About the job

Job summary

DESNZ

The responsibilities for the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero for 2023 are as follows: 

• Delivering security of energy supply 
• Ensuring properly functioning energy markets 
• Encouraging greater energy efficiency 
• Seizing the opportunities of net zero to lead the world in new green industries 

For 2023, our priorities are: 

• Ensure security of energy supply this winter, next winter and in the longer-term – bringing down energy bills and reducing inflation. 
• Ensure the UK is on track to meet its legally binding Net Zero commitments and support economic growth by significantly speeding up delivery of network infrastructure and domestic energy production. 
• Improve the energy efficiency of UK homes, businesses and public sector buildings to meet the 15% demand reduction ambition. 
• Deliver current schemes to support energy consumers with their bills and develop options for long-term reform to improve how the electricity market works for families and businesses. 
• Seize the economic benefits of Net Zero, including the jobs and growth created through investment in new green industries. 
• Pass the Energy Bill to support the emerging CCUS and hydrogen sectors; to update the governance of the energy system; and to reduce the time taken to consent offshore wind. 

Our Inclusive Environment

We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves.

We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. 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.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.

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

This role is within the Science and Innovation for Climate and Energy Directorate – SICE. SICE is responsible for delivering the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), a portfolio of over £1billion, which started in 2020 and will conclude in March 2025. NZIP provides funding for low carbon technologies and systems, to help enable the UK to end its contribution to climate change.

For further information about NZIP, please see the most recent NZIP progress report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/net-zero-innovation-portfolio-and-the-advanced-nuclear-fund-progress-report-2021-to-2022

NZIP is made up of the following 10 priority areas, covering different aspects of energy use and low carbon energy generation:

• Future offshore wind

• Nuclear advanced modular reactors (supported through the aligned Advanced Nuclear Fund)

• Energy storage and flexibility

• Bioenergy

• Hydrogen

• Built environment

• Direct air capture and greenhouse gas removal (GGR)

• Advanced carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS)

• Industrial fuel switching

• Disruptive technologies

The Built Environment is one of these priority areas, focused on supporting innovation to tackle decarbonisation of homes and buildings. The Built Environment team are currently delivering two significant innovation programmes: 

The Heat Pump Ready Programme, which supports the development and demonstration of heat pump technologies and tools, as well as solutions for deployment of heat pumps. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/heat-pump-ready-programme)

The Green Home Finance Accelerator Programme, which is funding projects to design, develop and pilot a diverse range of innovative finance propositions which encourage domestic energy efficiency, low carbon heating and micro-generation retrofit. (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/green-home-finance-accelerator)

This role is to lead the Built Environment Innovation team in SICE. This team, of 7 people, is responsible for taking built innovation support programmes and projects through the lifecycle from inception and business case approval through to procurement, delivery and programme closure. The team is currently managing a portfolio of more than 50 innovation projects, focused on areas such as heat pumps and green finance, with combined budgets of more than £70m. As well as managing this current portfolio effectively, the team will be expected to design, secure approval for, develop and launch new innovation support programmes over the next 18 months.

In addition to this role, there may be other roles available to lead other priority areas in future. Applicants for this role may also be considered for those roles if they become available.

Benefits of the role include:

• Training and development opportunities, ranging from policy skills via Civil Service Learning, to support your Continuous Professional Development (CPD);

• Being at the heart of Whitehall, as we work together to tackle climate change and build a clean and resilient recovery;

• A team which is committed to a diverse and inclusive environment, which will give you time to develop your skills.

Person specification

As Head of the Built Environment Innovation team, you will be responsible for delivering an existing programme of innovation support projects and developing and delivering new innovation support programmes. Key responsibilities will include:

• Team leadership - to lead, empower and develop a happy, inclusive, effective and collaborative team of project managers (all with science and engineering knowledge and expertise);

• Securing and drawing on a diverse range of evidence and knowledge, including through analytical analysis and stakeholder engagement where needed, to identify innovation needs and opportunities and expected benefits, specifically in the area of built environment innovation to support net zero;

• Leading the development of and securing approval for business cases for new innovation support programmes and projects to secure those expected benefits;

• Overseeing the team’s delivery of grant-funding competitions and procurement to award funding support for innovation projects, with particular focus on planning, resourcing and securing senior approval for key stages;

• Overseeing programme delivery to help realise the expected benefits, including resource allocation (within the team and with additional support contractors where available); ensuring that correct governance processes are in place; monitoring key dependencies; financial monitoring at programme level (with support from the Directorate’s PMO team); working with Communication leads to manage dissemination of learning from the programmes and projects; 

• Overview of risk and issue monitoring, ensuring that risk and issue monitoring systems (including change request processes) and suitable risk mitigation are in place across the team.

• Supporting project closure and evaluation of benefits.

Skills and experience

We are seeking a team leader and effective communicator with significant programme or project management experience who is comfortable overseeing a large programme of technical projects.

Essential skills and experience

• Strong analysis skills and experience of defining and structuring problems and expected benefits, using a wide range of evidence;

• Strong inter-personal skills and experience of working with and successfully influencing a wide range of stakeholders both within and outside government and including senior leadership;

• Experience of developing business cases and delivering the resulting projects (as specified in the business case);

• Excellent risk management capability at all stages of the project lifecycle;

• Team leadership skills and experience and the ability to build teams, using coaching and mentoring styles to help your team to achieve even more.

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience of running procurements or funding competitions;

• Experience of working on innovation, low carbon technologies or the wider energy sector.

• To be eligible for the project delivery pay enhancement, the successful applicant must have a recognised accreditation in professional project management in one or more of the qualifications listed below: 

o Managing Successful Programmes Practitioner

o PRINCE2 Practitioner

o Managing Successful Programmes Advanced Practitioner

o P3O Practitioner

o APM Chartered Project Professional

o Project Leadership Programme

o APM Project Management Qualification

o Leading and Managing Project Workstreams

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £61,580, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £16,626 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, Experience and Technical skills.

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 1000 words) to explain your interest in the role and evidence how your skills and experience meet the Essential skills and experience requirements of the role, as set out in the job advertisement. You may also mention the Desirable skills and experience, if you wish.

Applications will be sifted on CV and personal statement.

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

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 and technical questions.

Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 18/12/2023

Interview dates: w/c 15/01/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

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

Further Information

The successful candidate may be eligible for a £3,000 p/a pay enhancement subject to having a valid qualification from the list of ‘typical qualifications’ for the role of Programme Manager 3 - as defined in the Project Delivery Capability Framework: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/project-delivery-capability-framework-for-civil-servants

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 /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.