IMPACTFUL GOVERNMENT CAREERS
Job Description:
The role of Deputy Director for Net Zero Innovation Policy will be responsible for the last area including:
Ensuring oversight of the over £4bn portfolio of government net zero research and innovation through the Net Zero Innovation Board;
Strengthening links between Research & Development (R&D) and policy and regulatory development and creating a pipeline of investible projects which can move from R&D funding to attract follow-on funding from a range of public and private sources;
Developing the evidence to help prioritise future public R&D investments in different net zero sectors and technologies working with other HMG partners;
Publicising the results of government innovation investments to support UK businesses develop their solutions and supply chains.
You will manage a multi-disciplinary team of up to 25, including policy, analysts, and stakeholder engagement specialists to deliver these goals. This includes a well-established Secretariat team for HMG’s Net Zero Innovation Board, chaired by the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, and a significant research project, the Energy Innovation Needs Assessments, which aims to assess the best value investments in innovation over the medium term.
You will need to establish a new function within the team to strengthen the end-to-end oversight of net zero innovation across government. This was a key finding from a recent National Audit Office review and an area where there are significant opportunities to make further impact. This function will work with the DESNZ £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio and set-up processes for assessing a pipeline of potential investments to enhance further investments such as deployment funding as well as links with the UK’s public finance institutions (UKIB, BBB, UKEF). It will also strengthen links between R&D programmes and policy and regulatory development, including ensuring that barriers identified at the R&D stage are acted on and that R&D programme design considers regulatory requirements for technologies to reach market.
Person Specification:
To be successful, the candidate will need to be able to provide strategic oversight on net zero innovation policy development, to communicate and influence collaborating across a range of stakeholders and the ability to inspire and motivate through leadership.
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate the following Essential Criteria:
Strength in leadership to drive a multidisciplinary team to deliver complex policy development and services to tight timescales and build skills and professional capability in a flexible management environment.
Strategic thinking, ability to translate complex evidence, and develop policy for net zero innovation in support of decarbonisation effort.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to form relationships and influence external and cross Government stakeholders at senior level including ministers, both in the UK and internationally.
Ability to manage long term and complex relationships with a range of partners, and ability to drive collaborative outcomes whilst protecting the organisation financially, commercially and reputationally.
Desirable Criteria:
Experience in net zero and energy policy; and in innovation, project management with relevant professional qualifications.