Appointment details

Biomass Sustainability Adviser

Summary

• Organisation: Biomass Sustainability Adviser
• Sponsor department: Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
• Location: Various
• Sectors: Energy
• Skills: Regulation
• Number of vacancies: 1
• Time commitment: 50 day(s) per annum
• Remuneration: £350 per day
• Length of term: 2 years with potential to extend
• Application deadline: 11:59pm on 5 October 2025

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Timeline for this appointment

1. Opening date

   5 September 2025

2. Application deadline

   11:59pm on 5 October 2025

3. Sifting date

   17 October 2025

4. Interviews expected to end on

   31 October 2025

Timeline dates are only an estimate and can change

About the appointment

Introduction

The government supports the use of sustainable biomass as a low-carbon source of energy across a range of sectors, including electricity, heat and transport.

Earlier this year the government announced, following consultation, that new support will be offered to eligible biomass generators when existing support runs out in 2027. As part of this, the sustainability criteria tied to this support will be strengthened. In addition, the government is developing a common biomass sustainability framework and will be consulting on these proposals shortly. 

To deliver this support, the Minister for Energy announced the appointment of an independent adviser for biomass sustainability, to ensure the government has access to considered, expert guidance on the development of biomass policy and practice.

Appointment description

Responsibilities for the adviser may include:  

• Provide expert advice to DESNZ, DfT, Ofgem and LCCC on sustainability issues relevant to policy development, regulatory oversight and contract delivery.

·       Advising on how developments may inform LCCC’s approach to interpreting and applying relevant aspects of new biomass Contracts for Difference (CfDs), such as the evidential basis for fuel compliance, fuel trials, or potential exceptions to standard contractual criteria.

• Reviewing outputs from relevant UK Government bodies commissioned reports on current sustainability assurance to identify lessons learned and required risk monitoring. 

• Supporting senior officials and ministers with the development of the Common Biomass Sustainability Framework, including identifying key academic and research outputs and international regulatory best practice. 

• Advising on potential implications for biomass supply chains resulting from the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). 

• Providing insight into voluntary certification schemes, such as FSC, ISCC and SBP.

Organisation description

About the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is the lead department delivering the Prime Minister’s mission to make the UK a Clean Energy Superpower. That mission is divided into two pillars:

• Clean Power by 2030, and
• Accelerating to net zero.

DESNZ is responsible for delivering the security of energy supply, ensuring properly functioning energy markets, encouraging greater energy efficiency, and seizing the opportunities of net zero to lead the world in new green industries. The Department’s priorities are to:

• enhance energy security;
• protect bill payers;
• create economic growth in the UK and generate and protect jobs; and
• reduce the UK's greenhouse gas emissions.

For more information about DESNZ please visit the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero page on GOV.UK

Person specification

Essential criteria

DESNZ is seeking one independent adviser with demonstrable experience and industry knowledge in the field of biomass sustainability. Essential criteria for the role include: 

• Professionals with contemporary industry or academic experience, a proven intellectual capacity at the highest level and the ability to explain complex processes to a non-specialist audience. ​ 

• Demonstrable commercial awareness of the cost and operational considerations for industry and government relating to existing sustainability regimes.   

• Demonstrable senior-level career experience and working knowledge of the full range of biomass supply chains (including woody biomass, biomethane and biofuels), either directly or through auditing or monitoring, reporting and validation and sustainable biomass practices.
• An understanding of the underlying science and research behind sustainable forestry and/or biomass.

• Strong interpersonal skills and a collegiate approach, including the ability to work collaboratively with senior officials and ministers, and to actively and constructively contribute to high-level policy discussions. ​ 

• An international outlook, with a knowledge of international policy and regulatory approaches to biomass, and the ability to identify key lessons for UK policy. 

• A clear track record of providing authority, knowledge, and context to complex and multi-faceted issues. ​ 

• Experience of synthesising and evaluating evidence and information from diverse sources to identify key issues and provide effective, impartial and balanced advice. ​ 

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working closely with certification programmes or bodies on sustainability issues, for example by sitting on a technical committee. 

• A working knowledge of the bioenergy sector. 

Application and selection process

How to apply

In order to apply you will need to create an account or sign in.

Once you are logged into your account, click on 'apply for this role' and follow the on-screen instructions To apply, all candidates are required to provide:

• equality information
• information relating to any outside interests or reputational issues
• a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• a supporting statement (750 words) 
• a short professional biography (150 words)

We will ask you to check and confirm your personal details to ensure your application is accurate.

You will also have the opportunity to make a reasonable adjustment request or apply under the disability confident scheme before you submit your application.

Overview of the application process

The panel will assess your application to select those demonstrating the best fit with the role by considering the evidence you have provided against the criteria set out in the ‘person specification’ section.

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to attend a panel interview to have an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence. This could be in relation to any of the criteria set out in the vacancy description, including key responsibilities detailed in the role description and criteria listed in the person specification.

Prior to interview, you may have the opportunity for informal conversations with key individuals to improve your understanding of the organisation.

Full details of the assessment process will be made available to shortlisted candidates.

Ministers will be informed of appointments following completion of the recruitment competition. The timeline outlined in this advert indicates the date by which decisions are expected to be made, and all candidates will be advised of the outcome as soon as possible thereafter.

Please note: Due Diligence searches will be undertaken on shortlisted candidates and references may be taken up prior to interview.

Advisory Assessment Panel (AAP)

The advisory panel will be confirmed prior to interviews. 

Advisory Assessment Panels (AAP) are chosen by ministers to assist them in their decision-making. These include a departmental official and an independent member. For competitions recruiting non-executive members of a board (apart from the Chair), the panel will usually include a representative from the public body concerned.

AAP’s perform a number of functions, including agreeing an assessment strategy with ministers, undertaking sifting, carrying out interviews in line with the advertised criteria and deciding objectively who meets the published selection criteria for the role before recommending to ministers which candidates they find appointable. It is then for the minister to decide who to appoint to the role.

Eligibility criteria

In general, you should have the right to work in the UK to be eligible to apply for a public appointment.

There are a small number of specialist roles that are not open to non-British citizens. Any nationality requirements will be specified in the vacancy details.

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. 

You cannot be considered for a public appointment if:

• you are disqualified from acting as a company director  (under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986);

• have an unspent conviction on your criminal record;

• your estate has been sequestrated in Scotland or you enter into a debt arrangement programme under Part 1 of the Debt Arrangement and Attachment (Scotland) Act 2002 (asp 17) as the debtor or have, under Scots law, granted a trust deed for creditors.

When you apply, you should declare if:

• you are, or have been, bankrupt or you have made an arrangement with a creditor at any point, including the dates of this. 

• you are subject to a current police investigation.

You must inform the sponsor department if, during the application process, your circumstances change in respect of any of the above points. 

When you apply you should also declare any relevant interests, highlighting any that you think may call into question your ability to properly discharge the responsibilities of the role you are applying for. You should also declare any other matters which may mean you may not be able to meet the requirements of the Code of Conduct of Board Members (see Outside interests and reputational issues section below)

Security clearance

We may request for members to undertake additional Security Clearance in the future. Where this applies, discussions will be held with the sponsoring department. 

Full guidance on National Security Vetting clearance levels can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Additional information for candidates

Equality and diversity

We encourage applications from talented individuals from all backgrounds and across the whole of the United Kingdom. Boards of public bodies are most effective when they reflect the diversity of views of the society they serve.

We collect data about applicants’ characteristics and backgrounds, including information about people’s educational and professional backgrounds, so that we can make sure we are attracting a broad range of people to these roles and that our selection processes are fair for everyone. Without this information, it makes it difficult to see if our outreach is working, if the application process is having an unfair impact on certain groups and whether changes are making a positive difference.

When you submit your application, your responses are collected by the Cabinet Office and the government department(s) managing your application. The data is used to produce management information about the diversity of applicants. You can select “prefer not to say” to any question you do not wish to answer. The information you provide will not be seen by the Advisory Assessment Panel who review applications against the advertised criteria and conduct interviews.

Disability confident

We are a member of the Government’s Disability Confident scheme. We use the Disability Confident scheme symbol, along with other like-minded employers, to show our commitment to good practice in employing people with a disability. The scheme helps recruit and retain disabled people. As part of implementing the scheme, we guarantee an interview for anyone with a disability whose application meets the essential criteria for the role, set out in the advert, and who has asked that their application is considered under the scheme. Indicating that you wish your application to be considered under the scheme will in no way prejudice your application. By ‘essential criteria', we mean that you must provide evidence which demonstrates that you meet the level of competence required under each of the essential criteria, as set out in the job-advert. When you apply you will have the opportunity to select if you would like your application considered under this scheme.

Reasonable adjustments

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to make sure applicants with disabilities, physical or mental health conditions, or other needs are not substantially disadvantaged when applying for public appointments. This can include changing the recruitment process to enable people who wish to apply to do so.

Some examples of common changes are:

• ensuring that application forms are available in different or accessible formats;
• making adaptations to interview locations;
• allowing candidates to present their skills and experience in a different way;
• giving additional detailed information on the selection / interview process in advance to allow candidates time to prepare themselves;
• allowing support workers, for example sign language interpreters;
• making provision for support animals to attend.

When you apply you will have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments to the application process.

Principles of public life

The Seven Principles of Public Life (also known as the Nolan Principles) apply to anyone who works as a public office-holder.

1. Selflessness

Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.

2. Integrity

Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.

3. Objectivity

Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.

4. Accountability

Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.

5. Openness

Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.

6. Honesty

Holders of public office should be truthful.

7. Leadership

Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour and treat others with respect. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.

Code of conduct for board members

The Government expects all holders of public office to work to the highest personal and professional standards. In support of this, all non-executive board members of UK public bodies must abide by the principles set out in the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. The Code sets out the standards expected from those who serve on the boards of UK public bodies and will form part of your terms and conditions of appointment.

Management of outside interests and consideration of reputational issues

Holders of public office are expected to adhere and uphold the Seven Principles of Public Life and the Code of Conduct for Board Members of Public Bodies. Before you apply you should consider carefully: 

• any outside interests that you may have, such as shares you may hold in a company providing services to government; 
• any possible reputational issues arising from your past actions or public statements that you have made; 
• and/or - any political roles you hold or political campaigns you have supported; 

which may call into question your ability to do the role you are applying for.

You will need to answer relevant questions in relation to these points when making an application. Many conflicts of interest can be satisfactorily resolved and declaring a potential conflict does not prevent you from being interviewed. If you are shortlisted for an interview, the panel will discuss any potential conflicts with you during that interview, including any proposals you may have to mitigate them and record that in their advice to ministers. Alongside your own declaration, we will conduct appropriate checks, as part of which we will consider anything in the public domain related to your conduct or professional capacity. This may include searches of previous public statements and social media, blogs or any other publicly available information. The successful candidate(s) may be required to give up any conflicting interests and their other business and financial interests may be published in line with organisational policies. 

Details of declared political activity will be published when the appointment is announced, as required by the Governance Code (political activity is not a bar to appointment, but must be declared).

Status of appointment

As this is an office holder appointment, you will not become a member of the Civil Service. You will not be subject to the provisions of employment law.

Appointment and tenure of office

Appointments are for the term set out in this advert, with the possibility of re-appointment for a further term, at the discretion of Ministers.  Any re-appointment is subject to satisfactory annual appraisals of performance during the first term in the post. There is no automatic presumption of reappointment; each case should be considered on its own merits, taking into account a number of factors including, but not restricted to, the diversity of the current board and its balance of skills and experience. In most cases, the total time served in post will not exceed more than two terms or ten years in any one post. 

Remuneration, allowances and abatement

Remuneration for this role is treated as employment income and will be subject to tax and National Insurance contributions, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. 

You can claim reimbursement for reasonable travel and subsistence costs which are properly and necessarily incurred on official business, in line with the travel and subsistence policy and rates for the organisation to which you are applying. However these payments are taxable as earnings and will be subject to tax and national insurance, both of which will be deducted at source under PAYE before you are paid. 

Pension and redundancy

This is an office holder appointment and does not attract any benefits under any Civil Service Pension Scheme. You will not be eligible for redundancy pay as you are not an employee. No other arrangements have been made for compensation upon the end of your term of appointment because an office holder who is appointed for a limited duration would have no expectation of serving beyond that period.

Application feedback

We will notify you of the status of your application. We regret that we are only able to offer detailed feedback to candidates who have been unsuccessful at the interview stage.

How to complain

We aim to process all applications as quickly as possible and to treat all applicants with courtesy.

Please contact the public appointments team in the first instance if you would like to make a complaint regarding your application at partnerships@energysecurity.gov.uk. They will acknowledge your complaint upon receipt and respond within 15 working days.

Data protection

The Cabinet Office will use your data in line with our privacy policy.

The Departments Privacy Policy is attached.

Contact details

For any additional information on this role, please contact: Biomasselectricitycorrespondence@energysecurity.gov.uk

Attachments

• Departments Privacy Policy