Energy Innovation Project Manager

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/

Would you like to help shape the innovations the UK needs to meet our climate and clean energy ambitions, and to grow our economy?

Our directorate, Science and Innovation for Climate and Energy (SICE), is delivering some of the UK’s most exciting projects to develop clean and low carbon technologies across the following ten low carbon themes as part of the £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP):

• Future offshore wind

• Nuclear advanced modular reactors

• Energy storage and flexibility

• Bioenergy

• Hydrogen

• Homes and built environment

• Direct air capture and greenhouse gas removal (GGR)

• Advanced carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS)

• Industrial fuel switching

• Disruptive technologies

The teams responsible for NZIP are already delivering some of the UK’s most exciting innovation projects to develop the technologies and business models we need to achieve our climate ambitions – including the UK’s first Carbon Capture & Use plant in Cheshire; projects to make heat pumps cheaper and easier to install in homes; a portfolio of industrial energy efficiency projects, innovations in Biomass Feedstocks for the UK, Greenhouse gas removals and direct air capture of CO2, hydrogen production with BECCS (bioenergy with carbon capture and storage), as well as innovations in energy efficiency and green finance; and energy storage and smart energy solutions.  

You can find out more information about NZIP here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/net-zero-innovation-portfolio.

One of the vacancies is in the Built Environment team, with the other posts within the other NZIP low carbon themes in the SICE Directorate. A reserve list will also be held for similar future vacancies in the SICE Directorate.

We are looking for an energy innovation project manager to manage exciting innovation projects and competitions within the £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). As a project manager, you will be working alongside a programme manager and with external project monitoring officers to ensure the NZIP projects are delivered effectively and project benefits, including learning, are secured. You will also be required to work collaboratively with other SICE colleagues in order to build resilience and knowledge within the team, so exposure to all of the areas of responsibility listed below will be in the scope of the role.

About the Team

Our friendly team culture is really important to us! We are an inclusive, friendly and supportive multi-disciplinary directorate of about 170 people, and we encourage applications from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures and experience.

We encourage diversity of thought, background, experience and approach. We also recognise that everyone has different personal and family commitments and encourage applications from those who require flexible working patterns.

The overarching responsibility of the role is managing or supporting the delivery of competitions which allocate funding to industry and academia for the development of innovative, low carbon energy technologies and business models. This could include: producing tender documents, running competitions, overseeing the process of contracting with successful bidders, resolving issues with project delivery, managing risk, evaluation and project closure.

Specific responsibilities include:

– Oversee the work of Monitoring Officers who verify projects are on track, and understand and scrutinise the progress of deliverables, risks and finances. A science or engineering background will be important for scrutiny.

– Advise leadership on how to handle requests for project changes, bringing insight on whether requests are technically viable and will still allow our aims to be realised.

– Develop information dissemination events and activities to ensure that learnings are shared and the impact of the programme on driving net zero is maximised.

You should have the ability to explain technical issues to non-experts.

– Work with other themes/ programmes according to your interests and development priorities, for example, supporting assessment of technically complex funding bids.

– Work with colleagues in SICE, across HMG and with industry engagement to develop new innovation funding programmes and help ensure a well-coordinated landscape of R&D support.

The post holders will also need to work flexibly and be prepared to tackle new responsibilities or support other areas of work within the team or across SICE.

Skills and experience

We are looking for applicants with:

• A passion for and some experience of project management delivery;

• The ability to engage, influence and work collaboratively with internal departmental colleagues, colleagues across government; suppliers and external project teams and other external partners;

• Knowledge of engineering or science to equivalent of degree level so you can engage confidently with technical project teams, gauge technical progress and risks of our projects, advise on change control and explain results;

• Confidence in handling data, quantitative and qualitative project information;

• Good organisational skills;

• Some familiarity with energy and climate sectors and an interest in working on innovation

Technical Leadership Skills: To qualify for the Science and Engineering Practitioner Allowance, the post holders will be required to:

– Possess a valid (and registered if applicable) academic or professional qualification relevant to the role; and

– Be able to demonstrate ‘technical and commercial leadership’ competence (Competence C) to Incorporated Engineer standard, from UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) https://www.engc.org.uk/media/4338/uk-spec-v14-updated-hierarchy-and-rfr-june-2023.pdf or the equivalent elements of ‘Personal Responsibility’, ‘Interpersonal Skills’ and ‘Professional Practice’ to Registered Scientist Level from Science Council Professional Registers – Competence Framework (https://sciencecouncil.org/web/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Matrix-grid-of-competencies.pdf ).

Candidates will be tested on their technical leadership skills at interview stage

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

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

• Provide technical and commercial leadership (UK-SPEC) or ‘Personal Responsibility’, ‘Interpersonal Skills’ and ‘Professional Practice’ (Science Council)

Job contact :

• Name : Sally Fenton
• Email : s.fenton@energysecurity.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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