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.
Find Out More
We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/pqUhdr3L72
You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/
Role
The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED), part of the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), develop and administer the environmental regulatory regime for the UK Continental Shelf and work with industry to make sure requirements are met. Our focus spans the full life cycle of offshore oil and gas activity, including exploration, production, decommissioning, gas unloading and storage, and carbon storage.
The Atmospheric team is a dynamic team within OPRED’s Offshore Environment Unit, overseeing operational delivery for atmospheric emissions regulation, and supporting colleagues across OPRED on atmospheric issues.
In this role you’ll help protect the environment by regulating offshore atmospheric emissions through robust permitting, compliance assessment and a risk-based inspection programme. You’ll work with colleagues across OPRED and with offshore operators on key regimes including the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS), Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) and relevant atmospheric emissions from offshore oil and gas and carbon storage activities, supporting delivery of the UK’s Net Zero ambitions.
Key Responsibilites:
- Assessing submissions made to OPRED by operators and owners for regulatory approval or acceptance, providing advice focused on atmospheric regulations.
- Planning and delivery of inspections, using a risk-based approach to achieve agreed targets and have responsibility for maintaining a regulatory overview of a portfolio of offshore assets.
- Review emissions data and compliance evidence, identify potential non-compliance and investigate contraventions of offshore legislation, taking enforcement action where appropriate.
- Participating in an on-call incident response rota in order to liaise with industry on offshore oil & gas incidents and to ensure that operators and owners respond to any pollution incident in accordance with their oil pollution emergency plans.
- Contribute to developing and improving OPRED policy, procedures and guidance on atmospheric regulation, ensuring a consistent, transparent approach to permitting and inspection.
- Representing OPRED on industry workgroups building constructive relationships with operators, owners, industry groups, other regulators and government stakeholders, sharing learning and helping to improve standards.
Whilst inspection and permitting will be the main focus of your job, you may also be required to undertake other activities in the support of OPRED’s regulatory function to help achieve OPRED’s objectives.
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
- A higher education qualification in a science, engineering, environmental or related discipline.
- Experience of environmental regulation, permitting, inspection and compliance assurance (or closely related industry compliance roles), and the judgement to make quality, evidence-based assessments.
- Knowledge of atmospheric emissions and emissions management, and the ability to interpret technical information (e.g., combustion sources, emissions controls, monitoring approaches, emissions calculations, verification evidence and compliance reports).
- Experience and knowledge of metering systems and process modelling.
- Working knowledge of UK ETS and PPC regulatory requirements, and how permitting conditions translate into practical compliance and inspection expectations.
- Understanding of statutory requirements and the ability to explain clearly what is needed to comply, and to challenge where standards are not being met.
- Strong communication and influencing skills, including the ability to work collaboratively with operators and colleagues, and to produce clear records, recommendations and correspondence.
- Ability to work at pace, manage competing priorities and take a pragmatic, inclusive approach to resolving issues.
- Willingness to travel, including to offshore installations as required; it is mandatory that applicants pass the UK offshore medical and survival training requirements.
Desirable Criteria:
- Experience of regulating or working within offshore oil and gas operations, or other complex industrial processes, with particular focus on combustion processes.
- Experience of delivery or assurance work under formal environmental management systems (e.g. ISO 14001) and/or structured compliance frameworks.
- Confidence using data and digital tools to analyse emissions data, compliance information and present clear findings.
Qualifications
A higher education qualification in a science, engineering, environmental or related discipline.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Specialist knowledge of atmospheric emissions regulation (UK ETS and/or PPC)
- Specialist technical knowledge
We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:
- Specialist knowledge of atmospheric emissions regulation (UK ETS and/or PPC)
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £80,745, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £23,391 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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 employer contribution of 28.97%.
- 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.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement Behaviour and Technical Statements. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to explain how you meet the essential criteria for this role, including your experience of environmental regulation, permitting, inspection or compliance assurance; your working knowledge of UK ETS and PPC in practice; and your experience of relevant industrial processes (particularly combustion plant) and how this informs your approach to assessing emissions and compliance evidence.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on Personal Statement only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
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.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DESNZ Candidate Guidance. A DESNZ Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
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.
Candidates who meet the minimum benchmark may be placed on a Reserve List for consideration for similar roles, including those at a lower grade. Candidates who narrowly miss the benchmark and are not placed on the Reserve List may still be considered for an offer in a similar role at a lower grade.
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; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
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 /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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]
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.
Diversity and Inclusion
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact
Recruitment team
Further information
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints
Attachments
DESNZ TCs v1.2 Opens in new window (doc, 174kB)
