Senior Policy Officer (Energy)

The energy sector is considered one of Scotland’s most important industries. (Jan 2023
-Scotland’s Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan: Ministerial statement) and is one of
the fastest growing sectors in which 90% of the UK energy sector is registered in Scotland. 79%
of Scotland’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions are from the energy system (generation, distribution,
and use). 

This post has a key role ensuring SEPA meets its mandatory duties in respect to Energy, making
a significant contribution to SEPA’s commitment to climate change and net zero Corporate Plan
and AOP – ‘Scotland is thriving in a low carbon world’. 

The regulation of the energy sector sits across multiple regulatory regimes and controls. A key
role of this post is to ensure cross function working and maintain a strategic view across
all interconnected areas of energy regulation and net zero ambitions in different teams,
ensuring no unintended environmental or regulatory consequences in our regulatory and policy
influencing role. 

This post provides specialist energy advice and support to regulatory and planning teams who
are responsible for ensuring existing and future energy sector developments minimise impact on
the environment and communities. SEPA’s environmental regulation of the whole ‘energy system’
(generation, distribution, and use) and preparation for the regulation of new and innovative
energy technologies will significantly increase as new developments across the whole energy
system come forward in response to Scottish Government renewable energy targets (e.g. which
will see triple the amount of electricity generation alone by 2030, and a further double of the
2030 generation target, by 2045). 

Through this role we have an influential role with the Energy teams in the Scottish Government
and UK Governments on devolved and reserved energy issues.

Key policy areas that this post will lead on, includes: 

• Operational Energy infrastructure development including planning and permitting support for
  onshore and offshore wind, heat network, energy from waste, hydrogen, unconventional and
  conventional oil and gas, geothermal, energy efficiency, distribution, transmission, storage,
  hydropower, gas storage and bioenergy)
• Statutory Planning lead for all energy system (generation, distribution, use) developments
  (Strategic, local, and environmental assessment).
• Liaison with agencies such as Heads of Planning, Scottish enterprise agencies, Ofgem, Zero
  Waste Scotland and the Carbon Trust
• Liaison, co-ordination and advice to SEPA teams and projects that add value to SEPA’s
  regulatory role – Grangemouth Regulatory Hub, place based projects, Energy Saving Opportunities
  Scheme and Pollution Prevention and Control.

This post will have a critical contribution to make on Scottish Government’s ambitions and
SEPA’s future role in the regulation of Scotland’s fast growing energy sector, industrial
decarbonisation and Greenhouse Gas regulations. 

The post holder will also be expected to contribute to the wider work of the Air Quality and
Energy Unit, providing support to other team members on a diverse range of policy and technical
areas.

Closing date: 24 April 2024.

Are you thinking about applying for a post within SEPA? You may be persuaded to apply when you
see our terms, conditions, and benefits? SEPA prides itself on the level of work life balance
and flexibility it offers its staff. We believe that our terms and conditions are exceptional.
Here is what you can expect:

Salary
We provide a competitive starting salary. We are a Scottish Living Wage Employer Salary
progression by annual increments to the top of the appropriate band. 35-hour working week for
full-time employees.

Flexible working
As a proud user of the ‘Happy to talk flexible working ‘logo, all our job applicants and
employees are entitled to request flexible working arrangements such as reduced hours or a
change to location for vacancies. Some roles aren’t as flexible as others, but we’ll always aim
to make sure your working life is well balanced with your life outside the workplace.

We also operate a flexi-time scheme, which allows you to work flexibly between the hours of
7.30am and 7.30pm and there’s no limit on the amount of flexi leave you can take in a 4-week
period providing you are within the limits for credits and debits at the end of the 4-week
period.

Annual leave
We provide a generous annual leave entitlement, starting from 29 days per year, increasing to
33 days after five years of reckonable service. We also offer seven additional public holidays.
Annual leave and public holiday entitlement is pro-rated for part-time employees.

Staff also have the ability to purchase additional annual leave up to 10 days (pro-rated).

An employer supported Volunteering Scheme which allows every member of staff two day’s paid
leave per year to participate in voluntary work.

Pension
We participate in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) administered by Falkirk Council.
The scheme operates on a career average revalued earnings (CARE) basis. The LGPS is a
qualifying scheme and exceeds the standards set by the Government under the Pensions Act 2011.