Negotiations & Corporate Advisory Senior Advisor

Job summary

Do you want a career where you can make a real difference? Do you want to have an impact on the UK and beyond? If yes, then a career at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) could be for you.

Here at DESNZ we are delivering our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower, with clean electricity by 2030 and accelerating the UK’s journey to net zero.

Our work is helping ensure clean energy for all, keep bills down and seize the opportunities to lead the world in new green industries, taking back control of our energy with Great British Energy and encouraging greater energy efficiency across the UK. The work of the department has never been more timely or relevant, and by joining us you will be part of making that difference.

Our work is varied, interesting and most importantly it's impactful. Our DESNZ Values are interwoven into everything we do; we are bold, we are collaborative, we are inclusive, and we learn. As a department we are committed to these values to build a culture where everyone can thrive.

We work in an agile way. This means that, as our priorities evolve, your work may adapt to meet emerging needs and help us deliver our mission. This approach offers opportunities to develop your skills, gain new experiences, and contribute where you can make the greatest impact. This relates to the nature of the work rather than contractual terms, such as location or working pattern.

We offer great working benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.

Find Out More

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/pqUhdr3L72

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/

Job description

The Major Decarbonisation Projects Group (MDPG) is a Director General led business area within DESNZ responsible for delivering the Department’s Hydrogen and Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) Programmes.

The Group has created flexible resource ‘Hubs’ to bring together subject matter expertise, supporting the delivery of these programmes.

These roles are part of the Negotiations and Corporate Advisory Hub, which offers commercial and corporate finance expertise into MDPG policy development and leads MDPG’s negotiations with private sector projects. Team members are deployed flexibly based on the Group's needs, so you may work on both Hydrogen and CCUS projects at different stages of policy development and delivery. The duration of the specific projects you are assigned to may vary depending on business needs.

Hydrogen and CCUS are key components of the Governments’ clean power and net zero missions. The hubs have been set up in line with the civil service drive to be increasingly agile and delivery focused. As such, these roles are a fantastic opportunity to contribute to major government policies and to be part of pioneering innovative civil service operating models.

Person specification

Subject to your experience within either policy, commercial, negotiations and/or corporate and project finance domains, key responsibilities may include:

• Providing subject matter expertise on commercial, negotiations or corporate finance areas to support the development and effective delivery of CCUS and/or hydrogen policy.
  
• Supporting the development and implementation of innovative contractual funding and revenue mechanisms, a coordinated negotiations strategy and negotiation workstreams.
  
• Supporting the development of complex industrial infrastructure programmes, particularly those involving public-private partnerships and regulated asset base models.
  
• Leading the production of commercial cases within HMG business cases for CCUS and Hydrogen programmes and/or individual major decarbonisation projects within those sectors.
  
• Promoting an integrated and value for money commercial structure across projects and commercial models by ensuring HMG has a robust understanding of its cross-chain risk exposure as models evolve and that this is integrated into decision making.
  
• Providing financial assurance, commercial structuring advice and tailored commercial support in respect of decarbonisation projects.
  
• Ensuring the consistent use and dissemination of commercial and financial best practice within programmes and across the hub.
  
• Engaging external stakeholders and those across government departments and delivery partners, for example HM Treasury, NSTA, NISTA, Ofgem and LCCC whilst utilising deep understanding of funding mechanisms, regulatory frameworks, investment planning and commercial delivery.
  
• Inputting into advice for senior stakeholders or Ministers to ensure they understand the commercial or financial implications of decisions.
  
• Direct line management and/or task management by or of colleagues deployed across multiple workstreams as may be required according to business needs.

Essential Criteria

• Experience in commercial and negotiations delivery and/or project or corporate finance with proven business acumen and skills, ideally within the energy, networks, or infrastructure sectors.
  
• Skilled in applying different commercial models to policy initiatives and contractual development and the provision of advice to policy or strategy teams with tangible outcomes.
  
• Experience in complex high-value procurement or infrastructure projects including their commercial delivery, negotiations, funding mechanisms or project finance requirements.
  
• The candidate must be able to build trust quickly and influence a wide range of stakeholders, including senior stakeholders, externals and delivery partners, and be confident providing specialist advice to a non-expert audience.
  
• Confidence in challenging assumptions, articulating complex commercial or financial positions clearly, and guiding decision-makers toward pragmatic, risk-aware solutions.
  
• The candidate should thrive in a high-pressure, fast-moving policy and delivery environment. They should be comfortable managing shifting priorities, tight deadlines, and ambiguity—often needing to provide rapid commercial or financial advice with incomplete information.

Desirable Criteria

• An understanding of the CCUS and/or hydrogen sectors, including government’s role in supporting these.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,900, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £16,483 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits includin