CCS Network Code/CCS Non-Pipeline Transport – Senior Policy Officer

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

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Would you like to deliver critical policies for addressing climate change? In 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to legislate to have “net zero” carbon emissions by 2050, meaning we will no longer be a net emitter of greenhouse gases which contribute to climate change. In November 2020, the government announced its ‘10 Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution’. This set out our aim to support Carbon, Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) in at least two industrial clusters by the mid-2020s and a further two by 2030, subject to value for money and affordability considerations. Using consumer subsidies, the government will also support the construction of at least one CCS power plant.

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 four Senior Executive Officer (SEO) roles within T&S Policy sub-teams. Two roles are within the CCS Network Code team, and two roles are within the CCS Non-Pipeline Transport team.

The two teams are looking to recruit SEOs to support the work listed below. The exact portfolio and deliverables will be agreed with the successful candidate.

Network Code Senior Policy Officer 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.

The Network Code team is starting an exciting new phase of 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. These needs could include accommodating different sources of CO2 (e.g. direct air capture), different transport methods (e.g. onshore pipelines, trains, tanker and injection ships) and temporary buffer storage facilities. We will look to determine when and how the Network Code should evolve and how to dovetail it with future subsidy and licence arrangements.

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, launch and analyse responses from 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. 

Non-Pipeline Transport Senior Policy Officer Role:

We are looking to recruit two SEOS 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.

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 or the Non-Pipeline Transport 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.

Key responsibilities:

Network Code Senior Policy Officer Role:

• Analyse responses from the public consultation, draft the Department’s response and plan subsequent stakeholder engagement.
• Identify and characterise policy problems, focusing the effort of policy colleagues, advisers, and stakeholders onto finding holistic solutions supportive of shared goals.
• Participate in work to establish the strategic direction for the evolution of the network code helping to define the future policy challenges and appraise options.
• Identify and manage risks to wider policy ambitions, stemming from the Network Code, ensuring these are escalated where appropriate.
• Scope and oversee small contracts for technical advisers who support our work, ensuring budget approvals and spending forecasting are robust and up to date.
• Develop strong networks with colleagues and stakeholders, to enable clear and objective communication and information gathering.
• Own development of areas of the CCS Network Code.

Non-Pipeline Transport Senior Policy Officer Role:

• Leading, supporting and coordinating work with a multidisciplinary team of civil servants, advisors and analysts across the programme through for example;
         –  Stakeholder engagement in order to identify industry needs, identifying departmental gaps in knowledge and understanding.
         –  Informing decision making on risk allocation across wider economic framework established by government to enable the deployment of CCUS.
• Working with wider teams in the programme to understand how for example, non-pipeline modes of CO2 transport will need to interact with CCUS business models and the CCS Network Code.
• Presenting analysis and consequential clear and concise policy/decision proposals to senior leadership across a range of policy and regulatory areas.
• Delivering internal management papers, external consultations and impact assessments.
• Representing DESNZ in senior and working level external meetings with the industry and cross-Whitehall.
• Project management, analysis of risk & issues related to the areas of work assigned.
• Line managing members of staff, depending on specific role and experience of the successful candidate, as well as responsible for matrix managing other team members’ work.
• Providing high quality advice and briefing to Ministers, Senior Civil Servants and CCUS Policy and cross-Whitehall Steering Boards. 

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• 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