Senior Offshore Environmental Inspector

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

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

Job description

The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) is responsible for developing, administering and ensuring compliance with the environmental regulatory regime for the UKCS, in relation to offshore oil and gas exploration, production, decommissioning, gas unloading and storage, and carbon storage.

The Offshore Environmental Inspectorate (OEI) is a team within OPRED which works to protect the environment through implementation of the United Kingdom’s offshore environmental regulations. To ensure continued high standards of environmental performance and protection we are looking for a suitably experienced and qualified person to join the Inspectorate Team. The team brings together individuals with varied but specific work experiences and skills in order that all environmental aspects associated with offshore oil and gas activities are competently monitored.

Within the OPRED Regional Delivery Programmes (RDP) the OEI are responsible for developing, administering, and ensuring compliance with the environmental and decommissioning regulatory regime in relation to offshore oil and gas.

Person specification

• Providing strong leadership to a team of Offshore Environmental Inspectors within an assigned RDP, including direct line management of specialist Inspectors. As the OEI Regional Lead for a designated region, the post holder will be responsible for the line management of Offshore Environmental Inspectors, delivery of agreed operational and policy priorities, and leadership of regional governance, including chairing team meetings and reporting operational performance, risks and issues through the RDP governance structure.
  
• Prioritising, developing, implementing work plans to ensure delivery of objectives and targets which contribute to the overall achievement of the DESNZ’s four priority outcomes (Climate Security, Energy Security, Economic Security, Consumer Security) and OPRED’s Strategic Goals.
  
• Actively managing resources to deliver OEI core and priority activities as defined in the OEI Business Plan using a risk-based approach coupled with a prioritisation programme.
  
• Act as Topic Manager for assigned Focal Point areas, providing oversight of related work, supporting resource and project management, undertaking peer review of outputs, and escalating policy papers and recommendations for approval or decision.
  
• Assessing, defining, implementing and overseeing a prioritised inspection and investigation programme including the review of Environmental Inspector's findings to ensure consistency, proportionality and transparency. Carrying out offshore inspections and investigations as required.
  
• Assessing and planning OPRED / HSE joint inspections as part of the OMAR Competent Authority and in line with the existing Memorandum of Understanding.
  
• Responding to environmental incidents or regulatory non-compliance events linked to DESNZ's priority outcome on Energy Security including maintaining and participating in an effective 24/7 response capability and providing advice and support to the on call Environmental Inspector.
  
• Liaising, negotiating and participating with various industry work groups, such as the Offshore Energy UK’s Oil Spill Response Forum, Environmental Forum and Emergency Preparedness Offshore Liaison Group to improve guidance, ensure learning and identified improvements are implemented into DESNZ and industry operational and response procedures.
  
• In liaison with the Senior Investigations Officer, providing advice and direction on investigations, and where necessary, leading such investigations into contraventions of environmental legislation and deciding on the appropriate enforcement action.
  
• Reviewing the regulatory processes for review, assessment, inspection and/or approval of submissions to OEI and to ensure competent assessment, approval and compliance within the regulations.
  
• Developing or approving new or amended policy, regulation, guidance or procedures.
  
• Providing expert advice for responses on oil and gas environmental issues to government, industry bodies and the general public.
  
• Actively develop and maintain effective liaison with assigned industry representatives, other Government departments and agencies as well as other non-governmental organisations on environmental issues.
  
• Deputising for the Grade 7 Technical Leads in their absence.

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

The successful candidate will have a tertiary-level qualification in a science, engineering or environmental subject relevant to oil and gas operations and:

1. be able to demonstrate significant oil and gas experience in a relevant technical role such as combustion plant operations, production operations, drilling operations, well engineering, maintenance management, subsea; or
   
2. have a proven track record of inspection, regulation or enforcement in the oil & gas or a related industry.

Successful applicants must hold or pass the Offshore Medical and Offshore Training Survival Courses.

Desirable criteria

In addition, it is desirable that the successful candidate has previous management or leadership experience, in a relevant technical, regulatory or enforcement environment

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• Specialist / Technical Knowledge
• Statutory Requirements

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £85,121, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £24,659 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 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.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home-based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.

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 Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to explain the technical skills and professional experience you will bring to the role. Your statement should also demonstrate your experience of leading or managing a team, including how you have set priorities, supported delivery and developed others. This will be scored against the skills, experience and essential criteria required for the advertised role.

Applications will be sifted on CV and personal statement.

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement only.

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviour and technical-based questions.

Sift and interview dates

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

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.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location-based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Candidates who meet the minimum benchmark may be placed on a Reserve List for consideration for similar roles, including those at a lower grade. Candidates who narrowly miss the benchmark and are not placed on the Reserve List may still be considered for an offer in a similar role at a lower grade.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

DESNZ does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).

DESNZ cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DESNZ holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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

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 : Guy Heaton
• Email : guy.heaton@energysecurity.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : desnzresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

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 DESNZrecruitment.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: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints

Attachments

DESNZ TCs v1.2 Opens in new window (doc, 174kB)