Before Hong Kong's telecom market liberalisation began in 1995, regulating communications was simple. Back in the century when the telephone was merely an instrument for making voice calls - and Hong Kong's local fixed line network was run by a single franchised operator - the main skills required by the then Telecommunications Authority were electrical and technical, with a few economists required to review and renew tariffs within the well-established franchise scheme.
Today, it's a very different story. With 17 fixed network operators, 185 internet service providers and a 203 per cent mobile phone penetration rate, the role of the Office of Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) regulator now demands much more economics, legal and accounting skills than the existing civil service grade of telephone engineer provides.
Enter the regulatory affairs manager (RAM) - Hong Kong's first new civil service grade in a decade - and an exciting opportunity opens for qualified individuals to play a varied and leading role in the continued development of the region's communications markets.
'Right now we have a strong team of engineers,' says Chaucer Leung, assistant director (support) at OFTA. 'What we are lacking is those from other disciplines, such as lawyers, accountants, and economists. The purpose of the new grade is to embrace these missing disciplines.'
At present, OFTA has around 30 contract posts handling non-technical regulatory work. But, according to Leung, the existing practice of hiring non-technical talent through contract staff has become unacceptable. High turnover of contract staff, restricted career development, and a need to ensure absolute impartiality - all have created a need to bring such staff into the civil service proper.
The initial RAM recruitment, with a closing date of 2 March, will be for one chief, four principals and eight seniors. Eighteen entry-level RAMs will be hired later in the year, around August or September, according to Leung.
