Head of Carbon and Energy Tax

If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives, the Treasury can offer you an exciting opportunity to influence decision making that affects the whole of the UK. Working at the heart of government, we collaborate across government to promote responsible public spending and drive strong and sustainable economic growth!

About the Team

The Energy and Transport Tax (ETT) team is an encouraging and friendly team whose work is at the heart of balancing HMT’s fiscal, economic and environmental objectives. The team is responsible for taxes collectively raising around £50bn through transport, oil & gas, energy & carbon and environmental taxes, including developing novel and complex policies such as the new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). As a result, the team’s work covers a broad range of high-profile policy areas that get significant amounts of ministerial and public attention, particularly in light of the Government’s Net Zero agenda.

We are an outward-facing team, whose work involves significant and varied customer engagement, both directly with businesses and with trade associations, business representative groups and environmental and tax policy collaborators. The team also works very closely with other Government departments, especially DESNZ, DfT, HMRC, Defra, and DBT, as well as with colleagues across HM Treasury, particularly those working on energy & transport spending, infrastructure policy and international policy.

About the Job

This is an exciting, varied and high-profile role, which will involve leadership, strategy and policy development across a broad portfolio, working closely with key partners such as HMRC. It will involve significant engagement with Ministers, senior officials within HMT, other government departments and senior partners from businesses and international organisation.

Key responsibilities are set out below.

1. Providing joint inclusive and encouraging leadership to the Branch.
2. Advising and supporting the Chancellor and Exchequer Secretary on all issues related to carbon and energy taxes.
3. Working closely with DESNZ, DEFRA, DfT and the Devolved Governments to own the development and implementation of the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), the government’s key lever to drive cost-effective industrial decarbonisation.
4. Being responsible for the development and delivery of the new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Working closely with HMRC and trade colleagues in the CBAM Virtual Team, finalising the design of the tax and implement it in a way that balances international and domestic priorities, and works cohesively with the government’s wider strategy on carbon leakage.
5. Developing and advising ministers on the case and options for strategic reform of energy taxation and ensuring current existing reliefs provide value for money.
6. Representing the UK’s interests at the OECD’s Inclusive Forum for Carbon Mitigation Approaches, the OECD’s flagship initiative on global decarbonisation.
7. Building collaborative relationships with counterparts and seniors in other government departments, the EU and in businesses. Ensuring HM Treasury’s decision-making is informed by robust evidence and that the government’s objectives and policies are communicated clearly.

About You

The role would suit an individual with a passion for leading inclusive teams and who can grasp complex policy issues and think strategically and creatively about how to resolve them. Delivering these optimally through others, and expertly manage relationships with a broad range of different partners. The successful candidate would also have responsibility for providing leadership across the joint tax and the new Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) team.

HM Treasury is proud of a diverse and inclusive work environment, committed to fairness and the promotion of equality of opportunity for all. We know that having a range of experiences, ways of working and thinking makes us a stronger organisation, better at developing policy that is reflective of the communities we serve. We embrace different views and experiences and value the fresh perspective that people from a variety of circumstances bring to the work we do. We welcome applications from candidates who have not previously worked for the Civil Service, mid- and late-career changers with transferrable skills, people from all backgrounds and circumstances regardless of disability, ethnicity, LGBT+ identity and socio-economic status.

Some of the Benefits our people love!

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 days after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King’s birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant). Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing you to take up to an additional 2 days off each month.
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, compressed hours).
• Generous parental leave and adoption leave packages.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 27%
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme and season ticket advances.
• A Rental Deposit Advance Scheme to help meet the total costs of deposits for privately rented homes.
• Access to HM Treasury’s benefits portal allowing you access to a range of discount codes for online shopping.
• A range of active staff networks, based around interests (e.g. analysts, music society, sports and social club) and diversity