Deputy Director, ? Consumer Policy?

Thank you for your interest in this role in the Consumer & Competition Policy directorate. We aim to improve competitive outcomes for business and consumers – competitive markets lower prices, improve quality and service and provide more choices for consumers while driving innovation and efficiency and creating opportunities for businesses to grow. ​

We are around 100 people, with the majority based in London and a small and growing number of colleagues based around the country. We are a friendly, collaborative and inclusive directorate. We strive to deliver high-quality and evidence driven policy and we value and invest in the expertise of our staff and our relationships with partner organisations, companies and other key stakeholders. ​

The Consumer Policy team is responsible for enhancing consumer protection laws and enforcement using the consumer protection aspects of the new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. These powers strengthen consumer enforcement, consumer rights and consumer protections and provide new delegated powers to deal with emerging consumer harms such as subscription traps, fake reviews, drip pricing and online platforms, as well as tackling secondary ticketing matters. Ministers have asked for a review in to the consumer protection enforcement landscape to improve outcomes for consumers and level the playing field for honest businesses. The team also sponsors the work of Citizen’s Advice, Citizen’s Advice Scotland, Chartered Trading Standards Institute and the National Trading Standards.

This is an exciting time to join. Digital technology is changing the nature of consumer transactions and consumer harms. The Government has a manifesto commitment to introduce new consumer protections on ticket resales to put fans back at the heart of events. We have recently closed a consultation which we now need to turn into policy recommendations, and legislation. We have also recently closed a consultation on tackling subscription traps following new powers introduced in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 and have a live consultation on package travel reforms. Ministers have also asked for a review into the consumer protection landscape to improve outcomes for consumers and level the playing field for honest businesses. Enforced consumer protection directly supports the growth agenda as trustworthy markets are more resilient and sustainable. Consumers return, businesses thrive, and the economy grows.

​ Key Responsibilities include: ​

• Provide strategic direction for the programme of policy work to prepare for future reforms in the consumer protection enforcement landscape, and raise the role of the consumer in the Department and Government’s Growth agenda.​
• Policy delivery for the programme of policy work to understand and address specific consumer harms – especially package travel, subscription traps and secondary ticketing.​
• Leadership of a policy team (c.22 staff), including line management of three team leaders. Help maintain an expert, connected, motivated and inclusive team environment and contribute to the wider corporate leadership of the directorate as a member of its senior leadership team. ​
• Leadership of a wide sponsor body network to shape the enforcement landscape for the benefit of consumer outcomes.

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