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 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 work benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. 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. 

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

We are recruiting for a Long-Duration Electricity Storage Senior Policy Advisor to support the development of a cap and floor scheme design. The cap and floor mechanism seeks to support investment in long-duration electricity storage (LDES) assets like pumped hydro or flow batteries. It has previously been successfully applied to electricity interconnection to drive investment, under a scheme delivered by Ofgem. An initial LDES cap and floor consultation was published in January 2024. LDES will play an increasingly crucial role in providing flexibility within the GB electricity system as the generation mix includes a greater proportion of intermittent renewables as we decarbonise. The benefits of increased LDES to the electricity system as a means of maintaining electricity security are estimated to be up to £24 billion. This policy area is a political priority and contains public commitments in government publications such as Powering Up Britain.

Skills and experience

We would love to hear from you if you:

• Have proven experience of supporting the design or implementation of complex policy at pace, ideally in collaboration with other teams/organisations.

• Are comfortable operating in a complex and fast-paced environment, adapting as the situation changes and finding ways to make progress despite uncertainty.

• Have strong analytical/evidential skills, good commercial awareness and also good written and oral communication skills, enabling you to explain complex design options and recommendations in simple terms to different audiences.

• Have the experience and behaviours to work collaboratively with internal and external partners to achieve progress on shared objectives, respecting differences, and external experience.

• Are committed to ensuring decision making happens at the right level, informed by evidence from a range of sources, and encouraging innovative suggestions and challenge from others.

• Have a real passion for the work you do and the impact it has.

Prior knowledge of or experience with the energy sectors is desirable, but not essential – we will support you quickly upskilling you in the areas where you have less experience

Person specification

This role offers a great opportunity to get involved with strategic leadership, business model design detail and commercial implications. You will be responsible for supporting the design and implementation of the cap and floor business model to enable investment in LDES. This will include putting recommendations to minsters on matters such as scheme duration, methodology and how the cap, floor and cost of capital would be defined. You will have regular engagement with industry stakeholders and senior leaders. You will need to work closely with colleagues across the Department and in Ofgem to ensure a coherent approach with emerging support frameworks for other low carbon technologies. Your responsibilities will include: • Supporting the development of the cap and floor model design to meet our public commitment. This is likely to include close collaboration with analysts, legal, commercial, and industry to develop the scheme design and implementation. • Providing clear advice and briefings to Ministers, senior leaders, and external stakeholders, both written and verbal. • Building good working relationships across the department and Whitehall as well as with Ofgem to identify and agree policy and implementation positions. • Collecting and analysing evidence and make recommendations to support decision-making on issues such as scheme design methodology, duration, cap and floor definition, cost of capital definition, financial model requirements during construction, etc.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,470, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £10,116 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, Strengths and Experience.

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, with reference to the Skills and experience listed in the job advertisement, outline what attracts you to this role and why you believe you would be a suitable candidate.

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 strength based questions.  

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 08/04/2024

Interview dates: w/c 22/04/2024

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.