At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic policy direction for decarbonisation projects in CCUS and Hydrogen.
- Company: Join a pivotal role in a leading organisation focused on sustainable energy solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working options, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with a focus on innovation and stakeholder engagement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the UK's transition to a low-carbon economy.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in policy development and energy sector expertise required.
The predicted salary is between 75000 - 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 which 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 steers the planning and development of new projects (for instance from new ministerial steers or manifesto commitments). The role 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, and supporting.
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 employer: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
As a leading force in the decarbonisation landscape, our company offers an exceptional work environment for the Major Decarbonisation Projects Group – Policy Director role. We pride ourselves on fostering a collaborative and inclusive culture that prioritises professional development and career progression, ensuring our employees are equipped to navigate the complexities of CCUS and Hydrogen policy. Located at the heart of the UK's energy transition efforts, we provide unique opportunities to influence significant policy decisions while working alongside top-tier stakeholders in a dynamic and impactful sector.
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
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the decarbonisation space. Attend industry events, webinars, or even local meetups. The more you engage, the better your chances of landing that Policy Director role.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, make sure to highlight your experience in energy policy and project frameworks. Tailor your conversations to demonstrate how your skills align with their needs.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job openings to pop up. Reach out directly to companies you’re interested in, like us at StudySmarter, and express your enthusiasm for working on major decarbonisation projects. You never know what opportunities might arise!
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by brushing up on current issues in CCUS and Hydrogen. Be ready to discuss how you would tackle challenges like investor confidence and policy alignment. Show them you’re not just a candidate, but a thought leader in the field!
We think you need these skills to ace Major Decarbonisation Projects Group – Policy Director
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Policy Director role. Highlight your experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and your expertise in energy policy, especially around CCUS and Hydrogen. We want to see how your background aligns with our strategic objectives!
Showcase Your Leadership Skills:In your application, emphasise your ability to set clear direction and manage competing demands. Share examples of how you've built inclusive, high-performing cultures in previous roles. This is key for us as we look for someone who can lead effectively across various hubs and functions.
Demonstrate Your Policy Expertise:We’re keen to see your deep understanding of major project policy frameworks and legislative processes. Use your application to illustrate your policy judgement and influencing skills, particularly in complex environments with senior stakeholders. This will help us gauge your fit for the role.
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 ensure you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it shows you’re proactive and engaged with our organisation right from the start.
How to prepare for a job interview at Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
✨Know Your Policy Inside Out
Make sure you have a solid grasp of the current policies surrounding CCUS and Hydrogen. Familiarise yourself with recent developments, key stakeholders, and the challenges facing these sectors. This will not only help you answer questions confidently but also demonstrate your genuine interest in the role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams. Think about times when you've built an inclusive culture or navigated complex stakeholder environments. Be ready to discuss how you prioritised competing demands and delivered successful outcomes.
✨Engage with Stakeholders
Since stakeholder management is crucial for this role, think about how you would approach engaging with senior officials and industry leaders. Prepare to discuss your strategies for negotiation and consensus-building, and be ready to share specific instances where you successfully influenced policy positions.
✨Demonstrate Strategic Thinking
The role requires expert judgement on complex issues, so be prepared to discuss how you approach strategic policy direction. Think about how you would align resources and capabilities to priority work packages, and be ready to articulate your vision for the future of CCUS and Hydrogen policy.
