What are the responsibilities and job description for the Programme Manager position at Ofcom?
This is an ongoing temporary role expected to last until the end of March 2025. Candidates can be based anywhere in the UK but should be able to travel to London a few times a month.
The service
The DRCF AI and Digital Hub is a new multi-regulator service to help innovators bring new AI and digital products and services to market quickly, safely and responsibly. This groundbreaking service funded by government is operating a one year pilot through to the end of March 2025.
Queries are assessed against our entry criteria, and those accepted are considered and answered by a dedicated team from two, three or four DRCF regulators. Responses will address complex cross regulatory queries related to the new or novel product, service or business model under development. These will later be published as case studies on our website for wider impact. We aim to answer within 8 weeks of acceptance. Each response will form the basis of a case study that will be made public on our website. Queries that do not meet our criteria in any way are rejected.
Where there is existing information, a relevant case study, or one regulator can answer the question, the participant may receive some assistance, but not a full Hub response. This is not an advertised element of the Hub service.
The role of the Programme Manager
Each query accepted for a Hub response will lead to the creation of a collaborative policy response will involve two or more regulators. This process could take up to 8 weeks. Each response will need to be co-ordinated individually, with different combinations of regulators, some leading, some contributing, and each will have its own timeframe for producing a response. They will all involve different risks to manage and require effective coordination of legal and policy input.
The Programme manager will:
- manage the programme of work to ensure that Hub delivers effectively and in line with its strategic objectives, and can demonstrate impact
- work closely with the Group Manager to control the allocation of workload across the regulators and track / drive progress
- co-ordinate the collaboration between the relevant regulators, and secure delivery according to our published timelines
- ensure the workload between the regulators is as balanced as possible to ensure streamlined delivery
- identify blockers or risks and work with the Project Group, Group Manager and Sponsor to resolve or mitigate them, escalating as necessary
- recognise when demand management measures to increase or temper demand need to be implemented and put actions in place as needed
- work with the project group to co-ordinate the operation of the case study archive, ensuring timely publication.
As the project is a pilot, the Programme Manager will recommend where the processes and systems in use can be improved or streamlined to increase efficiency and/or effectiveness and work with the Group Manager to implement and manage that change as needed.
Together, the Programme Manager and Group Manager will be responsible for reporting to the Sponsor and the Board on the progress and effectiveness of the pilot overall, and escalating issues as they arise. They will also contribute to reporting to DSIT.
Key skills / experience
- Programme management, with experience of managing multiple policy and operational strands, combining a range of individual objectives under one strategic direction
- Management of multiple stakeholders across organisations with differing objectives and remits
- Facilitating discussions that lead to the successful resolution of issues
- Reporting to senior bodies, including at Board level.
- Producing project/programme management documentation and metrics, reporting against KPIs and milestones to demonstrate progress
Assessing and mitigating risk. Ideally the Programme manager will have experience of dealing with public sector, policy based organisations, or have a compliance background