Across government, the ability to unlock value from data and AI is becoming central to how organisations improve services, strengthen decision-making and deliver better outcomes for citizens. Ofgems Common Data Platform is a unified data foundation that supports secure, automated data processing and enables event-driven architecture, self-service analytics and AI integration. This role sits at the centre of that ambition

Ofgem works on behalf of energy consumers to ensure that every household and business in the UK can rely on a safe, affordable and environmentally sustainable energy supply. As the organisation continues to evolve and accelerate its digital and data ambitions, the Head of Data and AI Platforms will play a pivotal role in shaping the engineering capability, platform performance and operational foundations that support that journey.

Team context

The Head of Data and AI Platforms is a senior leadership role within DDSS, aligned in part with the Head of Data Engineering role in the Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework. Reporting into Chief Data & AI Officer, you will oversee the platform engineering, operations and automation capability that underpins Ofgems data and AI strategy.

Working closely with data governance colleagues, the Head of AI & Analytics and wider digital leadership, you will ensure the platform enables trusted, governed data to be used effectively across the organisation. You will also be responsible for helping shape the engineering capability needed to deliver Ofgems data and AI ambitions at pace and scale.

Overview of the role

As Head of Data and AI Platforms, you will ensure Ofgem can use data to make better decisions, shape policy and improve services. You will be accountable for the quality, performance, benefits and outcomes of the data and AI platform services, and for the leadership of the engineering teams that design, run and continuously improve them.

This is an opportunity to combine strategic direction with hands-on service and capability leadership. You will help define the platform roadmap, strengthen data engineering maturity, and ensure that responsible use of AI and data is embedded throughout the organisations engineering landscape., You will be responsible for:

• Overseeing multiple Data and ML Engineering teams, directly managing senior colleagues and ensuring strong performance across platform services.
• Setting the strategic direction for the data and AI platform, engineering and automation capabilities.
• Working with AI and data leadership colleagues to build the engineering capability required to deliver Ofgems data and AI strategy.
• Ensuring responsible use of AI and data across the data engineering platform, in collaboration with data governance colleagues and the Head of Data Science.
• Managing resources and budgets effectively to support delivery, service performance and continuous improvement.
• Contributing as a member of the Data Leadership team to the direction, strategy and roadmap for Ofgems AI, automation and data ambitions.
• Ensuring platform services deliver trusted, governed data that improves reporting, insights and digital delivery.
• Building strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including suppliers, professional bodies and government data communities., At Ofgem, we expect our staff to carry out their roles with honesty, fairness and openness. They should follow the Civil Service code and be free from any influence or bias. We are committed to making sure interests are recognised, declared and managed appropriately so that we can fulfil our duties as an energy regulator. Our Conflicts of Interest policy outlines the types of interests Ofgem staff must declare before onboarding, and the rules they must follow throughout employment so that we can clearly demonstrate that our decisions are not influenced by private interests.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window) .

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion 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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window) .

• Proven experience of overall ownership of the delivery and continuous improvement of enterprise-wide data services and demonstrating their value to the organisation (Lead Criteria)
• Proven experience in influencing senior executive level stakeholders in support of strategic plans for delivery of enterprise services. (Lead Criteria)
• Proven experience of developing and delivering a capability development plan for data teams.
• Proven experience of mentoring senior level data and AI specialists.
• Demonstrable evidence of contributing to building data capabilities.

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of energy sector data and AI challenges, the transition to net-zero, including regulatory and affordability implications.

LI-DNI

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• You will be asked to conduct a presentation during your interview. Details of the presentation will be included in the invitation to interview., This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Alongside your salary of 63,443, OFGEM contributes 18,379 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

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.