Head of Regulatory Compliance & Engagement in Retford

Company Description

The UK Government has established UK Fusion Energy (UKFE) Ltd., a subsidiary of UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), to lead the charge in delivering fusion energy through design and delivery of the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) prototype fusion plant. UKFE is establishing itself, setting up the company, attracting talent, engaging with industry, developing a supply chain, and planning and constructing of the STEP prototype. Fusion energy, crucial for combating climate change and ensuring energy independence, is expected to be commercially viable by mid-century. The UK, led by UKFE, aims for a prototype fusion plant, targeting first operations around 2040. UK Fusion Energy Ltd. will lead delivery, collaborating with industrial partners and building a fusion supply chain with an estimated global sector value of £7tn per year. Join UKFE and the STEP programme to be involved in this ground-breaking journey. Onsite working is expected for 3 days each week; however, we actively support requests for Flexible Working.

A full list of our benefits can be found here Employee Benefits. For more information on UKFE, visit: UKFE Candidate Recruitment Pack.

As an employee of UKFE, you will benefit from:

• Outstanding defined benefit pension scheme, details of which can be found at the end of this advert.
• Corporate bonus scheme up to 7% and a Relocation allowance (if eligible).
• Flexible working options including family friendly policies and the right to request flexible working from the start of your employment.
• Employee Assistance Programme and trained Mental Health First Aiders.
• Generous annual leave allowance starting with 25 days, plus 3 days Christmas closure and 2.5 privilege days, in addition to UK bank holidays.
• Wide range of career development opportunities.
• A vibrant culture committed to being fully inclusive.

The salary for this role is £86,758 + excellent benefits including outstanding pension.

The closing date to apply for this position is the 4th May 2026.

This UKFE vacancy will be based at West Burton, Nottinghamshire.

Job Description

Fusion energy offers the potential for significant quantities of low-carbon, inherently safe, abundantly fuelled, baseload energy, supporting sustainable climate action and energy independence. While the technical challenge remains high, confidence is increasing, and the rewards of realising fusion are almost incalculable. Anticipated to come online for commercial purposes in the middle of this century, fusion offers a viable means to sustainable net zero in the UK and globally, as well as to increased energy security. The UK is currently a world leader in fusion research and development and in the drive to realise commercially viable energy from fusion, a sector with an estimated value of £tns per year. STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) is the UK’s flagship national programme to deliver a prototype fusion energy plant, targeting 2040, and a path to commercial viability of fusion. STEP is deliberately bold and ambitious and seeks people who want to be part of a world-changing endeavour and who have credible and relevant experience in delivery. STEP is supported by the UK Atomic Energy Authority, which has breadth and depth of expertise in fusion science, engineering and operations built over decades. UK Fusion Energy Ltd. (UKFE) is a relatively new organisation established to focus on the delivery of the prototype and, in so doing, the development of a fusion supply chain. UKFE will lead a collaborative team of industrial Whole Plant Partners who bring expertise in engineering and construction, plus UKAEA who will remain as strategic Partner providing fusion expertise.

The Role:

Reporting to the Director of Safety, Quality & Mission Assurance, you will be the single senior authority for all regulatory compliance, permissioning, consenting, and regulatory engagement across UKFE and the STEP programme. You will define and own the regulatory compliance strategy, lead senior-level engagement with regulators and government, and provide authoritative, independent advice to the Board, Senior Responsible Owner, Programme Director, and Executive team. This is a pivotal leadership role at the intersection of delivery ambition, public trust, and regulatory confidence. You will build and lead a growing team of regulatory professionals and play a critical role in shaping programme strategy, sequencing, and credibility as STEP progresses through increasing scrutiny and complexity.

What You’ll Be Responsible For

• Senior Leadership & Regulatory Engagement
  • Act as the single, authoritative senior voice on regulatory matters across UKFE and STEP.
  • Build and sustain trust-based relationships with regulators, positioning UKFE as a proactive, transparent, and reliable duty holder.
  • Lead regulatory engagement through periods of challenge, scrutiny, and regulatory evolution — including novel and emerging frameworks for fusion.
  • Set clear expectations for regulatory behaviours, capability, and consistency across the organisation and partners.
  • Act as a senior ambassador for UKFE and STEP with regulators, communities, industry, and government.
• Strategic Advice & Board Support
  • Provide clear, evidence-based regulatory advice to the Board, Executive, SRO, and Programme leadership.
  • Ensure regulatory risks, opportunities, and constraints are visible, understood, and embedded in strategic decision-making.
  • Translate complex regulatory landscapes into clear options, trade-offs, and recommendations.
  • Challenge optimism bias or delivery pressure where regulatory credibility, compliance, or trust could be compromised.
• Regulatory Compliance Strategy & Delivery
  • Define, own, and deliver the end-to-end regulatory compliance strategy for UKFE and STEP.
  • Lead all permissioning, consenting, exemptions, and approval activities across the programme.
  • Ensure regulatory submissions are coherent, complete, auditable, and aligned with agreed policy and guidance.
  • Provide assurance to Executives and regulators that UKFE has a controlled, credible, and auditable regulatory approach.
• Organisational Effectiveness & Integration
  • Design and lead a future-proof regulatory operating model capable of scaling with programme maturity.
  • Ensure regulatory roles, responsibilities, and decision rights are clear and consistently applied across UKFE and delivery partners.
  • Integrate regulatory engagement with programme planning, engineering, assurance, and governance to avoid late or fragmented engagement.
  • Act as final arbiter on regulatory coordination issues, ensuring coherent external positions.
• Regulatory System Stewardship & Improvement
  • Monitor the effectiveness of regulatory compliance arrangements and drive continuous improvement.
  • Support the development of proportionate, enabling regulation for fusion where frameworks are still evolving.
  • Contribute to national policy thinking and cross-sector forums, positioning UKFE as a thought leader in fusion regulation.
• Leadership & Culture
  • Build, lead, and develop a high-performing regulatory and consenting team.
  • Foster a values-led, inclusive culture that promotes learning, professionalism, and shared ownership of outcomes.
  • Act as a role model for ethical, transparent, and accountable leadership.

Qualifications

What you’ll bring

You will be a highly credible regulatory leader with substantial experience operating at senior levels within complex, mission-critical, or nationally significant programmes. You bring the confidence and judgement to engage regulators as trusted partners while providing robust, independent advice to Boards and Executives. Comfortable navigating emerging or ambiguous regulatory landscapes, you are able to balance delivery ambition with public trust, safety, and compliance. Your leadership style builds confidence, sets clear standards, and enables teams to operate with consistency, transparency, and integrity.

Essential

• Strong senior leadership experience, with a track record of building confidence across regulators and stakeholders.
• Extensive experience of regulatory engagement with bodies such as the Environment Agency, HSE, UK Government departments, and local authorities.
• Experience of nationally significant infrastructure projects, Development Consent Orders, or complex planning and consent regimes.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, including the ability to articulate persuasive, evidence-based regulatory arguments.
• Ability to operate effectively under pressure in high-profile, high-scrutiny environments.
• High standards of integrity, professionalism, and ethical practice.

Desirable

• Experience working across both public and private sectors.
• Experience in complex, collaborative, multi-partner programmes.
• Membership of, or qualification through, relevant professional bodies.

Additional Information

We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly women in STEM and individuals from British black and ethnic minority backgrounds, and individuals with disabilities. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organisation. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success. UKFE is committed to being accessible. Please email [email protected] if you have any questions or require help or adjustments to compete on a fair basis, for example, changes to the way we interview or share information.

This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions. Whilst not required at this time, there is a possibility of an SC Clearance being required in the future. If a candidate already holds an SC clearance, that clearance can be transferred to UKFE.

As we work towards our mission and goals, guided by our principles, STEP has six behaviours that are intended to capture the spirit of how we work:

• We champion safety.
• We all matter.
• We act as one.
• We embrace change.
• We are pioneering.
• We deliver.

For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: Criminal Records Checks for Overseas Applicants. If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.