Deputy Director, Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N) Sponsorship and Policy in Bangor

Nuclear power is a vital part of the country’s energy mix, providing clean, reliable, baseload power. In order to meet the government’s energy security and net zero goals, a major ramp up in nuclear capacity will be needed. That is why ministers have committed to working with industry to deliver a ‘golden age’ for nuclear and have already made the biggest commitment to new nuclear plants for fifty years. As well as new large-scale plants at Hinkley Point and Sizewell C, the government also wants to see new designs – small and advanced modular reactors (SMRs and AMRs) – deployed, providing clean energy. The first SMR project will be developed by Great British Energy – Nuclear (GBE‑N), the government’s nuclear delivery body, in partnership with Rolls Royce SMR, at Wylfa in North Wales, providing enough energy to power the equivalent of three million homes.

This Deputy Director role is a crucial one within the nuclear policy team in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ). The post-holder will manage the department’s relationship with GBE‑N, supporting them to deliver against government objectives. The post-holder will also lead work on key policy questions relating to the SMR programme, on issues like the financing model for the initial project and how government can work with industry to maximise the economic benefits of the programme for the UK. In addition, the post-holder will be responsible for broader policy on the future of government-backed nuclear projects. Working alongside another Deputy Director, the post-holder will lead a team of approximately 30 policy officials. They will work closely with other senior officials and ministers across the department and Whitehall. This is a great opportunity to work in one of the most important areas of UK energy policy, leading a close-knit, collaborative and high-performing team.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with GBE‑N to address key policy questions associated with the SMR programme, and to facilitate its successful delivery.
• Lead work for the Department on policy questions associated with the SMR supply chain, and opportunities for strengthening the UK's capacity to deliver new nuclear.
• Progress policy questions, supported by GBE‑N, regarding future new nuclear strategy, including those associated with nuclear technologies and nuclear siting.
• Policy responsibility for implementation, where these relate to GBE‑N and the SMR programme, of Government recommendations agreed to following the recent Regulatory Taskforce.
• Manage the policy and sponsorship team, ensuring it is one in which members are supported and have growth and development opportunities.
• Leadership within the Department's nuclear cluster, to ensure join up across policies and that the cluster is a destination of choice for civil servants to pursue their careers.
• Budget-holder responsibility for Department advisers, and oversight of Parliamentary handling and correspondence related to GBE‑N / the SMR programme.

Person Specification

• Outstanding stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to build relationships and establish trust and credibility with senior officials, ministers and industry stakeholders.
• Excellent leadership skills and the ability to maintain a positive, collaborative, inclusive culture within the team.
• A strong understanding of the key components of project delivery, including project finance.
• The ability to work at pace under considerable pressure and to exercise sound judgement on complex issues.
• Experience of policy-making regarding nuclear energy.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process.