JOB SUMMARY

Do you want a career where you can make a real difference? Do you want to work at the forefront of current policy making decisions? Do you want to have an impact on 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 delivering our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower, with clean electricity by 2030 and accelerating the UK’s journey to net zero. Our work is helping ensure clean energy for all, keep bills down and seize the opportunities to lead the world in new green industries, taking back control of our energy with Great British Energy 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 it’s 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 enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Do you want to join a high profile, friendly, diverse team committed to decarbonising the UK energy system This is a really exciting time to come and work on hydrogen!
The Hydrogen Production and Storage Business Models Team works on designing commercial frameworks to bring forward deployment of projects that will help enable the growth of the low carbon hydrogen sector in line with the Government’s Hydrogen Strategy.
Hydrogen can play an important role in delivering the Government’s Growth and Clean Power Missions and can support the decarbonisation of power, industry and transport.
The remit of our team is lead the design and strategy of Hydrogen Allocation Rounds (HARs). The HARs allocate Hydrogen Production Business Model to successful projects. They are the key delivery framework to bring forward electrolytic and other non-CCUS hydrogen production technologies in the UK to meet our hydrogen production ambitions.
The first hydrogen allocation round (HAR1) closed in December 2023, awarding 125MW of capacity to 11 projects. HAR2 is currently live and aims to support to up to 875MW of low carbon hydrogen projects.
The team is offering an exciting opportunity for a HEO policy adviser to help design future HARs so we can scale up deployment while ensuring that projects are value for money.
You will join a highly motivated, ambitious and high-performing team within a fun directorate comprising a wide variety of skills and experience. You will take into account learnings from previous rounds and monitor interactions with other parts of the hydrogen economy.
You will work alongside embedded corporate finance advisors who are supporting the team to design the HARs, as well as analysts. We also work closely with industry, external commercial, technical and legal advisers, as well as across hydrogen and other energy teams in DESNZ, Ofgem, HMT, Cabinet Office and No10. This is an exciting opportunity to work on the design and delivery of support for hydrogen in a politically high-profile area.
We strive to accommodate flexible working patterns and encourage applications from people from the widest possible diversity of backgrounds, cultures and experiences. This is very important to us.
If you are a fantastic and inclusive individual, looking to develop your policy and leadership skills and work on a new energy technology, we would love to hear from you!

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)
• 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

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

We are looking for a highly motivated, proactive individual with a track record of critical thinking, policy design and delivery.
This role offers an opportunity to work on the developing HAR policy. This includes contributing to the design of future allocation rounds, with an initial focus on HAR3.
You will need to be able to work through, resolve and communicate the detail of complex policy issues, as well as understand how they contribute to the broader hydrogen landscape. We are looking for someone who can work closely with analysts, legal advisers, and corporate finance advisers, and other teams across the Department and wider Government. You will build specialist knowledge of the policy area and provide advice to senior officials and Ministers. You will also work closely with adjacent policy teams, including the hydrogen production business model, hydrogen demand, hydrogen transport & storage and strategy teams.

Whilst roles are evolving as the policy develops and there is flexibility within the team, we expect you will deliver workstreams in the following areas:

• Developing our approach towards offtake, ensuring hydrogen is targeted towards hard to decarbonise sectors.
• Developing our approach towards supply chains and wider hydrogen sector development.
• Developing the HAR3 market engagement document and application guidance, ensuring our thinking is set out clearly to stakeholders.