Head of Policy in Aberdeen

Great British Energy will be a publicly owned, operationally independent energy company, designed to drive clean energy deployment, boost energy independence, create jobs and ensure UK taxpayers, billpayers and communities reap the benefits of clean, secure, homegrown energy. Setting up Great British Energy is one of government’s first steps for change and we will do this in a way that means it will have both an early impact and long-term success.

Through its five functions (Project development, Project investment, Local Power Plan, Supply chains and Great British Nuclear), Great British Energy will speed up the deployment of mature and new technologies, as well as local energy projects, to support the government’s aim of decarbonising our electricity system by 2030 whilst also ensuring we can meet future demand as we further decarbonise the economy.

To this end and as an example of what it can achieve, we have already agreed a major partnership between Great British Energy and The Crown Estate to accelerate deployment and support UK supply chains. Great British Energy will work collaboratively with industry, local authorities and communities, and other public sector organisations such as the National Wealth Fund, to spread skilled jobs and investment across the country. Great British Energy will be backed by a capitalisation of £8.3 billion of new money over this Parliament. In recognition of Scotland’s leading role in the UK’s clean energy revolution, Great British Energy will be headquartered and run from Scotland.

Roles in what will become Great British Energy will initially be undertaken in shadow form within the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. They will then be transferred to Great British Energy when the Great British Energy Bill becomes law and the company has the necessary procedures and systems in place to employ people directly.

Great British Energy (GBE) is establishing a long-term, strategic policy function to support delivery of the government’s clean power mission and GBE’s investment strategy. The Head of Policy will lead this function. They will shape, maintain and evolve GBE’s policy framework, ensuring it is evidence-based, operationally grounded, and fully aligned with government priorities, GBE’s corporate strategy and market insights.

This role will work across DESNZ, Treasury, No.10, industry partners, local authorities and community groups. The postholder will act as a senior adviser to the CEO, Chair and Executive Leadership Team (ELT) on policy design, policy risks, regulatory issues and opportunities for system-wide impact. This is a key leadership post at a formative stage in GBE’s development, helping to ensure our investment decisions, local power programmes and market interventions are underpinned by a clear, robust and credible policy position, used to advise government accordingly.

Person specification

• Policy leadership and framework development
  • Lead the ongoing development and operation of GBE’s policy framework, ensuring it supports the organisation’s corporate strategy, investment plan and long-term mission.
  • Maintain a coherent set of policy positions across all GBE workstreams, including generation, local power, supply chain, investment, skills and community engagement.
  • Ensure GBE’s policy positions reflect statutory responsibilities, regulatory constraints, commercial realities and the needs of delivery partners.
• Cross-government engagement and influence
  • Work closely with DESNZ, Treasury, Cabinet Office and No.10 to ensure strong alignment between GBE’s policy framework and wider government objectives.
  • Coordinate GBE input into consultations, regulatory reviews and cross-government policy processes.
  • Provide clear, evidence-based recommendations to inform ministerial decisions linked to GBE’s operations.
• Evidence, research and analysis
  • Oversee research, analysis and horizon scanning to identify risks, opportunities and future policy needs across the clean energy system.
  • Ensure policy development is grounded in data, market insight, operational delivery experience and industry best practice.
  • Commission internal and external evidence as required to support GBE’s policy development.
• Strategic advice and corporate support
  • Provide expert policy advice to the CEO, Chair and SLT on issues affecting GBE’s strategic direction, investment pipeline and operational delivery.
  • Support board papers, ministerial submissions and major programme decisions with clear and timely policy analysis.
  • Work with legal, commercial, strategy and programme teams to ensure policy intent is accurately reflected in investment and delivery plans.
• Stakeholder engagement and partnerships
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with industry bodies, developers, investors, regulators, local authorities, trade unions and community energy groups.
  • Ensure GBE policy development reflects the needs of industry and communities, and supports effective delivery through the Local Power Plan and community partnerships.
  • Represent GBE at external forums, working groups and sector roundtables.
• Policy communications and products
  • Oversee production of policy briefs, position papers, consultation responses and board-level policy materials.
  • Ensure products are clear, accessible and suitable for internal and external audiences, including ministers, senior officials, industry stakeholders and local partners.

As a line manager, you will be responsible for working with your members of staff to define their objectives, as well as managing their development and performance.

Essential Criteria

• Experience in policy development and delivery within government, an arm’s-length body, or an energy or infrastructure organisation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex regulatory, technical and commercial information.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with examples of effective policy products and briefings.
• Ability to build trusted relationships with government, industry stakeholders, local leaders and community representatives.
• Experience influencing cross-government processes, regulatory changes or sector-wide policy debates.
• Ability to work at pace, prioritise effectively and provide clear advice in a fast-moving environment.

Desirable Criteria

• Comfort working in a fast-paced public organisation under high levels of scrutiny, with multiple priorities and evolving requirements.

Behaviours

We will assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £66,925, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £19,388 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.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours and Experience. As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. 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 describe your suitability for the role and how your skills and experience align based on the essential criteria. 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. 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-based questions. Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.