View Vacancy - Head of Energy Sector Reform, Grade – G7, New Delhi

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer.  We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow.
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)
Climate Diplomacy

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience-based segment and the behaviours and technical/ professional skills-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.’

Main purpose of job:

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a fast paced, supportive and dynamic climate and energy team in a critical decade for global action on the energy transition to move away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable inclusive clean growth.

You will lead the UK government’s strong bilateral partnership with India on energy as India delivers ambitious 2030 commitments and charts a course to net zero emissions by 2070 in line with its Long-Term Strategy.  In 2021, the Prime Ministers of both the countries jointly launched the Roadmap 2030 for the India-UK Forward Action Plan.  Our 2030 vision focusses on climate and clean energy as a central pillar of the bilateral relationship. This job will provide you an opportunity to work on emerging clean energy areas such as offshore wind, hydrogen, smart meters, industrial decarbonisation, and regional grid integration and battery storage amongst others.

The job has three main elements:

One, leading the UK’s energy policy engagement with the Government of India. You will lead the relationships with the key ministries such as the Ministries of Power and New and Renewable Energy as well as allied agencies such as Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI), Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and others.  You will need deep sectoral and technical experience of the energy sector in India to be able to build close relations and to spot and capitalise on opportunities for both the UK and India for greater engagement.

Second, you will use programme funding to support joint energy collaboration activities in India that address the challenges India faces in greening its economy in ways that benefit both countries and supports India’s energy transition. You will need to bring experience in running large scale multi-million programmes and shaping these programmes to deliver the best possible outcomes, value for money and incorporate gender empowerment and social inclusion aspects.

Third, you will lead a team of four as well as working across the India network with regional climate and energy advisers and teams working on trade, communication, science, economics etc. You will need strong leadership, people and management skills, supporting your team to deliver and develop.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join the British High Commission to work on one of the very top priorities for UK and India.

We reserve the right to review, revise or amend the roles and responsibilities from time to time reflecting the changing needs of business.

Reporting to the Head of Climate and Energy, you will:

Lead on India and UK government links on energy policy - moving towards renewables and away from fossil fuels including:

  • Lead liaison with Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Ministry of Coal; and Petroleum and Natural Gas and allied organisations.
  • Lead delivery of the annual India-UK Energy Dialogue and related Working Groups on Power and on Renewables, working closely with the colleagues in India and London and engage on Government of India’s priorities such as the G20 Energy Transitions Working Group.
  • Drive progress on the energy elements of the 2030 Roadmap for India-UK future relations which the two Prime Ministers agreed last May, including on solar, offshore wind, energy efficiency, green hydrogen, green grids.
  • Lead for the British High Commission on India’s engagement on issues such as Just Transition that leaves no-one behind and engage with relevant officials on issues such as the G7 oil price cap.
  • Coordinate events and visits on energy, including by experts, officials from both central and state level and Ministers.

Provide strategic leadership on Programme management, including:

  • Lead on the multi-million £ ASPIRE programme as Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) which was launched by the UK and Indian Prime Ministers in 2021, and the Power Sector Reform programme. Support other energy related programmes both bilateral or global. These programmes aim to work in partnership with the Indian government to address energy market reform issues, promote renewables such as offshore wind and green hydrogen and address issues such as grid capacity and energy storage.
  • As SRO of the programmes, you will be responsible to deliver on the programme objectives and projected outcomes, work in close collaboration with implementing partners for timely and effective delivery of the programme work packages, manage strategic risks, continually monitor that the programme performs on important criteria's such as gender empowerment and social inclusion in addition to the technical aspects and ensure appropriate project governance in place.
  • Ensure that the programme activity complements and leverages related work by science, innovation and commercial teams and avoids duplication.

Set direction for the UK’s engagement with India on energy, including:

  • Shape and inform UK bilateral strategy and planning on energy, including close liaison with relevant Whitehall Departments in London.
  • Strengthen and expand a productive stakeholder network with leading actors in clean energy transition in India, including think tanks, sectoral experts, civil society and the private sector.
  • Ensure high quality and timely topical reporting to London on energy issues in India.

Team leadership:

  • You will manage a team of four to deliver this work and engage expertise from colleagues from the wider India network in Delhi and our Deputy High Commissions across India. To include high quality performance management in line with BHC’s core values of Respect, Include, Excel, and structured support for learning and development.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

  • 4 x staff members; two programmes over £2m per annum.

Language requirements:
Language: English, Hindi

Level of language required: Fluency in written and spoken English is required.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):
The British High Commission is committed to providing learning and development opportunities through courses and on-the-job training. There are no specific courses which need to be completed for this job.


Working patterns: This is a full-time role, that may be suitable for compressed hours/ flexitime working.  

Essential on arrival: 

  • Master's Degree.
  • Minimum of seven years experience of working in the field of climate and energy, with specific experience of India’s energy sector.  You need deep subject matter expertise in the Indian climate and energy sector, and you also need to have outstanding programme management skills.
Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions, Delivering at Pace, Communicating and Influencing, Working Together, Developing Self and Others
5 June 2023
Grade 7 (G7)
Full-time, Permanent
40
South Asia & Afghanistan
India
New Delhi
British High Commission
1
INR
INR 235,471 per month plus 12% provident fund and 6% Superannuation Fund
3 July 2023

For British High Commission candidates, the Country Based Staff BHC Terms & Conditions will apply.

For other than BHC candidates, salary will be all-inclusive of INR 235,471 per month plus 12% provident fund and 6% Superannuation Fund

Additionally, the BHC offers a great benefits package that includes annual domiciliary medical cover, plus a Group Hospitalisation Scheme with INR 500,000 floater cover for your immediate family. 

No relocation or any other related costs or assistance will be provided.

Please note - BHC does not deduct tax at source and employees are required to ensure that any requirements of local income-tax law are complied with in full. Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary, e.g., some non-local national staff and some spouses or partners of UK diplomatic staff, will have their salaries abated by an equivalent amount.    

The BHC is recognised as a good employer, with a robust, fair and transparent performance management & appraisal system linked to increments and staff bonuses. We have a 5-day working week, plus annual leave, public holidays, maternity leave provision, special leave, paid sick leave provision; ample development opportunities, travel opportunities, a good organisational culture, and excellent work/life balance. 

Around half of our work forces are women.  We treat people with respect and equality and have a policy of zero tolerance for any form of discrimination, bullying, or harassment. 

This is a good opportunity to be part of a strong, diverse team, working in the biggest network that FCO has anywhere across the globe.  We are aiming to make it the best.

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the complete online application form including the employment and educational details, experience segment and the behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the application forms only for all the required details. Forms that are incomplete in any respect will not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

To Apply: 

Please note applications without (a) and (b) will not be considered.

  1.    Complete the Online Application Form
  2.    Complete the Experience, Professional Skills and Behaviour based Segments in the Online Application     Form.

Internal candidates applying for this position need to inform their current line managers, else the applications will not be considered.

We will accept only online applications by 05th June 2023 (latest by 23:55 hours IST).

Please note that all the applicants will be required to strictly adhere to the security guidelines for British High Commission

Employees who are not liable to pay local income tax on their Mission salary may have their salaries reduced by the equivalent local income tax amount. 

Please note - Provident Fund Transfer in and out from EPFO is not possible as BHC PF is managed by a private PF trust governed by Indian Income Tax Act, 1961. The staff still has the option to transfer out and in from a privately held PF trust which are not governed by EPFO.

Applicants who do not have the required qualification & experience should kindly abstain from applying, as their applications will not be considered.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and no telephone enquires will be dealt with. Basis the scores, the candidate/s who did not score as highly as the successful candidate, might be placed on the reserve list. If during the reserve period of 6 months, the same or largely similar role becomes available, the role may be offered to the second or subsequent appointable candidates.

The appointment will be subject to Police Verification and other checks including references, medical, educational and professional.

We welcome all applications irrespective of age, race, colour, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief or creed. We are also open to applications from people who want to work flexibly.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.

This opportunity is closed to applications.