Senior Strategy Advisor - Green Finance

Job content

Location

London, Manchester

Summary

About the job

This is an exciting opportunity to work across all sectors of the UK economy to identify the financial conditions necessary to leverage in private sector capital to support delivery of the UK’s net zero climate target.

You will work to deliver the commitments in the Green Finance Strategy, and will help to deliver the green finance focus of the Net Zero Strategy. You will also scope out areas for further policy work to support the greening of the financial system, and the mobilisation of private investment into low carbon technologies and infrastructure needed for net zero. This is a high profile policy area with significant Ministerial and cross-Whitehall interest. You will be part of the Clean Growth, Green Finance and Sustainable Choices team. This sits within the BEIS Clean Growth Directorate, which is responsible for the development and delivery of the Government’s strategy for net zero - bringing down the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions to meet our climate commitments and driving clean growth across the UK.

In 2019 the UK Government set a new climate change target to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. In the same year we also published our first ever Green Finance Strategy. This was followed by 2020’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, which set out the government’s intention to build back greener - delivering an economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic that is aligned to our net zero and broader environmental goals. Delivering on these key publications will require the UK to transform its homes, industries, approach to transport and land use as well as how we generate and use energy. Mobilising private capital will be key to our success, as will greening the financial system so that all finance incorporates the financial risks and opportunities presented by climate change.

Job Description

We are looking for a senior policy advisor to lead our work on Greening the Financial system including climate disclosure frameworks such as the Taskforce on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and the UK’s Green Taxonomy. The post holder will lead on the development of BEIS’s legislative proposals for TCFD, and the department’s work on the UK Green Taxonomy. This role will also look to monitor private investment trends across net zero sectors. You will work closely with other government deparments including HM Treasury, financial regulators and stakeholders, as well as sector specialists across BEIS.

ResponsibilitiesWe are looking for a highly motivated individual with strong strategic, policy and analytical skills and experience.

Ability to work seamlessly across numerous policy teams on technical policy, with an ability to distil down analysis into high quality advice, papers and presentations.

Experience of working with climate financial risk and sustainable disclosure frameworks (e.g. TCFD, Taxonomy). Wider knowledge of green finance e.g. green bonds, project finance, green banking would be welcome. Broader financial knowledge would also be an asset, but with evidence that this could be applied to environmental policy making.

Highly developed written and verbal communication, interpersonal and influencing skills. Experience of working on HMG strategy documents would be a bonus.

Knowledge of climate change/energy/environment policy and existing network of contacts in the field would be welcome.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

BEIS 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.

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.

Things you need to know

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

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. Your personal statement (maximum 500 words) should respond to the following question: ’How should the UK maximise the opportunity of creating its own Green Taxonomy?’. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Candidates will be sifted on behavioural statements, CV, and personal statement.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour (Seeing the Big Picture).

Expected Timeline subject to change

Expected Week of Sift * 2nd August 2021

Expected Week of Interviews * 9th August 2021

Interview Location * Virtual

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

The interview will consist of behaviour questions.

Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.

Reasonable adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via beisrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Further Information

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ’Contact point for applicants’ section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

Any move to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstance some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

BEIS does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

Please note that BEIS does not hold a licence to sponsor visa applications.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality Requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.