This role can be based at any of our office locations: London, Birmingham, Bristol, Manchester, York, Glasgow.
At ORR we have adopted hybrid working and are currently expected to work from a workplace location for a minimum of two days per week or 40%.
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is the competition authority for the rail sector under the 1998 Competition Act, with powers concurrent with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The Competition Team sits within the Economics, Finance and Markets (EFM) directorate, which leads on financial and economic analysis within ORR. We oversee the competitiveness of markets across the rail sector and its supply chain, and have broad statutory powers to intervene where necessary. We work on complex projects to promote and protect competition in rail markets across the value chain. We do this through the exercise of competition powers and policy tools to support the delivery of an efficient, high-performing rail service that provides value for money for passengers, freight customers, governments, and taxpayers.
Regional office salary range: £52,867 - £58,486
London office salary range: £57,114 - £62,698
Team information
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is the competition authority for the rail sector under the 1998 Competition Act, with powers concurrent with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The Competition Team sits within the Economics, Finance and Markets (EFM) directorate, which leads on financial and economic analysis within ORR. We oversee the competitiveness of markets across the rail sector and its supply chain, and have broad statutory powers to intervene where necessary. We work on complex projects to promote and protect competition in rail markets across the value chain. We do this through the exercise of competition powers and policy tools to support the delivery of an efficient, high-performing rail service that provides value for money for passengers, freight customers, governments, and taxpayers.
Job Purpose
This role is crucial for the effective performance of ORR’s Competition Team, which is a dedicated team of specialists responsible for considering the unique characteristics of rail markets. The primary focus will be to lead on key projects and workstreams within the areas of market studies, competition cases and competition policy development, supported by the Head of Competition and Principal Manager, Competition Policy.
Key Responsibilities
Your key responsibilities, although not exhaustive, will include:
- Responsibility for delivering projects within the team’s work programme including market studies and enforcement cases.
- Work with the Competition Team to take strategic decisions about large and complex cases, and, how the team should focus its work in order to maximise ORR’s positive impact with finite resource.
- Lead engagement with, and influence, senior industry figures. Build ORR’s reputation as a competition regulator with senior stakeholders including other concurrent regulators, and across industry.
- Work with colleagues and as required manage external consultants and optimise the use of ORR’s internal expertise about the operation of the railway ensuring that our decision making takes into account the practical and commercial realities of the railway.
- Develop and build the case for action where it is needed (and demonstrate sound judgement in determining where informal intervention may be most effective). Analyse complex and voluminous evidence and materials to present clear advice on effective regulatory decisions.
- Understanding the interrelationship between competition policy, safety policy and economic regulation, to ensure the team contributes to wider ORR objectives.
- Influence colleagues across ORR and strengthen the organisation’s knowledge of competition policy.
Essential Criteria
When assessing your application, these are the criteria that you are assessed against:
Behaviours
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and influencing
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
Experience
- Proven experience in leading or playing a key role in complex competition or regulatory projects, including effective decision-making. Examples include enforcement of competition law, market studies, or sector-specific regulatory projects.
- Ability to independently lead engagement with internal and external stakeholders.
- Strong influencing skills and the ability to quickly establish credibility with industry stakeholders, government (UK and devolved), other regulators and the wider competition community.
Technical
- Demonstrate subject matter expertise in competition policy and its interrelationship with economic and other types of sector specific regulation.
- Able to analyse complex and voluminous evidence and materials to present clear advice on effective regulatory decisions.
Mandatory Qualifications
None
Mandatory Licences: None
Mandatory Memberships: None
This job description provides an overview of key duties and responsibilities and is not exhaustive. You may be expected to undertake other duties and responsibilities within the scope of your role and as appropriate for your grade.
How we will assess your application
At ORR, we use the Civil Service ‘Success Profiles’ framework for our recruitment. Please refer to the Candidate Information Pack accompanying this advert for details.
When completing your application form, please ensure you provide evidence of how you meet each of the essential criteria listed above for this post.
Shortlisting
We will conduct a pre-sift using Experience as the essential criterion from those listed above.
Successful candidates at the pre-sifting stage will then progress to a full sift.
Interview
We will assess you against all essential criteria at interview stage.
A test or presentation may be included as part of our assessment for the essential criteria.
The selection process may include a video interview, and/or a second interview.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
Your will be informed by email within 14 days of the job advert closing (Wed, 3 Sept 2025) whether or not you are being invited to attend an interview. Currently, and subject to confirmation, interviews are expected to take place in the week commencing 15/09/2025.
