We are recruiting for a full time Specialist Advisor in Energy on a permanent basis

Your passion has never had a greater purpose

Here at SEPA, we’re connected by a passion that drives us to be purposeful in every action we take – to protect our environment. Through our expertise, we lead projects that make a difference for Scotland, and our workplaces are grounded in respect for that expertise.

That’s why, when you join us as Specialist Advisor – Energy, you’ll discover enriching benefits, meaningful support, and opportunities to learn every day. That’s what it means to be Passionately Purposeful – for our environment, and for your career.

On successful appointment, the contracted job title will be Senior Policy Officer.

Work that goes beyond your desk

Experts at what we do, we work in a professional way towards our shared goals, knowing the work we do makes a genuine, lasting difference on the environment. As Specialist Advisor – Energy, that involves:

Provide specialist energy advice to regulatory and planning teams to ensure current and future energy developments minimise impacts on communities and the environment, and support wider work across the Industry, Air and Decarbonisation team
Act as lead advisor on statutory planning requirements for energy system developments across generation, distribution and use, including strategic, local and environmental assessments
Build and maintain effective working relationships with key external stakeholders, including planning authorities, Scottish enterprise agencies, Ofgem, Zero Waste Scotland and the energy networks and sector
Co‑ordinate and provide expert advice to SEPA teams and priority projects as they relate to the energy sector, including the Grangemouth Regulatory Hub, place‑based initiatives, Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme and Industrial Regulation
Make a critical contribution to delivering Scottish Government ambitions and shaping SEPA’s future role in regulating Scotland’s rapidly evolving energy sector, industrial decarbonisation and greenhouse gas emissions

Respect for your expertise

This is a highly important role within our Regulation, Business & Environment portfolio, which means you’ll need:

Relevant experience or qualification equivalent to SCQF Level 8-10 i.e. Degree level
Comprehensive technical knowledge in energy and/or industrial sector
Ability to analyse and interpret legislation, data or stakeholder requirements and translate business requirements to inform policy, strategy or approach
Demonstrate a sound understanding of energy legislation and emerging policies across heat, electricity, fuels, storage and energy efficiency, alongside the environmental impacts of energy production, transmission, use and storage
Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners to deliver key projects, communicate SEPA’s Energy Framework, co‑ordinate priority actions and support delivery of the Scottish Government’s Energy Strategy
Proven ability to work independently, triage work and prioritise
Proven ability to synthesis large documents and issues into short concise briefs for communicating issues, solutions and risks
Excellent people and communication skills, with a proven ability to translate complex concepts into clear, accessible messages for non-technical stakeholders and the public
Demonstrable ability to effectively deliver projects, including proactive thinking, a solution-focused mentality, strong collaborative skills, the ability to influence and resolve conflict, and effective project management and organisational capability

Please open the link to the Specialist Advisor role profile link which outlines the core responsibilities and expectations of the role within a defined activity family. Please note the role profile name may be different to the job title being advertised.

Support that goes beyond the workplace

We’re cultivating a workplace that supports not only your passion and your professional lives, but your personal life. So, you’ll find benefits that make a difference at work and at home. Such as:

Hybrid and Flexible working opportunities
Up to 35 days annual leave and 7 additional public holidays each year (pro rata)
Paid time off to support your Wellbeing and enable you to Volunteer in your community
Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
Progressive Family Friendly policies
Training & development to enable colleagues to improve their skills, competencies and knowledge to perform at their best.

Plus, many more lifestyle benefits such as 24/7 access to an online employee discount platform, credit union facilities and access to a Cycle to Work Scheme.

Passionately you. Purposefully supportive

SEPA is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and good relations in everything it does – as a community leader, as a provider and commissioner of services, and as an employer.

Passionately Purposeful about Scotland’s environment – and your career.

Protecting our environment, promoting our work, and supporting our people, working at SEPA means being part of an organisation that’s grounded in respect for your expertise – and your wellbeing. So you can be your best, and make the biggest impact.

We recruit solely based on merit. Our shortlisting process is conducted on an anonymous basis. Please ensure that you include all relevant information when you apply.

We support flexible working arrangements to help you maintain a healthy balance between career and homelife. This includes working part time, reduced hours, job sharing, working remotely. As a flexible first employer we are open to having conversations about flexible working arrangements that work for you and SEPA from day 1 of your employment with us.

We are proud to be a 'Disability Confident' employer and will work to identify and implement reasonable adjustments and equipment to support you in the role that you do.

Applicants with a visual impairment can request job descriptions and application forms in Braille, large print or on tape.

For the security and wellbeing of our colleagues, successful candidates will undergo Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) pre-employment checks including a level one Disclosure Scotland check.

If you have questions or need any assistance with the recruitment process please contact SEPA’s Recruitment Team at recruitment@sepa.org.uk

Apply now to join a Passionately Purposeful workplace