About the job

Job summary

Do you want a career where you can make a real difference? Do you want to work in a government department that is at the forefront of current policy making decisions that will impact the UK and beyond? If yes then a career at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) could be for you.

Here at DESNZ we are securing the UK’s long term energy supply, bringing down energy bills and halving inflation. We are seizing the opportunities of Net Zero to lead the world in new green industries and encouraging greater energy efficiency across the UK. The work of the department has never been more timely or relevant, and by joining us you will be part of making that difference.

Our work is varied, interesting and most importantly its impactful. Our DESNZ Values are interwoven into everything we do; we are Bold, we are Collaborative, we are Inclusive and we Learn. As a department we are committed to these values to build a culture where everyone can thrive. 

We offer great working benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

Find Out More

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforenergysecurityandnetzero?

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/

Job description

The Assessment and Negotiations team sits within the Hydrogen and Industrial Carbon Capture Directorate, a fast-paced and exciting directorate that is at the heart of DESNZ energy and climate policy. 

We are looking for one SEO to join the team to support active commercial negotiations with the selected projects looking for revenue support through the ICC/Waste ICC or HPBM business model and capex support through CIF/Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.

The role will involve significant engagement with industry, external advisors and HM Treasury. As such this is an exciting opportunity to support the commercial negotiations for Government in a politically high-profile area.

We believe that CCUS will be essential to meeting the UK’s 2050 net zero target, playing a vital role in levelling up the economy, supporting the low-carbon economic transformation of our industrial regions, creating new high value jobs.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has described CCS as a ‘necessity, not an option’ for the transition to Net Zero.  

CCUS and low carbon hydrogen are vital to transforming sectors such as steel, cement, and chemicals, which lack viable alternatives to achieve deep decarbonisation and will help create world-leading low carbon manufacturing clusters.  

The Industrial Carbon Capture (ICC) and Waste ICC business models have been designed to incentivise the deployment of carbon capture technology by industrial and waste management users who often have no viable alternative to achieve deep decarbonisation.

It will incorporate an up to 15-year contract that provides the emitter with a payment per tonne of captured and stored carbon dioxide (CO2), which is intended to cover operational expenses, fees for the transport and storage of captured carbon dioxide, and repayment of and rate of return on capital investment; and for projects that have applied through Phase-2 of the Cluster Sequencing Process for CCUS deployment only, government capex co-funding via a grant from the £1 billion CCS Infrastructure Fund (CIF).

The Hydrogen Production Business Model (HPBM) will support selected Producers of low carbon hydrogen by paying them a premium, calculated as the difference between a Strike Price (reflective of the Producer’s unit cost of production and negotiated on a project-by-project basis) and a Reference Price (based on the price at which the Producer sells their hydrogen, with a floor at the natural gas price i.e. the most relevant fossil fuel alternative).

Producers will only be supported in this way if they produce hydrogen that meets the requirements of the Low Carbon Hydrogen Standard and sell that hydrogen for certain qualifying purposes (including, for instance, power generation, transportation or industrial use, but not including sales for export or blending into the natural gas grid).

The role will involve:

• Supporting negotiations with projects through to agreement, presenting recommendations to the Negotiations Leadership Team on the outcome of the deal structure, subsidy level, and contractual T&Cs.
• Liaising with internal stakeholders in Assurance, Analysis, Legal and Business Model teams to negotiate contractual terms and respond to internal and external questions.
• Draft and present briefings for senior internal and external stakeholders, Ministers, HMT & No 10.
• Ad-hoc support with workflow management, scheduling and project management to enable negotiations.

Person specification

Skills and experience

We welcome applications from people who bring transferable skills from other fields or sectors.

Skills, experience and qualifications (essential):

• Experience of making recommendations and influencing people to deliver business goals.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to build and maintain good relationships across multiple internal and external teams. You are able to influence others and support positive relationships with partners.
• Excellent problem-solving skills, able to understand and analyse information and evidence from a variety of sources (including legal, scientific, economic, commercial, and engineering) to form recommendations, able to assimilate and work with financial detail, and able to make effective decisions about complex issues.
• Ability to plan, prioritise, and identify and mitigate risks, providing challenge to others where necessary.
• Proactive approach to workload and ability to deliver quality to short and long timelines in a fast-paced working environment.
  

Skills, experience and qualifications (desirable):

• Familiarity with corporate finance or with the energy sector would be desirable. The individual should be enthusiastic and prepared to learn fast. We will provide the successful candidate with training opportunities an the ability to pace and stretch themselves.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,470, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £10,116 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to outline why you are interested in this role and what skills and experience you bring.

Applications will be sifted on CV and personal statement.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the CV.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour questions.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 01/04/2024

Interview dates: w/c 08/04/2024

Interview Location: Remote.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview. 

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero  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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DESNZ does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DESNZ cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DESNZ holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service and Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading. 

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk 

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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 on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.