About the job

Job summary

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.

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

Do you want to join a friendly, supportive and diverse team which is committed to decarbonising the UK energy system? This is a great opportunity to come and work on hydrogen!

These roles sit within the Hydrogen Economy team. The team has an ambitious programme of work which seeks to deliver a thriving low carbon hydrogen sector in the UK, consistent with the vision set out in the government's Hydrogen Strategy.

The team leads on some high-profile workstreams, including: hydrogen networks strategy and regulation (including hydrogen transport and storage); the design of the hydrogen transport business model; hydrogen demand (including blending).

The roles are at the heart of decision making, presenting opportunities for collaboration and influence. The successful candidates will lead on engaging work-packages that deliver tangible outcomes.

With hydrogen set to play a key role in decarbonising industry, transport and power, there couldn't be a better time to join the team.

Person specification

We are recruiting 3 SEO policy advisors:

1) Strategic network planning: Co-ordinating across the department's analytical, policy and legal teams to help strategically plan future hydrogen transport and storage networks, you will build knowledge and understanding of the hydrogen infrastructure the UK needs to support a decarbonised energy system and help deliver our net zero goals. The successful candidate will work closely with Ofgem, the Independent System Operator and Planner (and its forerunners) and other external stakeholders to ensure a robust, evidence-based approach is maintained, and that the government's strategic objectives are prioritised.

2) Regulation: Engaging with regulators to co-ordinate the department's regulatory policy with regards to the emerging hydrogen economy. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of policy in a number of priority areas, including (but not limited to): designing new environmental regulations aimed at preventing the leakage of hydrogen from infrastructure; explore an onshore hydrogen storage exploration licensing regime; and supporting UKG’s wider planning regime changes to support future hydrogen development.

In both roles, responsibilities will include:
- Stakeholder engagement, big picture thinking and strategic decision making.

- Planning work-streams and driving forward progress at pace in areas of responsibility, identifying risks and putting mitigations in place.

- Working collaboratively across teams to build consensus around delivery options and making considered recommendations to senior colleagues.

- Identifying, obtaining and critically assessing information from a variety of sources to inform policy recommendations.

- Leading engagement with potential asset owners, investors, Ofgem and other key stakeholders to better understand views and reflecting these in correspondence.

- Drafting content for consultations and government responses, and any follow-up legislation.

- Securing relevant clearances and approvals by presenting timely, coherent and convincing positions.

Skills and Experience 

We would love to hear from you if you have the following skills/experience:

- Have experience in the development of policy and/or strategy.

- Are an analytical thinker who is able to critically evaluate complex and often conflicting technical information (e.g. legislation, guidance, licences, industry codes etc) in order to make evidence-based recommendations.

- Have strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to establish positive relationships and to persuade/influence others.

- Have excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to distil a wide range of technical materials into engaging and persuasive content.

- Have experience in managing your own workload and a track record of delivery against challenging deadlines. Whilst not essential, prior knowledge of energy policy/regulation is desirable.

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 and Experience.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, behavioural statements and a personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 250 words) to tell us about what attracts you to a role in hydrogen policy and what your experience would bring to the 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 behavioural statements and personal statement.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour statement (Communicating and Influencing).

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 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 15th January 2024

Interview dates: w/c 22nd January 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.