3696 - Grade 7 Industrial Decarbonisation and Trade Analyst

The Climate Change Committee are seeking a high-performing policy analyst to work on industrial decarbonisation and trade within the mitigation secretariat. This is a fixed-term appointment for up to 8 months with the option to be arranged as a secondment or a loan.

The post-holder will be working within the CCC’s manufacturing, construction and energy supply team that is overseen by our Head (Deputy Director) of Carbon Budgets and currently includes two G7 analysts and two SEO analysts. This team sits within the mitigation secretariat. The role will focus on decarbonisation of the manufacturing and construction sector and cross-cutting trade and carbon leakage policy.

The precise set of issues to be worked on will evolve but is likely to include some of the following (starting with the most likely):

• Developing a new set of indicators (trackable pathways) that reflect the ambition of the CCC’s Sixth Carbon Budget industrial decarbonisation pathways, against which we will track future UK progress on industrial decarbonisation. This will include indicators for progress on fuel switching (to electricity, hydrogen and bioenergy), carbon capture and storage, energy efficiency, resource efficiency, and low-carbon off-road mobile machinery. We expect to develop some of these internally and tender for work on others externally.
• Developing well-evidenced draft policy recommendations to present to the Committee, to enable them to make recommendations to Government and Devolved Administrations. In particular, we are seeking to develop more detailed policy recommendations on import policy and resource efficiency.
• Assessing the UK’s progress on industrial decarbonisation for the Committee’s annual report to Parliament.
• Developing and designing a proposal for new evidence gathering on resource efficiency, covering policies, costs and behaviour change.
• Developing and designing research on trade policy.
• Analysis of the potential of UK policy to reduce the emissions associated with imports and the consideration of future UK consumption emissions pathways.
• Assessing the distributional impacts of industrial decarbonisation pathways, including who pays, and the jobs and skills considerations.
• Preparing industrial inputs for other CCC reports, roundtables and media briefings and responses to enquiries from external stakeholders.

The postholder will contribute to work on these issues through a range of tasks, including:

• Undertaking desk-based analysis and research, including gathering and critically appraising evidence and data.
• Project managing external consultancy projects.
• Quality-assuring analysis and working to ensure our advice is based on the best available evidence and assumptions.
• Drafting clear, well-evidenced and engaging inputs to CCC reports and other outputs.
• Engaging widely, including with relevant stakeholders in academia, business, NGOs and across Government to help inform the Committee’s work, ensure its quality and improve its impact.
• Presenting findings to senior members of the secretariat and at monthly Committee meetings, clearly articulating your analysis and its complexities, to help the Committee understand the issues and reach its conclusions.

The postholder will work in the secretariat alongside colleagues with economics, science and technology backgrounds, and alongside the distinguished members of the Committee. They will gain a deep understanding of the technological, economic and political challenges to climate action and have opportunities to develop analytical, presentational and influencing skills in an environment with a direct influence on policy development in the UK and around the world. This is all at a particularly exciting time for industrial decarbonisation, with international momentum really building and a substantial increase in stakeholder activity.

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. Candidates should also ideally have a good understanding of climate change mitigation analysis and industrial decarbonisation measures and policy options.  You will operate with autonomy, work flexibly with other CCC analysts and work to tight deadlines, within a supportive team environment.

Apply

To apply for this post please complete the online application form, providing evidence against the key sections:

• Provide evidence on how you meet the criteria underneath the individual behaviours / skills, listed below.
• When completing your response for the behaviour questions 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.
• For the ‘technical skill/experience’ questions, these do not need to take the form of a STAR example, but should demonstrate your skills and experience. You should also use your CV to highlight relevant technical skills and experience.

Assessment criteria

Candidates will be assessed using three elements of the Civil Service Success Profile framework: behaviours, technical skills and experience.

For the initial application and sift, assessment will be carried out against the following behaviour, technical skill, and experience criteria.

If we receive a very large number of applications, applications will be sifted against one or two of the lead criteria indicated below: Industrial Decarbonisation Experience and Making Effective Decisions.

Further information will be provided about assessment at interview for candidates invited to interview.

Technical skill 1/ Experience – Industrial decarbonisation experience (Lead criteria 1)

• Experience of industrial decarbonisation analysis and broader climate change economics.
• Experience working on industrial decarbonisation options (such as fuel switching, CCS and off-road mobile machinery).
• Experience developing policy and or policy recommendations on UK and or international industrial decarbonisation policy.
• Experience of trade policy.
• Experience working on wider issues associated with industrial decarbonisation, such industrial jobs, skills, and the distributional effects of industrial policy.

Behaviour 1: Making Effective Decisions (Lead criteria 2)

• Clarify your own understanding and stakeholder needs and expectations, before making decisions.
• Encourage both innovative suggestions and challenge from others, to inform decision making.
• Analyse and accurately interpret data from various sources to support decisions.
• Find the best option by identifying positives, negatives, risks and implications.
• Present reasonable conclusions from a wide range of complex and sometimes incomplete evidence.

Behaviour 2: Working together

• Actively build and maintain a network of colleagues and contacts to achieve progress on shared objectives.
• Challenge assumptions while being willing to compromise if beneficial to progress.
• Build strong interpersonal relationships and show genuine care for colleagues.
• Ensure consideration and support for the wellbeing of yourself and individuals throughout the team.
• Understand the varying needs of the team to ensure they are supported and their experiences are utilised.

 Behaviour 3: Delivering at Pace

• 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.
• Ensure everyone clearly understands and owns their roles, responsibilities and business priorities.
• Give honest, motivating and enthusiastic messages about priorities, objectives and expectations to get the best out of people.

Essential requirements

A degree in a numerate discipline (e.g. engineering, environmental science, economics) and experience with Microsoft Excel are both essential.

Professional membership

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 clearly in the CV section, so that we can ensure the interview process allows you to continue your membership. Membership of one of these professions is not required to apply for this role.

Things you need to know

Location: The CCC offices are at 1 Victoria Street, London, SW1H 0ET. We have recently returned to the office and staff are typically expected to work from the office for at least 40% of their working hours, however we will consider requests for full remote working for this fixed-term position. We envisage this as a full-time position, but part-time and flexible working arrangements will be considered.

Grade, Salary and Duration: This is a Grade 7 post and the expectation is that the successful candidate will join on the minimum of the CCC Grade 7 pay band. This is a fixed-term appointment for up to 8 months.

As CCC employees are public servants any civil servants will be seconded to the CCC and will remain on their home organisation terms and conditions for the duration of the secondment. Their normal office location, subject to any flexible working arrangements which are agreed, for the duration of the secondment will be 1 Victoria Street, London.

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.

Key dates:

• Closing date – Sunday 31st October 23.55
• Sift – w/c 1st November
• Interview date – 15th November
• Appointment begins – January 3rd ideally or earlier if possible