About the job

Job summary

This is an opportunity to work in a very interesting and challenging area of the Scottish Government (SG) with a wide range of stakeholders and project themes. Energy consents is a high profile area, which attracts a significant level of media and ministerial interest.

The Energy Consents Unit (ECU) is a branch of the Energy and Climate Change Directorate, responsible for processing applications for energy infrastructure to be determined by the Scottish Ministers. The applications processed by the ECU are highly technical in nature. They often relate to multi-million pound development and infrastructure projects, which make a significant contribution to the Scottish Government’s core purpose of promoting sustainable economic growth and to the delivery of Scottish Government’s energy policies.

This is an exciting opportunity to work in high-profile operational team of the Energy Consents Unit (ECU), which is a branch of the Energy and Climate Change Directorate of the Scottish Government. The Energy Consents Unit (ECU) is a branch of the Energy and Climate Change Directorate, responsible for processing applications for energy infrastructure, principally under the Electricity Act 1989, to be determined by the Scottish Ministers within relevant legislative and policy frameworks. This is very interesting and challenging area of the Scottish Government involving a wide range of stakeholders and project themes.

The Case and Systems Officer is responsible for working as part of the ECU team processing applications for the construction of onshore energy infrastructure that are determined by the Scottish Ministers.  The projects this role holder may work on includes grid infrastructure, onshore wind, solar and storage projects. The role holder will work in a supportive environment where staff are valued, have ownership of and responsibility for their work, and are encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills as well as provide support to other people in the team.

The applications processed by the ECU are highly technical in nature. They usually relate to multi-million pound development and infrastructure projects, which make a significant contribution to the SG's core purpose of promoting sustainable economic growth and to the delivery of SG’s energy policies.

Case and Systems Officers will report to a Senior Case Officer who will oversee and where appropriate allocate work and also provide any technical assistance and oversight required to process and determine the team’s applications. The role may involve line management of A band staff.

Job description

• Enabling the development of the Energy Consents Unit portal website troubleshooting issues as they arise and liaising across the Scottish Government to understand how other digital systems are utilised to agree synergies and share knowledge where appropriate.

• Processing, including consultation and stakeholder management, of applications under section 36 or 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 which are allocated to you,  including providing support to senior staff in drafting submissions containing recommendations to Ministers and in drafting determinations to be made for applications made under the Electricity Act 1989.

• Processing, management and drafting decisions relating to applications for screening or scoping opinions made under The Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017, and relating to applications for Necessary Wayleaves under schedule 4 to the Electricity Act 1989, within the necessary timescales.

• Ensuring that relevant information is published in a timely manner and  developing the ECU portal website as required to meet the needs of the ECU, and updating and maintaining official records and databases for caseloads as required.

• Building and maintaining of relationships between energy consents and policy teams within the Directorate and across Scottish Government, to increase awareness of interconnected workstreams,  and proactive identification of opportunities for process improvement to streamline the consenting process for the delivery of energy infrastructure.

• Undertaking any other tasks as required by your line manager, including collating of information and drafting relating to ministerial correspondence, briefing and freedom of information requests.

Person specification

Qualifications

No qualifications required for this post.

Essential Criteria

 1. Excellent written and oral communication skills, and experience of working with a range of stakeholders to achieve outcomes.
 2. The ability to prioritise competing demands, manage workload effectively and develop innovative solutions to problems as they arise.
 3. Strong analytical and problem solving skills with the experience of presenting complex information in a clear and concise format to a specific stakeholder or audience.
 4. The ability to work proactively, demonstrate initiative and make connections across different workstreams or departments.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,140, Scottish Government contributes £8,677 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

Sift and Interview dates TBC. Please apply using the link provided

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.