the application of an incentive regime and oversight of a compliant end-of-licence financial closure
- Leading workstreams within a new multiannual ex-ante price control process, including the assessment of the licensee’s business plan and proposed expenditure, analysis of business cases and CBAs; developing robust proposals for our positions on price control outcomes; and delivering written consultations
- Monitoring the licensee’s compliance with price control determinations, including review of quarterly cash-flow and revenue reporting and forecasts, and end-of-year reporting; assessing re-opener applications and in-period revenue adjustments
- Optimising the price control and incentives frameworks; eg assessing how the price control/incentive framework should apply in novel situations; reviewing guidance to DCC to reflect changes in policy or context
- Supporting the review and approval of the licensee’s Business Strategy & Technology Roadmap document
- Supporting the review of Ofgem’s long-term view of DCC regulation, including in the context of Smart Meter Implementation Programme governance transition; this may include establishing a business case review function within the team
- Building constructive working relationships with internal stakeholders (including legal advisers), DCC and Government
- Contributing to other work undertaken by the team as it arises; this may include reviewing of compliance documents
Main outputs and deliverables
- Robust quantitative and qualitative analysis informing sound advice to senior decision-makers
- Clear and concise drafting for external and internal audiences, including contributions to briefings, internal decision documents, and consultations
- Effective project planning and timely delivery of outputs
- Constructive working relationships established with internal and external stakeholders
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
- Analysis and use of evidence: ability to analyse quantitative and qualitative information, identify issues, and develop options and recommendations on a wide range of technical, commercial and policy issues (LEAD)
- Price control and incentives: experience of working on price control and incentives policy or delivery
- Communication: ability to communicate effectively to a range of internal and external audiences, both verbally and in writing
- Stakeholder engagement: ability to build collaborative working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, to represent Ofgem in external meetings, and to use influencing skills to secure desired outcomes
- Organisational skills: ability to proactively prioritise, plan and schedule complex and diverse tasks
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 14th September 2026
