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 it's 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 enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.  

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy. 

Find Out More 

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

Job description

Do you have a passion for helping address climate change? Heating our buildings accounts for 33% of the UK's carbon emissions today and is one of our biggest climate challenges. You could be part of the team solving this issue.

The Clean Heat Directorate is tackling arguably the most difficult decarbonisation challenge facing the country. Heating must be almost totally decarbonised to meet net zero. Currently natural gas is used for heating in 85% of buildings and many industrial processes. The main options for decarbonising heat at national scale are switching to electric heating and/or replacing natural gas with hydrogen.

The Hydrogen Heating Team is leading the department’s work to test the safety and feasibility of hydrogen as an option for decarbonising the gas grid. We are working with industry on a joint programme across a wide range of projects. These include assessing the changes required for end-users and the gas infrastructure; laboratory and field testing; and consumer trialling.   

We are looking for an experienced Head of Technical to provide technical leadership across the R&D programme and to manage our technical collaboration with industry.  They will use their proven technical skills and experience to contribute to the ongoing to design and development of the Programme and to help establish our credibility with industry partners.  They will provide scrutiny and challenge and help to ensure the Programme is set up to deliver answers to our most pressing and difficult technical questions.

The Hydrogen Heating team is in the Clean Heat Directorate in DESNZ. It is a friendly, large, multidisciplinary programme team, including project delivery and policy professionals, analysts, engineers, commercial and delivery specialists. It is sociable and supportive – with a range of regular in person and virtual social activities - and people are encouraged to ask questions and put forward their ideas in a safe environment.

We prioritise learning and development: there is a well-established local L&D programme which receives very positive feedback as well as many wider opportunities. People in the team have flexible working arrangements, including regular working from home, flexi time and compressed hours.

Person specification

Key responsibilities

The Hydrogen Heating team is currently working with industry partners to deliver a programme of work to enable rigorous assessment of the safety, feasibility and other impacts of transitioning the gas network to hydrogen, the changes that this would involve for consumers, and public attitudes. You will work across the R&D programme to: • Provide technical input to specific areas of the programme, working in collaboration with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and wider industry partners, • Identify the key technical questions that need to be answered by the programme and monitor the ongoing development of the technical evidence base in specific areas, • Provide review and scrutiny of work designed and managed by industry and critical analysis of the developing evidence base, • Oversee the work of technical contractors in specific areas of the programme, • Manage technical elements of the R&D programme in order to ensure efficient and effective delivery, • Provide synthesis and advice to senior colleagues and Ministers, • Ensure the Programme continues to be informed and shaped by the very latest research and development happening outside of government and internationally You will also: • Oversee a key strand of the R&D programme - Network Safety and Impacts (NSI). NSI is suite of gas network owned projects that assess the safety, feasibility and cost of carrying hydrogen in the different components of gas distribution and transmission networks. You will lead the team responsible for working closely with the gas networks and the HSE to ensure timely delivery of these projects. • Oversee work on hydrogen storage. This work involves determining the viability of hydrogen storage in different locations, delivering assessments of cost and deliverability, and staying joined with other parts of the Hydrogen Heating programme and the wider department as needed. Skills and experience Essential criteria The successful candidate will have: -  A degree level qualification in a science or engineering field - An engineering background and strong applied knowledge of the gas or wider energy industry; - Experience in contributing to the development or use of scientific or engineering research or technologies; - Strong analytical and communication skills; the ability to synthesise and present complex information to non-experts and to establish credibility at senior levels inside and outside of government. - Technical and commercial leadership experience to Chartered Engineer standard, from UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) or the equivalent elements of 'Personal Responsibility', 'Interpersonal Skills' and 'Professional Practice' to Chartered Scientist Level from Science Council competence framework https://sciencecouncil.org/web/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Matrix-grid-of-competencies.pdf

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £64,350, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £17,374 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 750 words) to outline how your skills match the Essential criteria in the advertisement and why you are a suitable candidate for this role.

Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.

Applications will be sifted on personal statement.  

The interview will consist of behaviour and technical-based 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 10/06/2024

Interview dates: w/c 24/06/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

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 /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.