SEO Analyst, Carbon Budgets Team - Climate Change Committee - ( Ref : 6352 )

Job summary

This position is based at London

Job description

The Climate Change Committee is the independent expert statutory adviser to Parliament and the UK Government on climate change policy. It was created as a key part of the long-term legal framework set out in the Climate Change Act (2008). The Act sets a long-term target for 2050 (Net Zero, a 100% reduction in net emissions from 1990) and requires that carbon budgets (five-year caps on emissions) are set on a path towards the long-term target. The Act also requires that the UK assesses and responds to the risks that it faces as the climate changes.

The CCC has established itself as a high-profile, high-impact expert body in the analysis of climate change mitigation and adaptation. Its reports can be accessed from the CCC’s website: www.theccc.org.uk

The CCC is comprised of two Boards (‘the Committee’ and ‘the Adaptation Committee’) and an analytical secretariat. The Committees have a distinguished membership of leading experts from the fields of climate change, science, engineering and economics: www.theccc.org.uk/about-the-ccc/the-committee. The Committees are supported by a Secretariat of around 40 economists, operational researchers, scientists and other analysts.

The CCC was the first body of its kind in the world and brings together different strands of expertise from its members, from government, the research community and business. It draws on existing information and undertakes its own analysis to provide expert advice to Ministers and to Parliament. It is required to give advice to Ministers on climate change matters covered by the Climate Change Act and on an ad-hoc basis as and when requested.

Job description

This role will join the Carbon Budgets team, within the CCC’s secretariat. This team is responsible for leading and coordinating the analysis carried out by our specialised teams (including energy supply, transport, buildings, agriculture, and industry), to provide advice on carbon budgets and monitor progress on the path to Net Zero across the UK. The overarching nature of the team means that the role will provide an opportunity to gain a broad understanding of the range of social, political, and technological solutions required to address climate change.

There are two core responsibilities to this role:

1. Model redevelopment

The CCC recently published our advice on the level of the Seventh Carbon Budget, our 5-yearly assessment of how the UK should decarbonise in line with its Net Zero target, as well as separate advice to the Scottish Government, Welsh Government, and Northern Ireland Executive. This was a large analytical project, consisting of the outputs from numerous sector-specific models. The CCC has begun the process of updating its modelling suite ahead of our advice on the Eighth Carbon Budget, due by 2030. As part of this work, the Carbon Budgets team has led a review of our modelling capability, which has agreed an ambition to redesign models in a number of key areas around a more standardised, interconnected, and agile manner using coding approaches.

The successful applicant will work collaboratively with other members of the Carbon Budgets team and with the CCC’s sector experts to deliver these modelling improvements. This could include developing core modules for performing calculations that can be shared between models and building working prototype models for key aspects of the decarbonisation pathway. This modelling will be undertaken in Python – training will be provided if required, but this project will suit someone with excellent analytical skills and an interest in coding. This has potential to be a high-impact project by improving the CCC’s analysis for years to come.

2, Engagement with devolved government officials

The branch of the Carbon Budgets team in which this role sits leads on delivering on the CCC’s responsibilities to the Scottish Government, Welsh Government, and Northern Ireland Executive. Therefore, the successful applicant would work together with the Grade 7 lead to maintain effective working relationships with relevant officials and manage production of advice to these governments (including reports on progress in reducing emissions in each nation).

The role may also contribute to various other projects on the roadmap, including contributing analysis to the CCC’s annual report on progress in reducing emissions, which is due in June. This will involve analysing the latest emissions data, sector-level indicators of delivery progress, and policy developments.

Person specification

This role will suit someone with the following skills:

• Excellent analytical skills, including a strong grasp of the principles of data analysis.
• Good knowledge of Excel and some experience with Python (or similar tools).
• Strong communication skills.
• Strong willingness to effectively collaborate with team members and stakeholders.
• Experience working in energy or climate policy (desirable but not essential).

Ideally, we are looking for a candidate who is available to start by the end of March at the latest.

Assessment criteria

The application process follows the Civil Service Success Profiles framework. Applications for this role will be assessed against the following aspects of this framework: Behaviours, Technical skills, and Experience.

Behaviours

The following behaviours will be assessed:

• Making effective decisions (assessed at application and interview).
• Delivering at pace (assessed at application and interview).
• Seeing the big picture (assessed at interview only).

In your response, please use the STAR format (Situation, Task, Action, and Result), using an example that demonstrates the bullets above. Most of your answer should focus on the ‘Actions’ taken.

Technical skills

Your analytical skills will be assessed at application and interview. You should outline how you have demonstrated the following analytical skills. Note, you do not have to use the STAR format in your response.

• Extensive experience with Excel, and some experience of Python or similar tools, for data analysis.
• Experience in sharing knowledge on technical tools, up-skilling colleagues, and working to improve the analytical capacity of an organisation.

Experience

The requirements for this role are:

• A degree in a numerate discipline (e.g., engineering, environmental science, economics), or equivalent experience.
• Experience working on collaborative analytical projects.
• Experience working in energy or climate policy (desirable but not essential).

Statement of suitability

In no more than 250 words please describe your motivation for applying for this role and how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification.

The CCC has affiliation with the Government’s analytical progressions: GES, GORS, GSS, or GSR, and it is possible for analysts to maintain these memberships at the CCC. If you are a member of one of these professions, please ensure that you indicate this in your application.

If we receive a very large number of applications, applications will be sifted against the lead behaviour, “Making effective decisions”, and/or technical skills.

Things you need to know

The CCC office is based in Canary Wharf, London, with staff expected to attend the office for 40% of their contracted hours. The pay band for this role is £47,007 to £51,642and the expectation is that the successful candidate will join on the minimum of the pay band.

We support a wide variety of working patterns such as compressed hours, hybrid working, part time hours, job sharing and flexi time. National pay bands may be used where staff apply to work from home for more than 60% of their working hours and live outside London. Regular attendance at our London office, for example for meetings and training, will still be required. The national pay band for this grade is £43,115 to 47,269.

The Climate Change Committee are committed to creating a workplace culture where all staff feel valued, supported and can develop their potential. We work hard to ensure all staff can flourish and succeed, working with and respecting people’s different backgrounds and personal circumstances. We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply for this position. For more information on our EDI commitments, please read our strategy here.

The CCC cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. The CCC does not hold a Visa sponsorship licence.

Please also note the following:

• Security: Successful candidates must pass basic security checks.

• Nationality requirements: Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non-EEA nationals. Further information on whether you are able to apply is available here.

• Feedback: Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme: The Civil Service and the CCC embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Technical skillsDescription• Extensive analytical experience – good knowledge of Excel and some experience with Python (or similar tools) is essential.

• Experience in sharing knowledge on technical tools, up-skilling colleagues, and working to improve the analytical capacity of an organisation

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description.

Qualifications

We will assess candidates’ experience against the following criteria:
• A degree in a numerate discipline (e.g., engineering, environmental science, economics), or equivalent experience.
• Experience working on collaborative analytical projects.
• Experience working in a field relevant to energy or climate (not essential, but desirable).

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• Please see Technical skills in the job description.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £47,007, Climate Change Committee contributes £13,617 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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.Please refer to Job Description.

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

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.

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.

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

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 : James Tarlton
• Email : james.tarlton@theccc.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defra-recruitment-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.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 HR@theccc.org.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

https://networkrecruitment.tal.net/vx/appcentre-11/brand-12/spa-1/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/14/opp/6352-6352-SEO-Analyst-Carbon-Budgets-Team-Climate-Change-Committee/en-GB

Attachments

DEF-001c - CCC Advertising Document v1.2 Opens in new window (pdf, 94kB)