Senior Technology Adviser

Job summary

As a Senior Technology Adviser, you will have substantial opportunity to make a real difference, shaping how we think about the regulation of data and technology markets, investigating the activities and systems of large technology companies that affect our lives, and developing interventions in digital markets to improve outcomes for consumers and businesses.

The Technology Insight (TI) team, within Strategic Insight, Analysis & AI, advises multidisciplinary CMA case and project teams. Our work includes helping to define the scope of CMA investigations, analysing trends in digital markets and designing remedies to address harms to competition and consumers. We critically assess evidence, consider societal impacts of technology, and communicate technical concepts to colleagues from other CMA professions, including lawyers, economists and senior decision makers.

About the CMA

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is the UK’s principal competition and consumer protection authority. We promote competition and protect consumers with a clear end goal in mind: to drive economic growth and improve household prosperity. The CMA has a range of powers, which it uses to undertake a wide variety of cutting-edge, high profile and complex work, spanning merger and market inquiries, competition and consumer law enforcement, our role in the digital markets competition regime, subsidy advice, and internal market advice.

We are fully committed to being a flexible, respectful and inclusive employer. It is a priority to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we welcome applications from under-represented groups.

You can read more about working at the CMA in our candidate pack

Job description

• Advise CMA case and project teams on technology issues. This could include investigations, mergers cases and Strategic Market Status (SMS) designations under the Digital Markets, Consumers and Competition Act.
• Identify emerging competition and consumer issues in tech markets, translating these into insights relevant to the CMA’s work and contributing to the CMA’s horizon scanning activities.
• Deliver clear, engaging written and verbal communications for non-technical and senior audiences, including reports for external publication.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across the CMA and external stakeholders.

To find out more, please review the role profile below.

Person specification

It is essential that you can provide evidence and examples for each of the following selection criteria in your application. If you do not meet the lead selection criteria in your application, the panel will not be required to score your application against the remaining essential criteria of the role :

• Significant knowledge of one or more areas of technologies. Your expertise might be from a degree or equivalent in a STEM discipline, an academic background, on-the-job learning or from professional experience. (Lead Criteria)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly and persuasively to non-technical and senior audiences through briefings, reports, publications and presentations. (Lead Criteria)
• Experience researching, analysing and developing expertise in technical subjects, including the ability to quickly understand and critically assess new technologies, and apply that understanding to generate insights and provide evidence-based advice.
• Demonstrable ability to build and leverage strong relationships both inside and outside the organisation, including with senior stakeholders.
• Experience working in multidisciplinary teams. CMA case and project teams often include lawyers, economists, delivery and project management professionals and data scientists.
• Active interest in data and technology markets, demonstrated through continuous professional development and a desire to learn more.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Digital, Data and Technology profession capability framework. Specifically, you will be assessed against the Data Scientist capability framework.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £63,800, Competition & Markets Authority contributes

£18,482 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).

You'll also get:

• 25 days leave (increasing to 30 days over five years), plus 8 public holidays and an additional day off for the King’s birthday. In addition, you’ll be able to access a wide range of other types of leave as and when you need it, including generous maternity, paternity, shared parental leave and adoption options, as well as paid special leave for volunteering
• Season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, flu vaccinations and eye tests
• Access to the Civil Service Sports & Leisure, giving discounted gym membership, high street discounts, free access to UK wide attractions and a free Tastecard
• A range of wellbeing benefits, including an employee assistance programme, flexible working options and family friendly policies, regular networking events and professional learning opportunities at work

You can read more about our benefits in our Candidate Information Pack

Any move to the CMA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

Like many other organisations, we operate a hybrid working model with a mix of office and home working. We believe this supports us to deliver our best work while allowing the flexibility to maintain balanced and healthy lives .

We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We want a diverse workforce that reflects the consumers we serve. We welcome applications from under-represented groups, including ethnically diverse people, people with a disability, people with diverse gender identities and from people of different ages.

We are an accredited Disability Confident Employer and disabled applicants meeting the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.

Our Values

The CMA delivers impactful outcomes for people, business and the UK economy.​ We are Ambitious and Evidence-based, and always strive for Excellence.​ We treat everyone with Respect and are Collaborative and Inclusive.​

Everything we do is underpinned by the Civil Service values: Honesty, Integrity, Impartiality and Objectivity.

• You can read more about our values in our Candidate Information Pack
• Things you need to know
• Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

Application and sift stage

• As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV, personal statement, and an online application form. Further details about application requirements are listed on the application form.
• The selection process will comprise of the sift (CV & application review), and an interview which will include a live technical test. Arrangements for the technical test and interview will be enclosed in the invitation.
• Please note that it is essential that your personal statement is aligned to provide evidence that you have the knowledge and experience for each of the essential criteria (as included on the role profile attached and listed above under 'Person Specification') in your application. Your personal statement should be no more than 1250 words.You will first be sifted on the first criteria point (Lead Criteria). If your application progresses to a full sift, all elements of the essential criteria listed under Person Specification will then be considered.
• We may raise the score required at sift stage to progress to interview if we receive a high number of applications and take through the highest performing candidates to interview.
• Candidates that pass the sift will then be invited to interview, which will include a live technical test.

Interview stage

• At the CMA we apply a blended interview technique, allowing us to find out more about you and we use the Success Profiles framework assessing the Behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the advert and attached role profile.
• During the interview you will be asked questions based on the Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills outlined in the role profile and will be asked questions related to the live technical test.
• A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles.

Timeline (the dates outlined below are indicative and may be subject to change)

• The advert closing date is 07 October 2026 (23:55). We are not able to accept late applications.
• The sift is scheduled to take place between 08 and 15 October 2026.
• Interviews will be held from the week commencing 26 October 2026.

Reasonable adjustments

Our recruitment process is fully inclusive, and we can make adjustments to provide you with the opportunity and support to bring your best self to the recruitment process. This could include having an interview buddy, extra time at interviews/assessments, or receiving interview questions in advance. We will be happy to discuss any person-centred adjustments you’d like us to make to the process and you can contact us by emailing our dedicated mailbox at adjustments@cma.gov.uk .

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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