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 its 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 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

The Energy Security and Resilience Directorate is a friendly environment with a clear purpose and collaborative way of working. We ensure the UK has a reliable and resilient supply of energy.

This is a good time to be joining us: we are increasingly moving from an urgent focus on short term domestic energy security in the wake of the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine, to ensuring the UK’s energy security for the long term as we chart a course to net zero.

We are recruiting a SEO to join the Energy Security Team. The Energy Security team sits at the heart of ensuring security of energy supply in the short and longer-term and works across the department and with key external stakeholders to provide a whole system strategic perspective. A role in this team enables you to be at the forefront of shaping the nation's energy security strategy while monitoring and communicating the current picture to senior audiences. 

Key work-streams include:

• Leading initiatives to identify, develop, and prioritise strategies and measures aimed at bolstering the security of our energy supply in the short, medium, and long term.
• Taking forward priority projects to bolster energy security strategy.
• Providing a central security of supply function, coordinating work-streams and measures to ensure security of supply, scanning the horizon, making connections between different policy teams, and influencing the department’s overall agenda.
• Assessing and monitoring risks to energy security in collaboration with key partners, including National Energy System Operator, National Gas Transmission, Met Office, and Ofgem.
• Leading on papers and briefings for ministers and senior officials.
• Drafting responses to ministerial correspondence, FOI requests, written and oral Parliamentary Questions.

This role will provide exposure to work carried out in other energy groups within the Department and therefore provides an excellent opportunity to develop your big picture understanding of the energy security landscape, strategic thinking, and skills in building consensus and delivering through others.

This is an exciting role working on a critical policy area with opportunities to brief senior stakeholders, including senior civil servants and Ministers. It will involve close working with a variety teams across the Department, such as the electricity security of supply policy team, and external stakeholders such as System Operators and Ofgem.

We pride ourselves on our dynamic work environment, offering roles that challenge and enrich our team members' professional lives. Joining our team means being part of a supportive, innovative environment where your contributions are valued, and your professional development is taken seriously. We work flexibly around the UK, and we are a multidisciplinary team that brings together many Civil Service professions.

Person specification

• Working across different priority areas and being flexible and adaptable.
• Analysing complex and varying sources of evidence and data to inform policy and delivery solutions.
• Delivering high quality and evidence-based advice, briefings and submissions for Ministers and senior officials to support decision making and policy delivery.
• Maintaining relationships across the Department and wider Government, to develop expertise to support successful policy delivery.
• Engaging stakeholders and securing agreement from others to achieve key policy outcomes.
• Translating priorities into policy delivery and focus on successful delivery of the outcomes.

Skills and experience

We would love to hear from you if you have:

• The ability to think broadly and critically about a strategic issue, make links between a range of issues, many of them external to the team.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills, and able to communicate complex matters to different audiences. 
• Strong analytical skills to weigh up different sources of evidence and data to produce options and recommendations, even when faced with incomplete information.
• An eye for detail, strong problem-solving skills, and the ability to grapple with complex policy issues.
• The experience and behaviours to work collaboratively with internal and external partners to achieve progress on shared objectives, respecting difference, and external experience.
• The ability to perform consistently to tight timescales and be comfortable with working in dynamic environments with multiple priorities.
  

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, personal statement and behavioural statement. 

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to set out your interest in this role and how you meet the essential criteria experience listed under the person specification.

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 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 behaviours and strength based questions.

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 25/03/2024

Interview dates: w/c 01/04/2024

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 and 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.