Location

Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford

About The Job

Job summary

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is the department for economic growth. We support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country. DBT is a ministerial department, support ed by 19 agencies and public bodies.

The advertised roles are in the Renewable Energy Sector team which sits within a ‘Construction, Infrastructure and Energy’ cluster, which is part of larger team called ‘Business Group’. We support investment, growth and exports in low carbon technologies, and are the department’s experts in these sectors. Our work is central to supporting the government’s net zero ambitions, by attracting investment and developing UK capability and supply chains.

We are a mixed team of experienced civil servants and industry specialists. The team has a broad remit and provides knowledge and expertise to investors, government, and overseas colleagues promoting these sectors. We also support policy development by working with other government departments, shaping and influencing policy to enable investment and economic growth.

DBT welcomes and values diverse backgrounds, thinking, skills and experience. We promote and encourage a range of flexible working patterns enabling staff to balance home and work responsibilities.

Job Description

The roles

We are recruiting two sector managers. One will lead on the ‘low-carbon hydrogen’ sector, and the other will cover the ‘circular economy and waste-to-value’ sectors (including energy from waste, recycling, and sustainable aviation fuels. These areas are part of the government’s commitment to making the UK a ‘Clean Energy Superpower.’

Hydrogen:

The Climate Change Committee and the UK government expect Low Carbon Hydrogen to play a crucial role in decarbonising the UK. Hydrogen can be used as an energy store and a clean fuel. It will be needed to decarbonise sectors of the economy which are hard to abate or electrify using renewable electricity, for example power generation, transport fuel, industrial process heating. The UK is in a strong position to develop a world-leading hydrogen sector, with significant renewable electricity, progressive policy and regulation, existing industrial and innovation capacity, and established engineering expertise.

Circular Economy & Waste-2-Value :

The government is committed to establishing a UK circular economy, where waste is minimised, and resources are reused or recycled with a long-term goal of eliminating avoidable waste by 2050. With robust regulation, effective collection/management systems, policies such as landfill tax, and a clear path to market for new solutions, the UK has a strong foundation from which to establish a new circular approach. The shift presents opportunities for investment and innovation, and is critical to emissions reduction and reducing biodiversity loss. Where waste is unavoidable, innovative models can recover value — from sustainable aviation fuel, power or heat — create jobs, and increase domestic energy security.

Job Description

In each role, you will become a sector expert, with a comprehensive knowledge of the latest developments in the UK and overseas markets, policies and funding programmes, important companies, technologies, capabilities and projects. You will confidently articulate a comprehensive pitch about the UK’s offer, to internal and external audiences. The network of business contacts that you develop will enable you to gather market intelligence, and you will use this to distil key messages within government on how to drive growth through policies and funding schemes.

As part of your role, you can expect to:

Act as the sector lead, with objectives including, sector promotion, investment delivery, influencing policy, programme development. 
Manage a pipeline of major investment projects, working with investors to support their projects, as well as leading work to identify and support new investors.
Build relationships at senior levels with UK and overseas companies, to encourage and support inward investment projects. You will act as account manager for a selection of the important companies.
Develop evidence-based analysis of the commercial and regulatory barriers that shape the investment environment, using this to spot opportunities to improve the investment proposition.
Collaborate and influence across Whitehall to address the underpinning policies, barriers and enablers that shape the investment environment for your sector. You will develop carefully balanced recommendations, find routes to influence and work with others to build consensus, with a focus on growth in UK capabilities creating jobs and enhancing the export offer.
Maintain an awareness of the global opportunity in the sectors, support UK companies to export, and support overseas colleagues to position the UK's export offer to emerging opportunities across different markets.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

A systems thinker with the ability to consider the bigger picture and long-term implications of decisions. Able to formulate evidence-based views and think creatively about the work.
Excellent relationship management and networking skills, with experience of collaborating across government and with external stakeholders to drive positive outcomes.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the confidence and ability to communicate clearly on complex issues and distil salient points for different target audiences.
A confident decision maker, exercising good judgement and with experience of providing high quality advice to a wide range of colleagues, including senior stakeholders.

Desirable criteria

Experience working on investment and/or sector development.
Knowledge about renewable energy, hydrogen and waste-to-value sectors, green economy or climate change issues. Enthusiasm for the sectors.

Behaviours

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

Communicating and Influencing
Making Effective Decisions
Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,156, Department for Business and Trade contributes £11,922 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Please refer to the attached candidate pack for further information on our benefits.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 2-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:

A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
A Personal Statement of up to 500 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.
Behaviour questions - you will be asked to provide 250 word statements demonstrating each of the behaviours to be assessed

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the CV & Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your interview

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Candidate Support

You may want to join a virtual  Candidate Support Session . These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview. 

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.

Further Information:

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.
Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases. 
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band. 
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. Any applicant who has 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. 
Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
This role may be considered as a secondment opportunity. Please reach out to the hiring manager listed at the bottom of this advert to discuss.
Candidates that do not quite meet the standard for this role may be offered a position at a lower grade.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service / Disclosure Scotland / Access NI 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 Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk 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 Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window) . See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .

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 :

Name : Joshua Lawrence
Email : joshua.lawrence@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : dbtrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email: Resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

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

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