Deputy Director, Heat Networks Policy (Job Share)
Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford
Job Summary
This is a part-time role, of c.0.6 FTE. You’ll share leadership of the Heat Networks Policy team with the existing Deputy Director, in a job-share arrangement. Together, you’ll co-lead the wider heat networks unit with the Deputy Director for Heat Networks Delivery.
Background
Heat networks are place-based solutions which can provide the lowest cost, low-carbon heat for consumers in the right settings. By linking densely populated areas to shared sources of heat, they can save significant costs for those in larger buildings, compared to an individual option. Many buildings such as apartment blocks, hospitals, and university campuses already share heat in this way, and they are a proven scalable technology, capable of supplying whole streets or – as demonstrated in Europe – even entire cities. They are well suited for multi-occupancy buildings which tend to be lower-income on average, and our support now ensures that these households will have a cheaper clean heat option in the future.
The Warm Homes Plan will set an ambitious trajectory of growth for low carbon heat networks. To achieve this the public and private sector will need to work together to overcome barriers to building more heat networks, faster and at greater scale. This requires building high public trust in heat networks, ensuring there is competitive pricing, growing the supply chain, ensuring heat networks have access to clean and flexible sources of heat, and building local certainty of demand through heat network zoning policy.
Job Description
Lead a team of just over 30 staff, building and diversifying its capabilities, creating a positive culture, maintaining morale, and driving performance as we deliver an ambitious programme of work.
Oversee a programme to implement the market framework for heat networks, so that low-carbon heat networks can achieve their potential, and so domestic consumers on heat networks are protected. An optimal allocation of heat networks will contribute to lowering both the overall emissions and costs of the energy system, contributing to net zero, lower bills and energy security.
This Will Involve:
Take pride in ensuring excellence in the core work of Government, leading the team in response to correspondence, submissions to Ministers, responding to Parliamentary Questions and other aspects which serve as the backbone of the Department’s day to day activity.
Make a full contribution as a member of the Directorate's senior leadership team. This includes working collaboratively across boundaries and flexing resources in line with overall priorities, leading on elements of our local People Plan, and ensuring the Directorate remains a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone to work.
Lead a team of just over 30 staff, building and diversifying its capabilities, creating a positive culture, maintaining morale, and driving performance as we deliver an ambitious programme of work.
Oversee a programme to implement the market framework for heat networks, so that low-carbon heat networks can achieve their potential, and so domestic consumers on heat networks are protected. An optimal allocation of heat networks will contribute to lowering both the overall emissions and costs of the energy system, contributing to net zero, lower bills and energy security.
This Will Involve:
Take pride in ensuring excellence in the core work of Government, leading the team in response to correspondence, submissions to Ministers, responding to Parliamentary Questions and other aspects which serve as the backbone of the Department’s day to day activity.
Make a full contribution as a member of the Directorate's senior leadership team. This includes working collaboratively across boundaries and flexing resources in line with overall priorities, leading on elements of our local People Plan, and ensuring the Directorate remains a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone to work.
Person specification
Essential Skills And Experience.
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
How To Apply
To apply for this post please follow the instructions on the CS Jobs website by no later than 23:55, 9th March 2026. As part of the application process you are asked to complete the following:
As part of the application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions on the diversity monitoring form attached to the
vacancy advert. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you have the option to select 'prefer not to
say’. See the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for more information.
Should you encounter any issues with your application please contact: david.capper@energysecurity.gov.uk
Overview Of The Process
Your application will be acknowledged by CSJobs when it is received.
Applications will be sifted to select those demonstrating the best fit with the post against the criteria set out in the person specification. Please ensure you keep this in mind when writing your CV and supporting statement.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.
Arrangements for interview
The final selection panel interview will be held w/c 23rd March.
A presentation will be required, and the details will be provided to candidates who are successfully invited to interview by the vacancy holder.
Expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed by the Department except in exceptional circumstances and only when agreed in advance.
Indicative Timeline
Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. If you are unable to meet these timeframes, please let us know by contacting david.capper@energysecurity.gov.uk Please ensure you quote the job title and reference number in your email.
Interviews Will Be Held Virtually. Candidates Are Asked To Note The Timetable, Exercising Flexibility Through The Recruitment And Selection Process. The Anticipated Timetable Is As Follows:
Advert Closing Date – 23:55, 9th March 2026
Shortlist Announcement – week commencing 16th March 2026
Interviews – week commencing 23rd March 2026
Further Information
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DESNZ Candidate Guidance. A DESNZ Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/
Job Summary
This is a part-time role, of c.0.6 FTE. You’ll share leadership of the Heat Networks Policy team with the existing Deputy Director, in a job-share arrangement. Together, you’ll co-lead the wider heat networks unit with the Deputy Director for Heat Networks Delivery.
Background
Heat networks are place-based solutions which can provide the lowest cost, low-carbon heat for consumers in the right settings. By linking densely populated areas to shared sources of heat, they can save significant costs for those in larger buildings, compared to an individual option. Many buildings such as apartment blocks, hospitals, and university campuses already share heat in this way, and they are a proven scalable technology, capable of supplying whole streets or – as demonstrated in Europe – even entire cities. They are well suited for multi-occupancy buildings which tend to be lower-income on average, and our support now ensures that these households will have a cheaper clean heat option in the future.
The Warm Homes Plan will set an ambitious trajectory of growth for low carbon heat networks. To achieve this the public and private sector will need to work together to overcome barriers to building more heat networks, faster and at greater scale. This requires building high public trust in heat networks, ensuring there is competitive pricing, growing the supply chain, ensuring heat networks have access to clean and flexible sources of heat, and building local certainty of demand through heat network zoning policy.
Job Description
Lead a team of just over 30 staff, building and diversifying its capabilities, creating a positive culture, maintaining morale, and driving performance as we deliver an ambitious programme of work.
Oversee a programme to implement the market framework for heat networks, so that low-carbon heat networks can achieve their potential, and so domestic consumers on heat networks are protected. An optimal allocation of heat networks will contribute to lowering both the overall emissions and costs of the energy system, contributing to net zero, lower bills and energy security.
This Will Involve:
- Communicate and implement the Department’s heat networks growth strategy, which is articulated in the Warm Homes Plan, giving confidence to the market to invest and ensuring the range of Government support is clear, compelling and sufficient to unlock growth.
- Responsibility for zoning policy implementation, particularly delivering the required legislation and guidance, to support heat network growth, working closely with other government departments.
- Assessing further interventions to lower the cost of low carbon heat networks, so that they are the go-to solution in dense urban areas.
- Overall responsibility for policy implementation of the heat networks market framework, working closely with Ofgem as it starts to regulate the heat networks sector. You’ll proactively deal with emerging issues in early days of regulation, and work with MHCLG to ensure alignment across heat network and housing regulation.
- Extensive stakeholder engagement and consultation on heat network technical standards, as we design a mandatory regime for these. This includes overseeing the overall technical standards programme which includes a range of contracts, and engaging with HMT, DBT, and MHCLG to design the best regime.
- Oversee a skills programme which addresses the future demand for a range of specialist skills in the low carbon economy and supports growth and diversity of the sector. This will form part of work to review and oversee work with supply chains, understanding and addressing barriers to entry to increase the capacity and capability of the UK market to deliver at pace.
Take pride in ensuring excellence in the core work of Government, leading the team in response to correspondence, submissions to Ministers, responding to Parliamentary Questions and other aspects which serve as the backbone of the Department’s day to day activity.
Make a full contribution as a member of the Directorate's senior leadership team. This includes working collaboratively across boundaries and flexing resources in line with overall priorities, leading on elements of our local People Plan, and ensuring the Directorate remains a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone to work.
Lead a team of just over 30 staff, building and diversifying its capabilities, creating a positive culture, maintaining morale, and driving performance as we deliver an ambitious programme of work.
Oversee a programme to implement the market framework for heat networks, so that low-carbon heat networks can achieve their potential, and so domestic consumers on heat networks are protected. An optimal allocation of heat networks will contribute to lowering both the overall emissions and costs of the energy system, contributing to net zero, lower bills and energy security.
This Will Involve:
- Communicate and implement the Department’s heat networks growth strategy, which is articulated in the Warm Homes Plan, giving confidence to the market to invest and ensuring the range of Government support is clear, compelling and sufficient to unlock growth.
- Responsibility for zoning policy implementation, particularly delivering the required legislation and guidance, to support heat network growth, working closely with other government departments.
- Assessing further interventions to lower the cost of low carbon heat networks, so that they are the go-to solution in dense urban areas.
- Overall responsibility for policy implementation of the heat networks market framework, working closely with Ofgem as it starts to regulate the heat networks sector. You’ll proactively deal with emerging issues in early days of regulation, and work with MHCLG to ensure alignment across heat network and housing regulation.
- Extensive stakeholder engagement and consultation on heat network technical standards, as we design a mandatory regime for these. This includes overseeing the overall technical standards programme which includes a range of contracts, and engaging with HMT, DBT, and MHCLG to design the best regime.
- Oversee a skills programme which addresses the future demand for a range of specialist skills in the low carbon economy and supports growth and diversity of the sector. This will form part of work to review and oversee work with supply chains, understanding and addressing barriers to entry to increase the capacity and capability of the UK market to deliver at pace.
Take pride in ensuring excellence in the core work of Government, leading the team in response to correspondence, submissions to Ministers, responding to Parliamentary Questions and other aspects which serve as the backbone of the Department’s day to day activity.
Make a full contribution as a member of the Directorate's senior leadership team. This includes working collaboratively across boundaries and flexing resources in line with overall priorities, leading on elements of our local People Plan, and ensuring the Directorate remains a welcoming and inclusive place for everyone to work.
Person specification
Essential Skills And Experience.
The successful candidate will demonstrate:
- Outstanding leadership skills with the ability to recruit, inspire, empower and motivate staff; build genuinely diverse and inclusive teams; and grow capability and resilience to deliver outcomes even when working under scrutiny and at a high pace.
- Experience of influencing and building effective and trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, acting as a thought-leader and source of expertise in your field.
- You will have demonstrable experience of policy design and implementation and be able to bring experience of where policy has supported growth, shaped markets and provided investor confidence.
- You will have sound analytical skills, and an ability to think strategically, to ensure policy delivery thinking is robust. You will be able to spot connections across different workstreams and ensure they are joined up and that interventions are aligned.
- You will have excellent judgement and political acumen with the ability to understand the changing context, to manage risk and to reach sound judgements on a range of strategic and reputational issues.
- Experience and familiarity with policy related to energy and climate change mitigation, or monopoly regulation would be desirable but are not essential.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero 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, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- 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.
- A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need.
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
How To Apply
To apply for this post please follow the instructions on the CS Jobs website by no later than 23:55, 9th March 2026. As part of the application process you are asked to complete the following:
- A CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role, relevant achievements in recent posts, together with reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
- A Statement of Suitability (no more than 1,250 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with particular reference to the essential criteria in the person specification.
- Final Interview
As part of the application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions on the diversity monitoring form attached to the
vacancy advert. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you have the option to select 'prefer not to
say’. See the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy for more information.
Should you encounter any issues with your application please contact: david.capper@energysecurity.gov.uk
Overview Of The Process
Your application will be acknowledged by CSJobs when it is received.
Applications will be sifted to select those demonstrating the best fit with the post against the criteria set out in the person specification. Please ensure you keep this in mind when writing your CV and supporting statement.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.
Arrangements for interview
The final selection panel interview will be held w/c 23rd March.
A presentation will be required, and the details will be provided to candidates who are successfully invited to interview by the vacancy holder.
Expenses incurred by candidates during the recruitment process will not be reimbursed by the Department except in exceptional circumstances and only when agreed in advance.
Indicative Timeline
Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. If you are unable to meet these timeframes, please let us know by contacting david.capper@energysecurity.gov.uk Please ensure you quote the job title and reference number in your email.
Interviews Will Be Held Virtually. Candidates Are Asked To Note The Timetable, Exercising Flexibility Through The Recruitment And Selection Process. The Anticipated Timetable Is As Follows:
Advert Closing Date – 23:55, 9th March 2026
Shortlist Announcement – week commencing 16th March 2026
Interviews – week commencing 23rd March 2026
Further Information
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DESNZ Candidate Guidance. A DESNZ Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).
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.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact :
- Name : SCS Recruitment
- Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
- Email : scscandidate.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/