3516 - Team Leader: Carbon Budgets and Energy Supply

About the role

The post-holder leads the analytical team looking at carbon budgets, energy supply, cross-economy issues and devolved administrations. Currently the team consists of three Grade 7s, one SEO and two HEOs. This team sits within the mitigation secretariat, with opportunities to get involved in a range of areas across the work programme.

Over the next year, a key focus will be on publishing an assessment of the Government’s Net Zero Strategy, which will set out its plans to deliver on the legislated emissions targets and is expected to be published after the summer, together with the range of accompanying sectoral strategies.

The Committee’s annual progress report to Parliament in June 2022 will assess policy progress in the year following legislation of the Sixth Carbon Budget and will also present the CCC’s revamped set of indicators to track progress in delivering on the UK’s emissions targets.

During this period, advice will also be provided to the Northern Ireland Executive on its strategy to deliver the necessary emissions reductions under the UK Climate Change Act and potential Northern Irish legislation, and work will also start on the five-yearly review of Scotland’s legislated emissions targets as required under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act.

On energy supply, key priorities will be assessing the Government’s Hydrogen Strategy and engaging with the Government on phase-out of unabated fossil electricity generation and on its 2022 Bioenergy Strategy.

The Committee will also be undertaking a range of work relating to delivery of the emissions targets, including on governance of the transition, how the costs and benefits are allocated, job and skills, public engagement, trade policy. These pieces of work are being taken forward on a ‘matrix working’ basis, so there are opportunities for team members to get involved with areas of interest.

The post provides an excellent chance to lead high-profile work, with exposure to the very senior members of the Committee. Depending on Committee priorities, and demands from the Government and devolved administrations, flexibility to take on new areas may also be required.

The postholder will work primarily to the CCC’s Head of Carbon Budgets, but with considerable interaction with, and access to, the Director of Analysis and Chief Executive as well as the Committee members.

The role will be suited to someone with excellent analytical and communication (both written and verbal) skills, who manages their time well, has strong stakeholder engagement skills and enjoys thinking about decarbonisation pathways and policy design. You will be expected to work flexibly with other CCC analysts and work to tight deadlines, within a supportive team environment.

Things you need to know

Location: The team are currently working remotely until at least the end of August 2021, before a planned move to offices at 1 Victoria Street in London. On our return to the office we are introducing a new flexible working policy that will allow you to work remotely several days a week if you wish. We envisage this as a full-time position, but flexible working arrangements will be considered.

Grade and Salary: This is a Grade 6 post and the expectation is that the successful candidate will join on the minimum of the CCC Grade 6 pay band.

Security: Successful candidates must pass basic security checks.

Nationality requirements: Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non-EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

Feedback: Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme: The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Interviews can either be in person – if practical and allowed at the time – or by video call. Even if in-person interviews are possible, we would be happy to conduct interviews by video if the candidate prefers.

Skills / competencies required

Delivering at Pace

Effectiveness in this area means focusing on delivering timely performance with energy and taking responsibility and accountability for quality outcomes. For all staff, it’s about working to agreed goals and activities and dealing with challenges in a responsive and constructive way. Specifically, you will be required to:

• Ensure everyone clearly understands and owns their roles, responsibilities and business priorities.
• Ensure delivery of timely quality outcomes, through providing the right resources to do the job, reviewing and adjusting performance expectations and rewarding success.
• Maintain own levels of performance in challenging circumstances and encourage others to do the same.

Leading and communicating

At all levels, effectiveness in this area is about communicating purpose and direction with clarity, integrity and enthusiasm.

• Clarify strategies and plans, communicate purpose and direction with clarity and enthusiasm.
• Confidently engage with stakeholders and colleagues at all levels to generate commitment to goals.
• Be open and inviting of the views of others and respond despite pressure to ignore, revert or concede.

Making Effective Decisions

Effectiveness in this area is about using sound judgement, evidence and knowledge to arrive at accurate expert and professional decisions and advice.

• Clarify your own understanding and stakeholder needs and expectations, before making decisions.
• Analyse and accurately interpret data from various sources to support decisions.
• Present reasonable conclusions from a wide range of complex and sometimes incomplete evidence.

Seeing the Big Picture

Seeing the big picture is about having an in-depth understanding and knowledge of how your role fits with and supports organisational objectives and the wider public needs.

• Develop and maintain an understanding of economic, social, political, environmental and technological developments to ensure activity is relevant.
• Ensure plans and activities in your area of work reflect wider strategic priorities and communicate effectively with senior leaders to influence future strategies.
• Bring together views, perspectives and diverse needs of stakeholders to gain a broader understanding of the issues surrounding policies and activities.

Collaborating and Partnering

This is about working collaboratively, sharing information appropriately and building supportive, trusting and professional relationships with colleagues and a wide range of people both inside and outside Government, whilst having the confidence to challenge assumptions.

• Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on objectives and shared interests
• Encourage contributions and involvement from a broad and diverse range of staff by being visible and accessible
• Actively involve partners to deliver a business outcome through collaboration that achieves better results for citizens

Professional competencies

Specialist analytical skills

Apply appropriate quantitative analytical tools and techniques, and synthesise evidence from a range of sources, as appropriate. Assess the reliability and relevance of evidence and give objective evidence-based advice. Quality-assure models, challenge input data and assumptions and interpret output data for the purposes of providing supporting evidence.  

Professional Qualifications

A degree in a numerate discipline (e.g. engineering, environmental science, economics) is essential.

The CCC has affiliation with the Government’s analytical progressions: GES, GORS, GSS, or GSR, and it is possible for analysts to maintain these memberships at the CCC. If you are a member of one of these professions, please indicate this in your application.

Specialist skills

Essential

Minimum of two years’ relevant experience.

Excellent numeracy and spreadsheet skills.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear reports on complex subject areas ensuring these are appropriate for the given audience.

Apply and further information

To apply for this post please complete the online application form on Civil Service jobs, ensuring to provide evidence against the key sections:

• Provide evidence on how you meet the skills/competencies underneath the individual competencies.
• Remember the STAR technique, situation, task, action and result when you are preparing your response. It will help your application to signpost the general/specialist competencies you are addressing.

Key dates

• Closing date – Sunday 8th August 23.55
• Interview date – w/c 30th August
• Appointment begins – as soon as possible

Contact point for applicants

Please contact David Joffe (Head of Carbon Budgets) on david.joffe@theccc.org.uk for more information about this post.