Vacancy -- Fossil Fuels and Carbon Capture and Storage Licensing Manager

'Pan Wales' means that the location in which the vacancy can be based is flexible, subject to the needs of the business. Please note it may not always be possible to accommodate a preference for a specific office location, but requests will be taken into consideration.

The role has two primary purposes:

1. To ensure that Welsh Ministers are provided with the legislative framework, tools, licensing systems and policies necessary to regulate and administer petroleum, coal and carbon capture and storage licensing functions in accordance with newly devolved statutory requirements.
2. To deliver the Welsh programme of fossil fuel licensing case-work, ensuring licensee work programme delivery through direct involvement with operators at a senior level, managing licensing activities, determining complex applications and robust record-keeping.

This is a significant new role for Welsh Government.  It requires, acting as the frontline first-point-of-contact for all external licensee interactions, and as key liaison between internal and external operations, policy and regulatory teams on all licence cases.  The role will also require liaison with environmental and protest groups.

Reporting to the Deputy Director, the post holder will deliver efficient and effective regulation with a challenging and high-profile workload of fossil fuel consent applications. 

It is expected the successful candidate will have extensive knowledge and direct experience of developing and managing licencing systems, preferably with an emphasis on industrial activities and energy, including determining applications and direct involvement with operators at a senior level. 

The role requires effective programme management to ensure the licence work programme is delivered within the appropriate timeframes, in strict accordance with the law, and that decisions reflect an accurate understanding of the evidence, regulations and policy.

The role will operate within a challenging and emotive environment, where all licensing decisions will be subject to intense industry, political, media and interest group scrutiny.  Therefore, continuous risk assessment will be required to ensure potential reputational, legal and financial risks for Welsh Government and the Ministers are identified, understood and mitigated.

The new functions are already generating a significant statutory case-load in relation to both petroleum and coal, and therefore it is necessary for the post holder to demonstrate the necessary competencies and experience to deliver the key tasks with immediate effect.  

The role has two distinct elements:

1.  Design and preparation of the licensing system

• Lead the devolution and transfer of fossil fuel and carbon capture and storage licensing functions through working with the UK Government, Welsh Government departments, the Oil and Gas Authority, the Coal Authority, Natural Resources Wales and other key stakeholders.
• Lead the establishment of fossil fuel licensing systems, including the development, implementation and maintenance of new licensing processes, systems and tools, including stress testing.
• Develop internal decision-making processes in accordance with relevant domestic, UK and EU legislation, industry specific legislation and Welsh Government energy and decarbonisation policy.
• Publish technical guidance for officials and licensees.
• Identify regulatory gaps in the fossil fuel legislation, then scope and assist in the drafting of necessary secondary legislation to ensure Ministers have the full suite of licensing functions at their disposal.
• Manage the political, regulatory, commercial and informal relationships with the Oil and Gas Authority, the Coal Authority, Natural Resources Wales, and the HSE, including the preparation, negotiation and management of commercial arrangements and working together agreements.
• Manage the transfer of existing fossil fuel licence documentation and samples, and any relevant agreements, arrangements, or linked consents, from the historic licensing or regulatory authority to Wales. 
• Develop accurate legal and consenting histories for each fossil fuel licence to enable their effective management going forward.
• Propose, evaluate and implement measures to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of devolved UK legislation to better reflect Welsh policy and the Well Being of Future Generations Act.
• Manage financial matters related to income from licences, including establishing effective income and financial management processes.
• Liaise with internal policy leads to ensure licencing specific policies and procedure reflect both the protected legal rights of the licensee and also Welsh Government commitments to decarbonisation.  
• Prepare communications materials and manage the online presence to ensure clear communication about the licensing processes in Wales

2.  Implementation of the licensing system

• Deliver the Welsh programme of fossil fuel licensing case-work, ensuring licensee work programme delivery through direct involvement with operators at a senior level, and managing licensing activities and determine applications (including extensions, waivers, and relinquishments), including robust record-keeping, documentation and correspondence.
• Act as the frontline first-point-of-contact for all external fossil fuel licensee interactions, and as key liaison between internal and external operations, policy and regulatory teams on all licence cases.
• Provide clear technical, policy and legislative guidance to, and communicate robustly and fairly with, industry on licensing matters including regulatory requirements.
• Track and manage licence events across petroleum, coal and carbon capture and storage, and project-manage these cases through the licensing process.
• Directly influence operators, regulator and government officials at a senior level to promote lessons-learned and best-practices across the entire exploration to restoration lifecycle.
• Liaise with internal policy and legal leads to ensure individual licence decisions reflect the law, and as appropriate, the Welsh Government commitments to decarbonisation.  
• Support industry and other stakeholders through insights on best practice and recommendations on how to meet Welsh Government decarbonisation and energy commitments through improved licence management.
• Plan and execute high-profile licence activities:
  • Maintain and update technical guidance, the assessment criteria, and website.
  • Prepare press releases, award announcements and other external communications.
  • Compile maps for publication and update public databases.
  • Schedule licensee interviews to provide clarification on work programmes and the associated risks.
  • Creation of licences, data verification and issuing licence documentation.

General duties

• Provide senior management, special advisors and Ministers with support and bespoke advice on fossil fuel and carbon capture and storage licensing.
• Provide the full range of Government business support including Assembly Questions, Members Advice, and Ministerial letters. 
• Represent Wales at relevant national and international conferences, forums and committees, and maintain regular contact with non-UK regulatory bodies.

This post offers the opportunity to create a new statutory system for Wales and will provide the post holder with an opportunity to deliver the legislative framework, tools, licensing system and policies as well as dealing with licensing case work.  The post is within the Decarbonisation and Energy Division which is committed to provide individuals learning opportunities and encourages staff to undertake appropriate identified training opportunities alongside continuing professional development

29/10/2019, 16:00

Posts recruited to as part of this recruitment campaign are broadly open to UK nationals, those with right to remain and work in the UK and those that meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules only. Check your eligibility here:

• UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

• Nationality rules – GOV.UK

Prior to appointment, all successful applicants will be required to produce original, acceptable documents as part of the pre-employment checks. If it becomes apparent at a later stage in the process that you aren’t eligible to apply, your application will be withdrawn, or offer retracted.

The Welsh Government is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. This is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010 and will be adhered to at each stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments are also embedded in our day-to-day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and increasing diversity in the Welsh Government by removing barriers and supporting all our staff to reach their potential. We are committed to recruiting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and disabled people who are currently under-represented in Welsh Government.

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, marriage and civil partnership (both same sex and opposite sex), impairment or health condition, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, gender identity or gender expression.

We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident Level 3 (Leader) organisation. Key to supporting this work and providing peer support are five Board sponsored Staff Networks (Disability Awareness and Support (DAAS); Minority Ethnic Support Network (MESN); Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex +) and Women Together.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation and Welsh language skills are considered an asset to the organisation. We encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills in the workplace. 

The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the line manager on behalf of the Welsh Government of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:
•         PCS
•         Prospect
•         FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:
•         pay
•         terms and conditions
•         policies and procedures
•         organisational change.

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We encourage staff to get involved. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. and to learn more about trade unions and partnership working.

• Unless stated otherwise in ‘actual starting salary’, all candidates will start at the minimum of the pay scale being appointed to (this includes existing civil servants).This is not negotiable.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘type of opportunity’, this recruitment advert is not open on a Loan or Secondment basis.
• For more information on the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions for Loan and Secondment positions in Welsh Government, please see external recruitment candidate guidance.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘Location of Post’ the role/s recruited to via this campaign can only be worked in the UK, not overseas.

All applications for this vacancy should be made online via the Welsh Government's online application system.  If you have a disability which would prevent you from applying on-line, please e-mail SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales to request an application pack in an alternative format, or to request a reasonable adjustment related to a disability in order to submit your application.

To apply, you'll need to have an account on our online application system.  Click the 'Apply' button below, and you'll be asked to 'Log in' if you already have an account, or 'Register' if you don't yet have an account.  Registration takes just a few minutes to complete.  You'll need an e-mail address to be able to register.  Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form, which you'll need to fully complete and submit before the deadline on the closing date.  

If you’d like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

For further information regarding the Welsh Government recruitment process, please see the Recruitment Guidance for External Candidates (link)

When evidencing your suitability for the post, it is recommended that you refer to the Civil Service Competency Framework (link)

Anyone who believes they have been treated unfairly, or has a grievance or complaint, about how the process was conducted should either write to the Head of Resourcing, Welsh Government, Cathays Park 2, Cardiff CF10 3NQ or email SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales.  If you are unhappy with the outcome of the complaint raised with the Welsh Government and feel that the principles of appointment on merit through fair and open competition have not been met you have the right to pursue your grievance with the Civil Service Commission.