Negotiations & Corporate Advisory Head

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

As part of the Negotiations & Corporate Advisory (NCA) Hub, the role holder will be flexibly deployed in line with Major Decarbonisation Projects Group (MDPG) priorities to provide specialist commercial, negotiations or corporate finance skills to support policy design or project delivery across either or both Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) and Hydrogen sectors. While a range of relevant skills and experiences may be suitable, the role holder must bring deep expertise in at least one of the team’s key areas.

Our ideal candidate would have significant experience of the financing and/or development of infrastructure projects ideally in the energy sector; a developed understanding of commercial risk and reward allocation and strong insights into the application of these concepts in first-of-a-kind or second-of-a-kind infrastructure projects including how HMG policy and regulatory frameworks can help provide the commercial environment to support investment into the development and delivery of these projects.

Subject to the successful candidate’s experience within commercial, negotiations and/or corporate finance domains, key responsibilities may include:

• Leading on the provision of high‑quality commercial, negotiation, and corporate finance advice to help shape the strategic direction of CCUS and/or hydrogen policy and ensure commercial considerations drive effective policy design and delivery.
  
• Ensuring risks are identified and appropriately managed, including cross-chain commercial risk, and that where relevant this insight shapes strategic decision‑making across MDPG and wider HMG.
  
• Providing financial assurance, commercial structuring advice and bespoke commercial solutions in respect of high‑value decarbonisation projects to help ensure they are investment‑ready and aligned with market and regulatory realities.
  
• Designing, steering and delivering a coordinated negotiation strategy, overseeing multiple negotiation workstreams, and delivering innovative contractual, funding and revenue mechanisms that resolve complex delivery challenges and secure value for money.
  
• Providing effective leadership across teams, which may include direct line management and matrix leadership and overseeing external advisory support. Supporting colleagues’ development and knowledge sharing, including through driving the adoption of commercial and financial best practice.
  
• Building and managing influential relationships across government, regulators and industry, including HM Treasury, NSTA, NISTA, Ofgem and LCCC.
  
• Leading the production of high‑impact advice for senior stakeholders and Ministers, distilling complex commercial and financial issues into clear recommendations.

As a line manager, you will be responsible for working with your members of staff to define their objectives, as well as managing their development and performance.

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrable leadership in delivering complex commercial or negotiation activity and/or corporate or project finance work, showing strong commercial judgement and the ability to drive high quality outcomes.
  
• Able to build credibility quickly and influence a broad and senior stakeholder community, including external partners and delivery bodies, and able to provide authoritative commercial or financial advice to non-experts, including when faced with ambiguity or incomplete information.
  
• Significant experience in at least one relevant infrastructure sector: CCUS or Hydrogen, Renewables, energy production and/or transmission networks, upstream and/or mid-stream oil and gas.
  
• Confident in challenging assumptions, reframing commercial or financial problems, and presenting clear, evidence-based positions, enabling senior decision makers to navigate risks and choose pragmatic, commercially robust solutions.

Desirable Criteria

• Proven ability to shape and apply commercial models to policy development, commercial structures and contracts, providing insightful, solutions focused advice that influences policy direction and delivery cho