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 UKs 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/
The Commercial Directorate delivers commercial solutions that support DESNZs objectives by providing expertise across the Department and its ALBs. This includes shaping and managing a wide range of commercial arrangements ensuring they deliver value for money, support high-quality public services, and align with strategic and policy goals.
The role involves managing the end-to-end procurement process for goods and services, and for supporting cross-functional teams on more complex and strategic procurements by running specific workstreams or undertaking activities such as research, stakeholder engagement, evaluation, eSourcing, etc.
In this role you will work closely and collaboratively with stakeholders, to form and lead cross functional teams to deliver value through the effective management of stakeholders and supplier relationships. You will also have responsibility for all commercial aspects of the spend under management.
Leading the delivery of commercial advice and commercial activity across the full commercial cycle from commercial strategy to contract exit, informed by commercial risks and delivering policy area objectives.
While the job holder is assigned to a procurement role in a specific Business Unit, they will be expected to support other Business Units or to undertake Contract Management responsibilities as required to support fluctuations in workload.
Specialisms/Options
International Net Zero & SICE
These teams lead the Departments response to the international issue of global climate change and support developing countries in their response to climate change. The focus is on driving climate change mitigation in countries where climate mitigation potential is greatest (e.g. Colombia, Mexico, Viet Nam, South Africa) across key sectors such as energy, urban infrastructure and forests and land use, together with mobilizing private finance and influencing international climate negotiations. There is a focus here on non-standard grant-like agreements with multilateral organisations as well as standard grant applications.
Nuclear:
DESNZs Nuclear cluster is at the heart of the Departments mission to make the UK a Clean Energy superpower by turbo-charging the growth, diversification and resilience of the UKs Nuclear Sector. Without Nuclear power the UK will not be able to achieve its Clean Energy and Net Zero objectives, making our work critical to the Governments objectives.
Whether it's the construction of new power stations like Sizewell C to their decommissioning; helping industry innovate new, more efficient fuels to the recycling of nuclear waste or driving forward researching into world-changing technology for Nuclear Fusion there isnt a part of the nuclear lifecycle DESNZs doesnt support.
Our task in the Nuclear Commercial team is to help enable the public and private sector to collaborate as effectively as possible to make this happen. Stakeholders include those within the Department and the wider network of Partner Organisations, such as the NDA, UKAEA, and STEP. The range of work reflects the diversity of the policy area making Nuclear an exciting, challenging and rewarding place to work.
Net Zero Buildings and Industry
The Net Zero Buildings and Industry team contribute to the UKs clean heat transition and net zero ambitions. They focus on Heat decarbonisation initiatives, working with Clean Heat directorate, supporting the delivery of complex commercial arrangements and ensuring robust contract and supplier management. The team specialise on the commercial delivery of heat network programmes that are central to the UKs net zero strategy.
Energy Security
Energy Security encompasses a wider range and diverse set of business areas. These include the UKs first of a kind Carbon Capture and Storage programme, Energy Affordability, Clean Power supporting the 2030 decarbonisation targets and beyond, Electricity Networks and how these operate and support the electrification of our lives, Renewables for On-shore, Off-shore and floating windfarms, solar, wave, even maintaining support for fossil fuels as well as Analysis Directorate that underpins all the decisions we make
Hydrogen:
We support the Hydrogen and Industrial Carbon Capture Directorate develop of low carbon hydrogen solutions necessary to achieving net zero by 2050, helping to decarbonise vital UK industrial sectors and the long-term competitiveness of the UK.
The role is to support the Commercial team and the policy team in design and implementation investable business models needed to support the deployment of low carbon hydrogen production, hydrogen storage projects, Hydrogen Transport and Hydrogen Power These are all essential to meeting net zero ambitions and supporting UK industrial competitiveness. This includes detailed design of the overall scheme, contract design and legislation to bring the models into force
Key responsibilities
Providing advice and guidance for contract managers to deliver best value and quality outputs for contracts and projects.
Strong persuasion skills are required for influencing and engaging senior stakeholders, including presentation skills.
Develop and lead procurements for DESNZ, supporting more complex procurements, that conform to the DESNZ Procurement Policy & Procedures Manual, and which comply fully with EU procurement law, DESNZ and government policy, and assurance processes.
Produce procurement strategies for goods and services collaboratively with Commercial teams and the relevant DESNZ business unit and develop a deep understanding of the supply market, category, and business context for both ongoing business and each specific procurement.
Provide options and opportunities from a commercial perspective looking at aspects such as requirements, solution options, risks, benefits and sustainability.
Build relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to develop a clear and agreed view on the needs of the business and target outcomes, aligning this with government initiatives where appropriate.
Support the delivery of complex procurements through the management of activities such as
Production of financial analyses and projections
Appraisal of supplier proposals
Leadership of procurement workstreams, delivering to timescales and
Objectives
Running processes such as eSourcing
Deliver cashable savings and other financial/non-financial benefits against target
Provide commercial advice to peers or senior colleagues that draws on relevant procurement legislation, policy, information, supply market knowledge, and commercial experience. Monitor developments in procurement policy and commercial case law
Select appropriate commercial models using early market engagement and robust data to inform decisions.
Gather lessons learned from procurements and ensure these are documented to inform future projects and influence improvements in commercial processes, systems and skills.
Undertake procurement work in other Commercial Directorate teams, or contract management work as required, to balance workload across the Directorate.
Provide training and coaching to develop staff capability and skills.
Essential Criteria
Experience of drafting commercial cases as part of business cases development.
Strong understanding and experience across the full commercial lifecycle which must include procurement, MoUs, grants, and contract management advice to teams. Knowledge of EU procurement law and commercial best practice and experience of applying this to procurement activities
Commercially astute and able to negotiate best value for money with suppliers in contract negotiations.
In depth understanding and knowledge of relevant category, supply market, pricing and commercial practices.
Desirable Criteria
Experience working with or alongside multilateral development banks, UN agencies or international delivery partners to develop and/or implement non-standard commercial arrangements.
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
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.
Applications will be sifted on CV and Personal Statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement only.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The interview will consist of behaviour and technical questions.
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
A reserve list of candidates may be kept for up to 12 months.
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 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
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 applicants 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.
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