About the job

Job summary

Delivering Greener Transport is one of the Secretary of State’s 5 strategic priorities, putting transport at the heart of a mission-led government. The rapid growth in the production and use of sustainable aviation fuel plays a key part of this. With your team you will play a central role in enabling this transformation. 

This role sits in the newly formed Environment Strategy Directorate, which provides leadership across DfT’s environmental agenda. We cover transport decarbonisation and wider environmental strategy (adaptation, air quality and biodiversity), as well as policy leadership on low carbon fuels. The Directorate sits within the Decarbonisation Technology and Strategy Group (DTS) group led by the Second Permanent Secretary.

You will act as lead advisor for the department on the commercialisation of sustainable aviation fuel and the development of a Revenue Certainty Mechanism, providing high quality professional advice and judgement. This is an exciting and high-profile agenda. The Government has committed to implementing the sustainable aviation fuel mandate from 1 January 2025 and legislating for a revenue certainty mechanism in the first parliamentary session. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead on a key Secretary of State priority.

Crucially, you will also be one of our senior leaders in the Directorate – not only ensuring outstanding leadership of your own team but working with colleagues to ensure that DfT continues to be an inclusive, efficient and high performing organisation.

If these challenges appeal, please do read further and consider applying for the role.

Job description

In this role you will be at the heart of the Department’s strategy to accelerate the shift to greener transport. Transport is now the largest contributor to UK domestic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, contributing 28% of domestic emissions in 2022. As a drop-in fuel, which can be used in existing aircraft, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) is one of the most effective ways to decarbonise flights. The associated GHG emissions from using SAF are 70% less than fossil jet fuel on a life cycle basis, and planes can already use up to 50% SAF under current rules.

The Government has announced it will mandate the supply of SAF in the UK by obliging suppliers to have at least 10% SAF in their fuel mix supplied to airlines. Whilst the mandate can be met with imported SAF, with many other countries also looking to mandate, or incentivise SAF in other ways, demand is likely to be high and it would be prudent for there to be a supply of UK-produced SAF.

There are a number of SAF projects being developed across the UK. Alongside technology and construction risks, revenue certainty is a key barrier to projects reaching Financial Investment Decision for some forms of SAF. It was announced in the Kings Speech in July 2024 that the Government would bring forward a Bill during the first Parliamentary session to introduce a revenue certainty mechanism in order to reduce this risk, giving investors the confidence they need to invest in UK SAF plants. This will increase the likelihood SAF plants will be built in the UK, thereby securing a supply of SAF for the UK aviation sector.

You will lead the Low Carbon Fuels Commerialisation Team, working alongside the Low Carbon Fuels (LCF) Delivery Team, that sits in the new Environment Strategy Directorate. This includes putting in place the necessary delivery bodies to deliver a revenue certainty mechanism and leading on the policy relating to contracts with SAF producers and the allocation process. It will also involve developing and implementing a means of funding options the revenue certainty mechanism, including working through balance sheet implications and engagement with industry.

You will work closely with the policy and analytical teams across the Department responsible for developing these plans and strategies, and with colleagues across Whitehall (including DESNZ, Defra and HMT).

You will also work with a broad range of interests including the oil and aviation industries, renewable fuels producers and forecourt operators. Environmental and humanitarian NGOs also take a very close interest in this policy area. Personal relationship building with environmental and industry stakeholders will be key to the role. Public, private and third sector stakeholders are vocal and influential. Building effective relationships to collaborate with these organisations through delivery where objectives align, whilst managing challenging situations where they don’t, is central to success.

Person specification

You will need to be able to show, through your application, that you have the professional skills, breadth of experience and personal qualities for this post, as well as the leadership skills to succeed at Deputy Director level in the Senior Civil Service.

The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their experience and skills against the following essential criteria:

• Strong experience of leading, motivating and developing high-performing and inclusive teams.
• Proven ability to lead the development and implementation of complex commercial and/or financial policy.
• Ability to take effective decisions in a complex and uncertain environment.
• A strong track record of working closely with industry and senior stakeholders

Desirable criteria:

• Direct experience of working on transport or fuel policy

We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates  

At DfT, we are proud of the commitment we make to diversity and inclusion and of the progress we have made. We have active & vibrant staff networks, special leave policies and workplace adjustments put in place for those who need them. We are continuing to build a diverse DfT, in an inclusive environment which nurtures and realises potential in all, at all levels.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, Department for Transport contributes £20,250 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

Application

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online form. This should be completed no later than 23:55 on Sunday 11th August 2024.

The application will include:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 1000 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the criteria in the person specification.

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.

As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select 'prefer not to say’.

All monitoring data will be treated in the strictest confidence and will not be provided to the selection panel.

Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with us via scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Shortlist

Your application will be acknowledged when it is received.

The panel will select a shortlist of candidates whose applications best demonstrate suitability for the role, by considering the evidence provided against the essential criteria set out in the Person Specification.

Candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who meet the minimum selection criteria in the job specification are guaranteed an interview.

Interview

You will be asked to attend a panel interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.

The Success Profile Framework will be used to assess and recruit the most suitable candidate. As well as Experience, we will also be using the following four behaviours will be used at the interview stage:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and influencing

Further information about Success Profiles can be found here:

Interviews are expected to take place face to face in our London office, all shortlisted candidates will be asked to prepare a 5 minute presentation.

Offer and Feedback

Unfortunately, due to the anticipated number of applicants for this role, we are unable to provide feedback to those not successful at shortlist stage. Candidates who are shortlisted and attend an interview will be offered verbal feedback from a member of the interview panel.

The timeline later in this pack indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, all candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter, and we will advise on any delays.

Expected Timeline

We will try and offer as much flexibility as we can, but it may not be possible to offer alternative dates for an interview. You are therefore asked to note the below timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process, in order to meet the dates given. Please note that these dates may be subject to change.

The anticipated timetable is as follows:

Advert Closing Date: 23.55 on Sunday 11th August 2024

Shortlist: Tuesday 13th August 2024

Panel Interviews: Wednesday 21st August 2024 or Friday 23rd August 2024

Contact us:

Should candidates like to discuss the role in more detail before submitting an application, please contact: dftscsresourcing@dft.gov.uk

This campaign is being run on behalf of the department by the team at Government Recruitment Service, part of Government Business Services, a central government expert service specialising in the attraction, assessment and recruitment of senior civil servants.

The team is regularly commissioned by departments and other government organisations to deliver end-to-end recruitment for some of society’s most important leadership and specialist positions.

Our work is regulated by the Civil Service Commission where necessary and supported by the equality campaign group Stonewall.

Cabinet Office is a Disability Confident employer.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a 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 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.