At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic policy direction for decarbonisation projects in CCUS and Hydrogen.
- Company: Join a pivotal role in shaping the UK's energy policy landscape.
- Benefits: Full-time position with opportunities for career progression and professional development.
- Other info: Engage with senior stakeholders and drive meaningful change in a dynamic environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on climate change through innovative policy leadership.
- Qualifications: Experience in leading teams and expertise in energy policy required.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 € per year.
Working Pattern: Full Time, Job Share
Job Summary: The Major Decarbonisation Projects Group (MDPG) Policy Director is a pivotal role that provides strategic direction, policy authority and leadership across our group so we can deliver our objectives. The role sets the strategic policy framework, oversees policy design and legislative development and ensures that MDPG resources, capability and work packages are aligned to priorities. The role spans both Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) and Hydrogen, ensuring policy coherence across these two complex markets. This includes steering policy for live CCUS clusters progressing through appraisal and commercial development stages, as well as shaping hydrogen production, transport and storage business models ahead of future allocation rounds. The postholder ensures cross technology consistency, particularly where CCUS availability, buildout and sequencing decisions directly impact deployment timelines and investor confidence. The role requires expert judgement on complex policy, economic, commercial and delivery issues, often with incomplete information or evolving ministerial direction. The Policy Director must balance systemwide implications, legal considerations, trade offs between competing projects, and political contexts.
The Policy Director operates at the centre of the UK’s CCUS and Hydrogen policy landscape, where both markets are moving from design to commercialisation. Live issues include CCUS cluster sequencing, readiness for future industrial capture projects, transport & storage network development, and ensuring the hydrogen production pipeline can progress through future allocation rounds. Crosscutting risks such as investor confidence, capital constraints, grid and network interactions, and supply‑chain dependencies require continuous coordination to find solutions.
The Policy Director will lead policy alignment across the hubs and functions, provide policy design authority for business models and steer the planning and development of new projects (for instance from new ministerial steers or manifesto commitments). The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that the group has the policy capability to operate as an agile, delivery focused organisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Policy Direction
- Set and communicate the strategic policy direction for MDPG, including cross-departmental commissions and SR27 projects.
- Provide policy design authority for CCUS and Hydrogen business models, legislative frameworks, and commercial strategies.
- Ensure cross-technology consistency, particularly where CCUS and Hydrogen infrastructure interact and impact deployment timelines.
- Lead the planning pipeline for prospective projects to feasibility stage, shaping early policy before handover to Programme SROs.
- Oversee the alignment of MDPG resources and capabilities to priority work packages, ensuring flexible deployment of multidisciplinary teams.
- Drive policy alignment across hubs and functions, supporting the delivery of live CCUS clusters and hydrogen allocation rounds.
- Governance & Assurance
- Support governance and assurance through the MDPG Portfolio Board, contributing to SOBC/OBC/FBC stages and value for money assessments.
- Ensure policy readiness for investment decisions and maintain oversight of non-pay budgets and staffing across the directorate.
- Stakeholder Management & Communication
- Lead engagement with senior internal and external stakeholders, including DESNZ, HM Treasury, Cabinet Office, delivery partners, ALBs, and industry.
- Negotiate policy positions, represent MDPG at senior forums, and secure agreement on investment cases and legislative approaches.
- Change & Improvement
- Champion capability development, professional standards, and career progression for staff aligned to the policy profession.
- Stabilise and mature the operating model, integrating new tools and data systems.
Person Specification: Skills, experience and qualifications
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- Proven experience leading large, multi-disciplinary teams, building an inclusive, high-performing culture, and supporting capability development across policy hubs.
- Ability to set clear direction, prioritise competing demands, and deliver outcomes in complex, high-profile environments with significant interest from senior stakeholders such as ministers or board members.
- Excellent policy judgement and influencing skills with ministers, senior officials, delivery partners, ALBs, and industry leaders; collaborative and collegiate approach.
- Deep expertise in energy policy, major project policy frameworks, government or large complex organisation legislative processes, and economic/commercial models for large-scale infrastructure.
- Strong communication and consensus-building skills, with the ability to explain issues clearly. The candidate will need to build shared understanding, and bring a wide range of stakeholders across government and industry with different perspectives along on the development and delivery of policy frameworks in CCUS and Hydrogen.
Major Decarbonisation Projects Group – Policy Director in London employer: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
As a leader in the decarbonisation sector, our company offers an exceptional work environment that fosters innovation and collaboration. With a strong commitment to employee growth, we provide opportunities for professional development and career progression within a dynamic and inclusive culture. Located at the heart of the UK's CCUS and Hydrogen policy landscape, employees benefit from engaging with key stakeholders and shaping impactful policies that drive the transition to a sustainable future.
Contact Detail:
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Major Decarbonisation Projects Group – Policy Director in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its projects. Understand their approach to decarbonisation and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their goals. Show them you’re not just another candidate; you’re genuinely interested in making an impact!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! You want to be able to clearly articulate your skills and experiences that relate to the role. Keep it concise and relevant, and don’t forget to highlight your leadership abilities and how you can contribute to their strategic policy direction.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us. Don’t miss out on the chance to showcase your passion for CCUS and Hydrogen policy!
We think you need these skills to ace Major Decarbonisation Projects Group – Policy Director in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in energy policy and leadership. We want to see how your skills align with the role of Policy Director, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!
Showcase Your Strategic Thinking:In your application, emphasise your ability to set clear strategic directions and manage complex projects. We’re looking for someone who can navigate the intricacies of CCUS and Hydrogen policies, so share examples that demonstrate your expertise in these areas.
Highlight Stakeholder Engagement Skills:Since this role involves engaging with senior stakeholders, make sure to include experiences where you’ve successfully negotiated or collaborated with various parties. We love seeing how you can build consensus and drive policy alignment across different sectors.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
✨Know Your Policy Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest developments in CCUS and Hydrogen policies. Familiarise yourself with current legislative frameworks and be ready to discuss how they impact project delivery. This will show your expertise and commitment to the role.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Experience
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led multi-disciplinary teams in the past. Highlight your ability to build an inclusive culture and drive policy alignment across different functions. This is crucial for a role that requires strategic direction and stakeholder management.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Think about how you would approach engaging with senior stakeholders like ministers and industry leaders. Be ready to discuss your negotiation strategies and how you’ve built consensus in previous roles. This will showcase your influencing skills and collaborative approach.
✨Showcase Your Problem-Solving Skills
Be prepared to discuss complex policy issues you've navigated, especially those involving trade-offs and competing demands. Use specific examples to illustrate your expert judgement and how you’ve balanced system-wide implications in your decision-making.
