About the job

Job summary

We are seeking to appoint a strategic leader to be Director of the Met Office Hadley Centre.

The Met Office Hadley Centre for Climate Science and Services is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading research institutes in climate variability and change, producing fundamental climate science which forms a significant part of the UK’s national climate science capability. Its reputation derives from a combination of scientific and academic excellence, national and international collaborations, scientific leadership and the scale of its research infrastructure. This enables the MOHC to deliver climate data sets, scenarios, projections and predictions on which many others depend, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The Met Office has recently attracted significant new investment for future supercomputing, providing exciting opportunities to further enhance our climate science and to deliver new and improved advice and services, supporting the Met Office’s purpose of helping people make better decisions to stay safe and thrive.

With climate change so high on agenda this is an exciting time to take on a high profile and rewarding position at the heart of climate science.

We are offering visa sponsorship for this position.

Job Purpose:

As the Director of the Met Office Hadley Centre (MOHC) you will have responsibility for the strategic leadership of Met Office climate research, lead the team (comprising approximately 150 staff) and represent the work of the MOHC to the external scientific community and to government sponsors.

We Keep Evolving - you will be a member of the Science and Technology Senior Leadership Team, supporting the delivery of the Met Office Research and Innovation Strategy. You will also be a part of the Met Office Extended Leadership Team, supporting the delivery of the corporate strategy, helping the Met Office to realise its vision to be recognised as global leaders in weather and climate science and services in our changing world.

Immediate tasks will be to work with the Executive Director of Science and the Chief of Science and Technology to implement the research programme of the MOHC for the next period (2024-27); to demonstrate the value of the new supercomputer; and to promote the pull-through of climate science into climate services. In the longer term priorities are likely to shift towards consideration of the potential transformational role of AI in climate science, the shifting agenda as the world nears 1.5 degrees of warming and growing international partnerships.

You will report to the Executive Director of Science and have full delegated authority to act on their behalf in key areas to ensure effective delivery of objectives.

You will:

• Provide strategic scientific leadership of Met Office climate research, ensuring that is of the highest international standard, addresses policy and user requirements and delivers demonstrable socio-economic value.
• Operate strategically, leading, developing and implementing the scientific and management strategies necessary to deliver an effective and efficient Met Office climate science capability which meets Met Office and sponsor objectives.
• Inspire, direct and develop the MOHC team, developing the workforce strategy and implementation plans to deliver effective and efficient scientific capabilities.
• Lead relationships with senior partners and stakeholders in the UK and internationally, including government officials, heads of international agencies and the IPCC, to promote the work and relevance of the MOHC, ensuring collaboration is beneficial for all partners.

You will be expected to align to our values: Our values - Met Office

This is a full time role, however applications from part-time workers (minimum of 0.8FTE) are welcomed, including combining with a complementary part-time position at an academic institution, or similar. Job share options can also be considered.

Job description

Our reward package:

As our Associate Director - Climate Science, our 2022-25 pay award means the new salary range will be £72,500 to £79,500 from 1st April 2024. Your total reward package is potentially worth up to £108,436 annually, which includes basic salary, potential corporate bonus and employer pension contributions - included in your total reward we pay £21,545 pension contribution annually.

Your package includes:

• Outstanding Civil Service Pension
• Flexible hours and homeworking – this role is fully hybrid, with flexibility on your time spent in our Exeter HQ versus other locations, including working from home
• Annual Leave starting at 27.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) rising to 32.5 days (plus Bank Holidays) after 5 years and option to buy or sell up to 5 days per year of annual leave
• A wide range of benefits including access to discounted shopping and a cycle to work scheme
• Relocation Assistance may be available

Person specification

Essential Qualifications, Skills & Abilities:

1. A recognised world-class scientist with an international reputation in climate science or a closely related discipline. (We’re Experts by Nature)
2. A demonstrable track record in people leadership and managing team performance with a focus on delivering to customer needs, on time and to cost, supporting and increasing diversity, while building key strategic relationships nationally and internationally (We’re Better Together)
3. Proven track record in the development and implementation of strategic research plans, with demonstrable impact at the highest level. (We Keep Evolving)
4. Experience in playing a leading role within national and international organisations
5. Excellent oral and written communication skills – you will be an outstanding communicator, representing the excellence of the Hadley Centre inwardly and outwardly, including in the media

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £72,500, Met Office contributes £21,545 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

How to apply:

If you share our values, we’d love to hear from you. Apply below using your CV and Cover Letter/Supporting Statement, which must evidence how you meet each of the essential criteria, of no more than 3 pages.

Closing date 21/01/2024 at 23:59 with interviews commencing from 05/02/2024. You will hear from us once the closing date has passed. Our interviews are taking place remotely via Microsoft Teams.

If successful, please note we are unable to offer expenses for travel to your normal place of work. Please ask at interview if you would like extra clarity on how often this requirement is likely to be.

How we can help:

If you are considering applying and need assistance to do so, please contact us via askHR@metoffice.gov.uk. You can request adjustments either within your application or by contacting us. Should you be offered an interview, please be aware there may be a selection exercise which could include a presentation, written test or a scenario-based activity.

You can select in your application to be considered under the Disability Confident (Guaranteed Interview) Scheme. To be invited to interview/assessment under this scheme, your application must meet the essential criteria for the role.

We are an equal opportunities employer, welcoming applications from those with all protected characteristics. We recruit on merit, fairness, and open competition in line with the Civil Service Code. We are offering sponsorship for this position at the Met Office.

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.