Energy Sector Lead

Job summary

If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives, the Treasury can offer you an exciting opportunity to influence decision making that affects the whole of the UK. Working at the heart of government, we collaborate across government to promote responsible public spending and drive strong and sustainable economic growth.

Our work ranges from protecting customers through the regulation of the financial sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and creating a greener economy, to promoting British trade around the world and supporting people across the country on jobs, growth and more.

Job description

National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, HMT

The Prime Minister has called for reform of the British state, seeking to go further and faster on renewal, and to ensure a more active government. To support these aims, the government has brought together its expertise on infrastructure strategy and delivery under a joint unit of HM Treasury and the Cabinet Office, establishing the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA).

NISTA has six core objectives:

• Overseeing the government’s 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy: implementing the Strategy and overseeing future refreshes.

• Identifying and coordinating infrastructure needs: assessing evolving needs and opportunities and developing a more spatial approach to infrastructure planning to maximise sustainable economic growth – including clusters of projects – and other objectives.

• Unblocking barriers and streamlining delivery of the government’s major projects: advising on project set-up, planning, project delivery, benefits realisation and providing expert commercial and financial advice.

• Setting standards and improving the government’s project delivery capabilities: developing best-in-class guidance and tools and delivering leadership and learning programmes, as well as drawing in industry expertise and best practice in the UK and Internationally.

• Providing effective assurance for the government’s priority projects: overseeing the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP).

• Leading expertise on private finance: providing advice and guidance on the government’s approach to the private financing of major projects.

Since its creation in April 2025 it has delivered jointly HMT colleagues the UK Infrastructure: A 10 year Strategy, setting out a long term vision for infrastructure and setting the framework for a new approach to delivery infrastructure in the UK. In Jul 2025 is delivered the first major reform with its UK Infrastructure Pipeline.

The work of NISTA is essential to enabling economic growth and successful delivery to meet the aims and ambitions set by government in its plan for change, and five missions, which includes delivering Net Zero by 2050.

About the Role

The Energy Sector Lead is a key role in NISTA and one which is expected to provide evidence-based thought leadership across the sector, including information on emerging trends, challenges and opportunities across the energy landscape. They will work across HMG linking policy with delivery and helping government realise its ambition to transition the UK to a clean energy superpower, driven by the expansion of clean electricity generation and decarbonisation.

The Energy Sector Lead will provide expert technical, commercial, financial and strategic advice to support the successful delivery of the government’s 10Year Infrastructure Strategy. The role ensures energy considerations - spanning security, decarbonisation, resilience, market design, regulatory alignment and affordability are fully embedded across major programmes and infrastructure investment decisions.

The postholder responsibilities and duties will include:

• Providing oversight of Government’s Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) and Mega Projects, which includes: Sizewell C, Small Modular Reactors, Carbon Capture Storage, Hydrogen etc.
• act as a subject matter expert,
• be an active member of decision-making boards across the energy sector covering policy, programme delivery and negotiating with industry,
• act as an integrator across DESNZ, HMT, Cabinet Office and Number 10 to support efficient cross government decision making. Providing regular briefings to Cabinet Office and HMT Ministers where required.
• reviewing and shaping policy development,
• building relationships (internal and external) with key stakeholders involved across government in the energy transition,
• guiding project teams, and
• ensuring that delivery plans are robust, evidence based and aligned with governments ambitions to transition the UK to a clean energy superpower.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategic Advisory and Policy Insight
   • Senior government official providing impartial, expert ‘critical’ friend advice on programme delivery (GMPP) and longer-term policy to HMT and Government Departments.
   • Provide advice on the UK energy landscape, including nuclear, electricity, gas, hydrogen, carbon capture, networks, renewables, storage, and emerging technologies.
   • Translate the ambitions of the 10Year Infrastructure Strategy, Clean Power 2030 and beyond (Net Zero 2025) into energy system requirements, risks, dependencies and opportunities.
   • Contribute to long term modelling, scenario planning, and whole system analysis.
2. Programme and Project Support
   • Embed energy expertise into the development, appraisal and delivery of infrastructure programmes.
   • Support business cases (Strategic, Economic, Commercial, Financial and Management cases) with expert insight and robust technical evidence.
   • Identify system interdependencies (grid capacity, permitting, planning, supply chains) affecting programme success.
   • Lead or contribute to risk assessments, options appraisal, and delivery planning for energy-related components of major projects.
3. Stakeholder Engagement and Influence
   • Build strong working relationships across government departments and ALBs (e.g. DESNZ, Treasury, MOD, GBE and GBE-N and others), regulators, devolved administrations, and industry.
   • Represent the organisation in cross-government boards, expert panels, workshops, and consultations.
   • Work collaboratively with delivery bodies and arm’s length organisations to ensure consistent, coherent approaches.
4. Technical and Analytical Expertise
   • Knowledge of developments in energy markets, technologies, investment trends and regulation, translating implications for government infrastructure plans.
   • A good understanding of the different types of private finance models.
   • Commission, interpret and quality assure technical analysis, modelling, feasibility studies and impact assessments.
   • Provide expert assurance during decision making, gateway reviews, and major investment submissions
5. Leadership and Knowledge Sharing
   • Produce high quality briefing, insight papers, and evidence summaries for senior officials and ministers.
   • Build capability across teams by sharing good practice, offering training, and developing accessible technical guidance.
   • Contribute to shaping the organisation’s approach to sustainability, resilience and NetZero delivery.

Please be aware the post holder may be expected to react and deliver against additional ministerial priorities that are not listed above.

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date, please contact Matthew Vickers: Matthew.vickerstaff@nista.gov.uk

Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Person specification

Application Stage

Application Form

Applications should consist of a CV including your employment history, and a 1000-word personal statement setting out how you meet the shortlisting criteria below. Your CV and employment history won’t be scored. It’s used to give context to your application and support discussions at interview.

The panel will review applications and invite those that best demonstrate evidence of the shortlisting criteria for interview. Please keep this in mind when writing your application.

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

The essential criteria for the purpose of selection are:

• Expertise and good understanding in the UK energy system
• Proven experience of working in government, energy industry, consultancy, infrastructure planning or similar environment.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to commission, quality assure and interpret complex technical information and present clear, actionable advice, including from technical analysis, modelling, feasibility studies, gateway reviews, major investment submissions and impact assessments.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders and working across organisational boundaries.
• Proven understanding of energy related regulatory frameworks and policy levers, including different types of private finance models.
• Ability to operate strategically while supporting detailed programme work.
• At least two of following technical requirements:
  • Knowledge of largescale infrastructure planning, project delivery or investment appraisal.
  • Familiarity with whole system energy modelling tools or technoeconomic assessments.
  • Experience supporting NetZero policy, decarbonisation pathways, or grid related challenges.
  • Understanding of key enabling factors such as supply chains, planning reform, innovation funding, and workforce requirements.

Interview Stage

If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed against the following criteria:

• Experience
• Technical Skills: On at least two of following technical requirements:
  • Knowledge of largescale infrastructure planning, project delivery or investment appraisal.
  • Familiarity with whole system energy modelling tools or technoeconomic assessments.
  • Experience supporting NetZero policy, decarbonisation pathways, or grid related challenges.
  • Understanding of key enabling factors such as supply chains, planning reform, innovation funding, and workforce requirements.
• Strengths

Interview Task / Presentation

Prior to your interview, we will contact you about a task / presentation that the panel would like you to deliver as part of the assessment. Further details will be communicated to you nearer the time.

Technical skills

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

• Provide evidence of meeting two of the technical requirements listed in the person specification.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £95,000, HM Treasury contributes £27,521 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus public holidays and the King’s birthday.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme - Defined Benefit pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Parental Leave Packages - Including 6 months’ occupational pay for maternity/adoption, shared parental leave options.
• Flexible & Hybrid Working - Options include part-time, job-share, compressed hours, flexitime, and hybrid working (where business needs allow).
• Advance Schemes & Discounts - Rental deposit, cycle-to-work, SmartTech, season ticket loans, and access to HM Treasury’s benefits portal for a wide range of discount codes.

You can review HM Treasury’s full offer here.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Candidate Guidance

Please review the candidate guidance for an overview of the Success Profiles and STAR approach, along with top tips for applications and interviews.

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: 15th May 2026 before 23:55
• Shortlisting: w/c 18th May 2026
• Interviews: w/c 15th June 2026

Prior to your interview, we will contact you about a presentation that the interview panel would like you to complete as part of the assessment. The exact details will be communicated to you nearer the time.

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change. We will inform you if there is a substantial change to the recruitment timeline.

If your contact details change at any time during the selection process, please ensure you update your Civil Service Jobs Profile.

Reserve Lists

You will be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot offer you a role immediately. Where more than one location has been advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to provide your location preference on your application form. Please note that a place on the reserve list does not guarantee an offer.

If you are offered a role in your first preferred location and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe, you will be removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Those on the reserve list may also be approached for similar roles at a lower grade. If you are offered a role at a lower grade and choose to decline, you can remain on the reserve list.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Candidates cannot apply to roles in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Successful candidates will be subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database. This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This also applies to those who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the database will be refused employment.

National Security Vetting

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, successful candidates will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is Security Check (SC).

To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, applicants will need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years. You will be asked to provide residency information within your application form, and eligibility for national security vetting will be checked once the advert closing date has passed. In certain circumstances, for example if you have been working abroad on a government posting, a lack of residency would not be a bar to security clearance however the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case-by-case basis once the advert closing date has passed.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : Matthew Vickstaff@nista.gov.uk
• Email : Matthew.vickerstaff@nista.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Further information

Complaints Process: Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment based on fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact HMT by email at: hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Attachments

457785 Nista Energy Sector Lead Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 145kB)