Policy Manager

Ofcom; London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job description

Closing Date: 28/04/2025

Group: Networks and Communications Group

Management Level: Senior Associate

Job Type: Permanent

Job Description:

Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Monday 28 April, and therefore we advise getting your application in no later than midnight on Sunday 27 April.

About Ofcom

As the UK’s communications regulator, we’re delivering vital work that helps keep the UK connected and shapes the future of how we’ll stay connected with each other. Our work covers everything from phones and broadband, through to TV, radio, the postal service, and wireless devices. We’re also taking on the challenge of making the online world a safer place. And we need people of all backgrounds, skill sets, and experiences to help us achieve our goal of making communications work for everyone.

About the team you’ll be part of

This role is part of our Networks and Communications Group. Our mission is to help ensure the communication services we all use every day, and rely on for nearly everything we do, work well for everyone, today and in the future. We do this by promoting competition and investment in the industries we oversee and helping make sure that communications networks are secure and resilient. Our work helps drive innovation, deliver consumer choice and value, and makes sure people and businesses get the services they need. Technology in our sectors changes fast and there are always new and exciting issues to explore. In a time of significant digital disruption, we support economic growth by ensuring that our communications infrastructure meets the country’s needs and enables a wide range of digital services.

The purpose and scope of the role

This is an important role developing and implementing policy to help promote the interests of consumers using post, broadband, mobile and other digital communications services. When you join us, depending on your skills and experience you will have the opportunity to manage key policy projects and programmes, analysing and solving complex problems, working closely with specialists such as economists, lawyers and technology experts.

Some examples of our priority policy projects for 2025/26 include:

1. Mobile investment: We are starting a programme of work to promote competition and investment in the mobile market, including by empowering consumers to choose the network and service that best suits their needs. This involves working with relevant stakeholders to help address areas where the market is not currently delivering the mobile infrastructure the country needs.

2. Telecoms Access Review: We are currently reviewing a range of telecoms markets with the aim of ensuring our regulation supports competition and investment in fibre broadband infrastructure. We recently set out our proposals for the new regulatory framework and will publish our decision in early 2026.

3. Postal Universal Service Obligation (USO) review: Earlier this year we proposed significant changes to the obligations on Royal Mail to put the postal universal service on a more sustainable financial footing. We are also starting new work to ensure universal postal services continue to be affordable and our quality-of-service regime incentivises Royal Mail to improve its performance.

Your Key Responsibilities

1. Work as part of different project teams, taking ownership of the overall progress of the project as well as leading the delivery of a workstream or an aspect of the project. As a policy manager you will be a senior member of the team responsible for overseeing and co-ordinating contributions from across the project team.

2. Gather and analyse evidence, engaging with stakeholders to understand their views and summarise for colleagues.

3. Lead and contribute to policy development and group discussions, presenting your analysis and collaborating with specialist colleagues to develop policy options.

4. Produce internal documents to support our policymaking process and draft parts of our published documents. This will require you to produce high quality written material tailored to different audiences appropriately, as well as collating information from a range of different sources and communicating legal, economic and technical information clearly.

The skills, knowledge and experience you’ll need for success

Our Policy Managers in the Networks and Communications policy team come from a variety of different career and academic backgrounds and have developed their skills in many different roles, industries and sectors.

The essential requirements for the role are:

1. Experience of policy development in a regulated industry, in government or another policy-focused organisation, or of problem-solving / strategy development in a commercial organisation.

2. Analytical skills: experience of applying thorough analysis in problem solving, using logical approaches to gather qualitative and quantitative evidence and insights to identify and evaluate complex issues. This includes identifying key analytical questions, responding to new information, considering different angles and generating and/or assessing options.

3. Articulating Ideas: ability to clearly and concisely articulate complex information to a broad range of audiences, both verbally and in writing. This includes active listening, contributing to team discussions and ensuring your messages are understood. You will also have experience of producing and editing well-structured, accurate & succinct written documents and materials (including correspondence) in plain English.

4. Executing plans: experience in leading and managing policy and/or strategy projects & programmes, taking responsibility for driving the work forward. The ability to take ownership of your own work, produce workplans and execute them, proactively managing internal governance and input from other colleagues to deliver outputs on time.

5. Forming relationships: ability to build and manage constructive working relationships with diverse teams and stakeholders, collaborating and influencing effectively to contribute to a positive working environment.

6. Channelling influence: leading and contributing to team policy and/or strategy discussions, using clear communication and persuasion to influence decisions and stakeholder views.

While not essential, knowledge of the industries Ofcom regulates (including awareness of the relevant market dynamics and consumer needs) would be desirable, as would experience of working in industry.

Ofcom has a clear mission: to make communications work for everyone. To be able to deliver on this, we want our organisation to reflect the diversity of background, experience, upbringing and thought that exists across the UK. We aim to recruit from the widest pool of candidates possible – no matter your social background, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender or disability.

Where positions are listed as full-time, we remain open to reduced hours, part-time arrangements, job shares, and other flexible working options. From day one, we champion flexible work arrangements to accommodate individual needs.

We also warmly welcome applicants who are returning to the workforce after a break – for whatever reason. If you have taken time away and are ready to rejoin, we look forward to reviewing your application.

Our recruitment processes prioritise accessibility and inclusivity. If you need information in an alternative format or have specific preferences, please contact our recruitment team at [e-mail] or call 0330 912 1378.

As a Disability Confident employer, we offer interviews to disabled applicants who meet essential criteria for advertised roles. Learn more about this scheme here.