International Policy Advisor

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Please note that this role will close at 00:01 on Friday 23 October, and therefore we advise getting your application in by no later than midnight on Thursday 22 October.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of applications

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

The role sits within Ofcom’s International Team. The team is responsible for managing Ofcom’s engagement with our counterpart regulators, industry, academia and other relevant stakeholders around the world. We exchange views and share best practices on all issues of relevance to Ofcom, such as online safety, media regulation, network resilience and digital markets. We use these international insights to inform how we design and apply regulation in the UK, and to support Ofcom’s regulatory thinking and horizon-scanning work. We also share our expertise with international partners and seek to influence regulatory developments in the sectors that matter to us. We represent Ofcom globally, including through holding leadership roles in a variety of European and global forums.

The purpose and scope of the role

As the UK’s converged communications regulator, Ofcom works with industries that have technology at their heart. These are sectors that have driven significant innovation and economic growth over many decades. 

The markets, technologies and policy challenges that Ofcom regulates are increasingly shaped by international developments. As communications services become more interconnected, international engagement and cooperation are essential to Ofcom's ability to anticipate change, respond to emerging risks and deliver effective regulatory outcomes for UK consumers and businesses. 

Working across telecoms and digital markets, you will help Ofcom navigate an increasingly international regulatory environment by identifying emerging opportunities and risks, building relationships with international partners, and ensuring that international evidence and experience inform Ofcom’s work. 

Your Key Responsibilities

The role will involve contributing to Ofcom’s international engagement across telecoms and digital markets, as part of a wider team.

It will mean:

• Conducting research and analysis on international regulatory, legislative, market and technological developments, and translating insights into practical recommendations that support Ofcom's policy development, regulatory decision-making and strategic priorities.
• Contributing to Ofcom’s strategic policy priorities across the Infrastructure and Connectivity Group (ICG). This will include areas such as scams and fraud, emerging consumer protection challenges such as AI-enabled harms, digital transitions and net neutrality. It will also include analysing how developments in digital markets and platform ecosystems are reshaping communications markets, including the growing role of large technology companies in areas traditionally associated with telecoms, and assessing the implications for Ofcom’s regulatory objectives.
• Supporting and co-ordinating Ofcom’s participation in international discussions taking place in regulatory networks (e.g. BEREC/IRG, OECD) and other fora on telecoms and digital markets issues, helping to influence international debates in pursuit of Ofcom’s strategic and regulatory objectives.
• Proactively horizon-scanning to identify international developments in future technologies that are relevant to Ofcom’s regulatory objectives, communicating and explaining those within the organisation and making connections between different threads of Ofcom’s work, and sharing Ofcom’s thinking and approaches with international stakeholders.
• Preparing senior colleagues for international meetings and helping to plan how they might be deployed in support of Ofcom’s objectives.

This will require:

• Proactively building and maintaining relationships with regulators, policymakers and other stakeholders internationally, acting as a liaison between Ofcom experts and international counterparts, to understand and, where appropriate, influence telecoms policy and regulatory developments, and to ensure Ofcom’s approach to these issues is shaped by international learnings.
• Working closely with policy groups across Ofcom, and particularly with ICG, co-ordinating across the organisation to ensure that Ofcom’s policy thinking and programme of work incorporate the synergies and that international considerations are fully embedded.
• Working closely with the Public Policy Team to help sustain relationships with key UK Government officials working on telecoms issues, to ensure Ofcom expert input on elements of relevant Government policy and on Government’s international engagement.
• Working closely and in collaboration with other topic experts across the International Team, identifying connections between telecoms and digital market issues and wider policy areas across Ofcom’s remit, including content regulation, online safety, and security and resilience.

This role will involve occasional travel within continental Europe.

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

We are looking for a proactive and enthusiastic individual with a can-do attitude who will thrive working as part of a diverse team and in a fast-paced environment. In particular, you will need to have:

• Knowledge of, or a strong interest, in telecoms regulation and/or digital markets policy.
• Exposure to and interest in pursuing the links between these and other policy areas relevant to the regulation of communications networks and services, such as cybersecurity and resilience, international technical standards, market power and consumer protection.
• An understanding of the UK regulatory environment and how Ofcom’s international work contributes to the achievement of its strategic objectives.
• An eye for the strategic implications of international political and policy developments, including the ability to spot opportunities and threats for Ofcom.
• Generating Insights:Strong and demonstrated analytical skills, being able to cut through complex issues to see and communicate the bigger picture.
• Forming Relationships:Demonstrable experience in handling a variety of stakeholders in different environments.
• Harmonising Work:Strong interpersonal and diplomatic skills, including cultural awareness, so that you can establish and maintain good working relationships internally and externally, particularly with regulators and stakeholders in other countries.
• Executing Plans:Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage a varied and demanding workload and to prioritise resources effectively in an agile manner, being flexible and adaptable to changing or ambiguous circumstances.
• Articulating Ideas:A demonstrated ability to communicate clearly, concisely and confidently to a variety of audiences, both orally and in written form.
• Channelling Influence:Experience of working across organisational boundaries in multi-disciplinary project teams of policy professionals, technologists, economists, data and communications specialists.
• Appreciate and want to promote Ofcom's values of excellence, agility, empowerment, respect and collaboration.

Inclusive hiring at Ofcom

At Ofcom, our mission is clear: to make communications work for everyone. To achieve that, our people must reflect the diversity of the UK, in background, identity and experience. 

We believe innovation thrives when difference is valued and everyone feels empowered to contribute their ideas and perspectives. That’s why we welcome colleagues of all ethnicities and races, sexes, genders and gender identities, sexual orientations, ages, faiths and beliefs, and those with apparent and non‑apparent disabilities. We value socio‑economic diversity, life experience and neurodiversity too. Whether you’re a carer, a parent, a veteran, or re‑entering work after time away, your voice and perspective matter here. 

Flexibility is at the heart of how we work because we want you to thrive in a way that suits you best. Most roles can therefore be adapted for part‑time hours, job shares, or other flexible arrangements. Learn more about ourRewards, Benefits and Wellbeing on our careers page. 

Our recruitment process is intentionally designed to be open and accessible. If you need adjustments, information in a different format or an alternative way to apply, contact us atresourcing@ofcom.org.uk or 0330 912 1378. 

As a proud Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee interviews for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for a role. You can read more about this commitmenthere. 

Whoever you are, whatever your story, you belong at Ofcom.