CCS Network Code/CCS T&S Legislation/CCS Non-Pipeline Transport/CO2 Storage Strategy – Policy Advisor

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/

As well as CCUS having a vital role to play in reaching net zero, it can also be also an engine to drive sustainable growth, invigorating our industrial heartlands. It can unlock new jobs and innovative businesses across the UK.

The CO2 Transport & Storage (T&S) policy team is part of the Department’s CCUS Directorate. Key T&S policy workstreams include developing the first Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Network Code; establishing the contracts, subsidy and licensing frameworks for early T&S networks; examining how the diverse needs of future users, including different transport methods such as non-pipeline transport, should be accommodated; and developing strategies including on CO2 storage and decommissioning, to enable the delivery of CCUS clusters.

We are recruiting seven Higher Executive Officer (HEO) roles within T&S Policy sub-teams. Two roles are within the CCS Network Code team, two roles are within the CCS T&S Legislation team, two roles are within the CCS Non-Pipeline Transport team and one role is within the CO2 Storage Strategy team.
The four teams are looking to recruit HEOs to support the work listed below. The exact portfolio and deliverables will be agreed with the successful candidates.

1/ Network Code Policy Advisor Role:

The Network Code will be a pivotal document for UK CCS roll out. It will define key operational rules and principles for the first-of-a-kind networks, for example, how is network capacity allocated to projects? Who gets what capacity if the network is temporarily constrained? How are rates and fees calculated fairly each year? How are disputes settled? Understanding these and other principles, will enable investors and developers to understand the commercial as well as physical operation of the networks.

In this role you will work closely with the prospective users and operators of networks, with policy teams across the department and with a range of external specialist advisors. You will help manage risk to the programme by identifying problems, defining, and evaluating responses, and brokering solutions which balance user, operator and government needs.

Over the next 12 months, you will work with the Network Code team to publish an updated Heads of Terms for the CCS Network Code, run a public consultation, then develop and engage on the final full form of the document. This important phase of work will happen in parallel with new work, looking beyond the first two T&S networks, to understand how the Network Code should evolve to meet the more diverse needs of future users, as the industry expands into new sectors and locations. 

2/ Legislation Policy Advisor Role:

The CO2 Transport and Storage regulatory and legislative frameworks team is advertising two HEO roles. These roles will enable the delivery of the regulatory framework that we have established to enable CCUS in the UK. The roles will involve developing policy and supporting the delivery of secondary legislation that will establish the long-term sector for carbon dioxide transport and storage. This will be of critical importance, allowing industries who emit carbon dioxide and use carbon capture to have confidence that the costs associated with transporting and storing carbon dioxide are fair and transparent, enabling them to develop cost competitive low carbon products.

You will have the opportunity to gain experience in developing policy and legislation, and parliamentary processes. You will gain an understanding of how infrastructure is developed and the opportunity to develop new policy alongside developing your communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.

3/ Non-Pipeline Transport Policy Advisor Role:

We are looking to recruit two HEOS to join our newly formed non-pipeline transport (NPT) team.

The team’s role is important, and its purpose will be to create the right regulatory frameworks to enable the development of the domestic transport of CO2 by road, rail and ship. Putting in measures to transport CO2 by road, rail and ship is important to those industries who are located away from one of the four strategic CCUS clusters that are being developed under the 10 Point Plan and Net Zero Strategy.

Without access to the ability to transport CO2 by road, rail and ship will mean that industries in locations away from one of the four initial CCUS clusters will have to continue to emit CO2 at more and more expense to them, potentially resulting in their business being uneconomic and shutting down with the consequential loss in jobs and negative social impacts.

We are looking for candidates who enjoy thinking strategically and are seeking an opportunity to develop an understanding of how infrastructure is developed and want the opportunity to contribute to key areas of work developing policy and enabling delivery of the government’s low carbon agenda. You will be responsible for making decisions and recommendations in your area, as well as developing your communication, influencing and stakeholder engagement skills.

4/ CO2 Storage Strategy Policy Advisor Role:

This role is focused on developing the long-term CO2 storage strategy which is critical for the UK to achieve Net Zero. This is an important and diverse workstream to accelerate the development of geological stores, working with a number of stakeholders and across government to ensure storage resilience.

You will be responsible for supporting the design and implementation of policy, managing strategic stakeholder engagement, and drafting planned and ad hoc ministerial and departmental level commissions for meeting briefings, orals packs, and correspondence.

We would love to hear from you if you have a passion for maximising the opportunity of low carbon industries, want to play a role in tackling climate change and have an interest in energy policy.

Our programme is fast moving and dynamic.  Successful candidates will need to be adaptable and flexible in their approach to work as they could be asked to move to different roles as and when required to help deliver key priority areas of the CCUS programme.

Successful candidates will contribute to building a collaborative and happy environment where people bring their best to work, establishing excellent working relationships. Building trust with people from industry, colleagues and senior managers and ministers will be an important part of these roles.

The T&S policy team is a friendly and inclusive team. We believe that a friendly workplace nurtures success and we place a strong emphasis on personal development. We welcome and encourage applications from candidates of all background and can accommodate flexible working arrangements.

In your Personal statement you may indicate if you prefer the Network Code, the Legislation, the Non-Pipeline Transport, or the CO2 Storage Strategy Policy Advisor role. However, please note you will be allocated to the role for which we consider you the most suitable, which may not be your first preference.

Each of the roles will have the same core responsibilities:

• Gather information based on a range of evidence and materials and provide analysis, to support the development of cross-cutting policy solutions.
• Participate in work to establish strategic direction, appraise options, and help to define future policy challenges.
• Collaborate with colleagues in the team, wider CCUS programme, across DESNZ, other Government departments and arm’s length bodies to develop and publish government policy documents.
• Manage and support stakeholder engagement activity, including workshops with industry and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development of advice and recommendations to senior leadership, Ministers and other stakeholders.
• Contribute to internal policy papers, external reports, consultations including Department’s response to consultation.
• Draft ministerial and departmental level commissions for meeting briefings, oral packs and correspondence.
• Analysis and reporting of risk, and ensure these are escalated where appropriate.
• Contribute to a motivated and high performing team, undertaking L&D to support personal development.

Skills and experience

We would love to hear from you if you have:

Essential Criteria:

• Strong analytical skills with ability to think critically, validate and analyse complex data and to challenge information, both quantitatively and qualitatively.
• Strong project management skills in order to independently organise, prioritise and effectively meet ambitious and/or competing timelines, as well as work flexibly across the team.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to establish, build and maintain collaborative and productive relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; including presentation skills and report drafting, and the ability to describe, explain and make the case for evidence-based positions with clarity.
• Self-starter with a willingness to take new challenges on and keen to progress their learning and development.
• Passion for climate change and decarbonisation.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience of implementing policy and/or strategy, including inputting to policy position papers or strategies.
• Knowledge/experience in CCUS and oil and gas sectors, or the wider energy market.
• For the Legislation role: Knowledge of, or interest in, the legislative and Parliamentary processes.

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an average employer contribution of 27%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
• A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.

Job contact :

• Name : Jennifer Bernechea
• Email : jennifer.bernechea@energysecurity.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk