Climate Change Committee

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

London (region)

About the job

Job summary

This position is based in London

Job description

Organisation Details 

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 emissions) 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.

Summary

The Climate Change Committee is seeking an outstanding analytical leader to lead the team advising on buildings and the built environment within the CCC secretariat. You will lead on one of the most challenging and high-profile areas of the UK’s transition to being a Net Zero climate-resilient nation, where, in the context of recent heat waves and energy bill crises, policy is regularly headline news. It is intended as a permanent appointment but could be arranged as a secondment or a loan. 

Role 

The post-holder will lead the CCC Built Environment analytical team, covering the need both to reduce emissions and to adapt to the UK’s changing climate. The team is tasked with developing the CCC’s analysis, research and policy advice; engaging widely with relevant experts and stakeholders; and communicating the Committees’ conclusions including through drafting of CCC reports. Responsibilities for team leaders include:

• Leading the team: making sure the right outputs are being targeted, that a credible work programme is developed to deliver them, that the most effective engagement is being prioritised, keeping the work programme on track, and agreeing adjustments as needed.
• Management: managing the team (typically 3-4 G7 Senior Analysts and 1-2 HEO Analysts) to be motivated and supported to perform well; contributing to the team leaders’ group and management team as a leader within the CCC.
• Communication: leading the teams in developing and drafting report sections and other outputs; leading discussions with the Committees; presenting CCC findings externally; engaging with priority stakeholders and policymakers.
• Decision-making: taking both big decisions (e.g. on the overall work programme) and small decisions (e.g. on specific assumptions) in collaboration with the team; assessing Government policy choices fairly and robustly.
• Analysis: supporting the team to select and implement the right analytical approaches and to generate meaningful insights from them. 

The posts provide an excellent chance to lead high-profile work with clear policy impact and with exposure to the distinguished members of both Committees. Depending on Committee priorities, and demands from the Government and devolved administrations, flexibility to take on new areas may also be required. 

Applicants should have relevant existing expertise and a track record of managing analytical teams to develop policy and/or strategy advice. The position holder will need to be confident working with a broad range of stakeholders with varying views, able to secure the confidence of the Committees (on both Net Zero and adaptation) and be an effective leader and manager for the team. They should be a strong communicator (both written and verbal), a good decision-maker, analytically skilled and able to develop a compelling vision and lead an analytical team to deliver it. 

As well as the team of talented CCC analysts and the experts on the Committees, the postholder will be able to draw on a significant research budget and collaborations with Government analysts and other public organisations, and will have power to convene advisory groups of external experts and of stakeholders in the sector. 

Priorities and responsibilities 

The team covers both climate mitigation and adaptation, with particular priorities and responsibilities as follows:

• CCC progress assessments and modelling work on decarbonising buildings and adapting the built environment to the changing UK climate. This includes switching to low-carbon heat sources such as heat pumps, improving energy efficiency of the building stock, adapting buildings to limit over-heating, improving flood defences, changes in people’s choices within buildings, and urban design to support both emissions reduction and adaptation to the changing climate. This role also currently line manages the health adaptation lead within the secretariat.
• CCC advice on how Government can best support these changes. This is currently a particularly active policy space, with the need to shift gear both for climate reasons and in response to huge escalations in energy bills. These are high priorities for CCC advice.
• Communicating and disseminating the CCC’s advice on the Seventh Carbon Budget, covering the period 2038 to 2042. Buildings is one of the UK’s highest emitting sectors and decarbonising them will be a vital part of this advice.
• The Fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment: The CCC is currently working on the evidence base to inform the UK’s next climate change risk assessment, which will be published in early 2026. This work involves leading the Built Environment, Communities and Health areas of the work programme. It includes managing external teams of expert academics assessing the risks of climate change to the UK and dedicated in-house workstreams on adapting to the risks as part of a Well-Adapted UK. These in-house workstreams currently include, adapting to increased urban heat risks, ensuring that the built environment is prepared for flooding, and adaptations needed within the health system to ensure that it continues to function in future heatwaves.
• Working with the rest of the CCC team on key cross-cutting priorities such as distributional impacts on energy bills, governance, the role of business, impacts on workers and the skills needs for the transition.
• Responsibility for the oversight of a number of technical models, ability to interpret these models and communicate model approach and results effectively. The role will include analytical of the models, with a focus on agility and streamlining.
• Potential to shift work on other areas within the CCC.

This is an exciting time to join the CCC and lead the work in this area, with scope to have a significant positive impact on UK policy development and outcomes.

Things you need to know

Application process 

In their written application, candidates should submit a CV and provide evidence on how they meet both the experience and technical elements for this role. 

At both application and interview, candidates will also be asked about their experience, motivation for the role and their ability to demonstrate Civil Service Behaviours (Delivering at Pace, Leadership, Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture), as well as Civil Service Strengths. For more information please visit Success Profiles - GOV.UK

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 £72,391- £79,000 and the expectation is that the successful candidate will join on the minimum of the CCC Grade 6 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 £67,964-£76,295.  

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 https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/ 

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

Technical Skills

Technical 1 Analytical Skills

• Apply appropriate quantitative analytical tools and techniques, and synthesise evidence from a range of sources, as appropriate. Assess the reliability and relevance of evidence and give objective evidence-based advice. Quality-assure models, challenge input data and assumptions and interpret output data for the purposes of providing supporting evidence.
• Excellent numeracy and spreadsheet skills and preferably programming skills. This role oversees a number of complex models.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write clear reports on complex subject areas ensuring these are appropriate for the given audience.

Person specification

Please refer to Job Description

Qualifications

• A degree in a numerate discipline (e.g. engineering, science, economics).
• 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 indicate this in your application. We also welcome applications from outside these professions.
• Minimum of two years’ relevant experience, ideally including knowledge of policies affecting buildings and the built environment.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• Please refer to the Technical Skills section in the Job Description

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £72,391, Climate Change Committee contributes £20,971 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%

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 : Emily Nurse
• Email : emily.nurse@theccc.org.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : defra-recruitment-enquiries@resourcing.soprasteria.co.uk

Further information

https://networkrecruitment.tal.net/vx/appcentre-11/brand-12/spa-1/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/14/opp/6107-6107-Climate-Change-Committee-G6-Team-leader-Built-Environment/en-GB

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