Senior Environmental Inspector

Contents

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

Aberdeen, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, Salford

About the job

Job summary

Do you want a career where you can make a real difference? Do you want to work at the forefront of current policy making decisions? Do you want to have an impact on the UK and beyond? If yes, then a career at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) could be for you.  

Here at DESNZ we are delivering our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower, with clean electricity by 2030 and accelerating the UK’s journey to net zero. Our work is helping ensure clean energy for all, keep bills down and seize the opportunities to lead the world in new green industries, taking back control of our energy with Great British Energy and encouraging greater energy efficiency across the UK. The work of the department has never been more timely or relevant, and by joining us you will be part of making that difference. 

Our work is varied, interesting and most importantly it’s impactful. Our DESNZ Values are interwoven into everything we do; we are bold, we are collaborative, we are inclusive, and we learn. As a department we are committed to these values to build a culture where everyone can thrive 

We offer great working benefits including a world-class pension, flexible working options and a career where your learning and development is taken seriously. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below. 

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy. 

Find Out More 

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/pqUhdr3L72 

You can also follow our LinkedIn Careers Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/desnz-careers/ 

Job description

The Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) is responsible for developing, administering and ensuring compliance with the environmental regulatory regime for the UKCS, in relation to offshore oil and gas exploration, production, decommissioning, gas unloading and storage, and carbon storage.

The Offshore Environmental Inspectorate (OEI) is a team within OPRED which works to protect the environment through implementation of the United Kingdom’s offshore environmental regulations. To ensure continued high standards of environmental performance and protection we are looking for a suitably experienced and qualified person to join the Inspectorate Team. The team brings together individuals with varied but specific work experiences and skills in order that all environmental aspects associated with offshore oil and gas activities are competently monitored. 

Within the OPRED Regional Delivery Programmes (RDP) the OEI are responsible for developing, administering, and ensuring compliance with the environmental and decommissioning regulatory regime in relation to offshore oil and gas.

Person specification

Key responsibilities

• Providing strong leadership to a team of Offshore Environmental Inspectors within the Central North Sea RDP, including direct line management of specialist Inspectors.
• Prioritising, developing, implementing work plans to ensure delivery of objectives and targets which contribute to the overall achievement of the DESNZ’s four priority outcomes (Climate Security, Energy Security, Economic Security, Consumer Security) and OPRED’s Strategic Goals.
• Actively managing resources to deliver OEI core and priority activities as defined in the OEI Business plan using a risk-based approach coupled with a prioritisation programme.
• Assessing, defining, implementing and overseeing a prioritised inspection and investigation programme including the review of Environmental Inspector’s findings to ensure consistency, proportionality and transparency.
• Carrying out offshore inspections and investigations.
• Assessing and planning OPRED / HSE joint inspections as part of the OMAR Competent Authority and in line with the existing Memorandum of Understanding.
• Responding to environmental incidents or regulatory non-compliance events linked to DESNZ’s priority outcome on Energy Security including maintaining and participating in an effective 24/7 response capability and providing advice and support to the on call Environmental Inspector.
• Liaising, negotiating and participating with various industry work groups, such as the Offshore Energy UK’s Oil Spill Response Forum, Environmental Forum and Emergency Preparedness Offshore Liaison Group to improve guidance, ensure learning and identified improvements are implemented into DESNZ and industry operational and response procedures.
• Providing advice and direction, in liaison with the Senior Investigations Officer, on investigations, and where necessary leading such investigations, into contraventions of environmental legislation and deciding on the appropriate enforcement action.
• Reviewing the regulatory processes for review, assessment, inspection and/or approval of submissions to OEI and to ensure competent assessment, approval and compliance within the regulations.
• Developing or approving new or amended policy, regulation, guidance or procedures.
• Providing expert advice for responses on oil and gas environmental issues to government, industry bodies and the general public.
• Actively develop and maintain effective liaison with assigned industry representatives, other Government departments and agencies as well as other non-governmental organisations on environmental issues.
• Deputising for the Grade 7 Technical leads in their absence 

As the OEI Regional Lead for the Central North Sea (CNS) Region, the post holder will additionally be responsible for:

• Line management of environmental managers within the CNS region.
• Delivery of agreed operational and policy work priorities within the CNS region.
• Chairing regional team meetings and reporting on OEI operational delivery, risks, and issues within the region to OPRED senior management via the RDP governance structure.

Skills and experience

The role of the Senior Offshore Environmental Inspector is varied and dynamic, requiring an ability to identify and resolve problems quickly and in an inclusive and pragmatic way. It is an essential requirement of the post that you have:

A higher level education qualification in a science, engineering, environmental or related subject;

And at least one of the following two criteria:

• A proven track record of inspection, regulation or enforcement in the oil and gas or a related industry;
• Demonstration of significant oil and gas industry experience in a relevant technical leadership role such as production, drilling, maintenance, combustion plant or subsea.

Successful applicants must hold or pass the Offshore Medical and Offshore Training Survival Courses.

Skills, experience, and qualifications (desirable):

• In addition, it is desirable that the successful candidate has previous management or leadership experience, in a relevant technical, regulatory or enforcement environment

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture

Technical skills

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

• Specialist / Technical Knowledge
• Statutory Requirements

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £78,200, Department for Energy Security & Net Zero contributes £22,654 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

• A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
• Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
• An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
• Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.

Office attendance

The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.

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 : Randolph Nicholson
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

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 [email protected]. 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 at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact-us/

Read Full Description