Low Carbon Fuels Technical Manager

As the UK’s low carbon transport fuels regulator, The LCF Delivery Unit is a world-leading centre of expertise on the environmental sustainability of low carbon fuels. The LCF Delivery Unit oversees the operation of the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, (‘The RTFO’), which had a value of £ 2.7bn in 2022 and provided greenhouse gas savings of 7.18 million tonnes CO2e,?equivalent to taking over 2.5 million cars off UK roads for the whole of 2022. The Delivery Unit will also deliver the UK’s first Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate, the SAF Mandate which comes into force from 1 January 2025. You will play a critical role in helping to ensure the successful delivery of the ongoing the implementation and delivery of both the RTFO and the SAF Mandate. These flagship policies are two of the Government’s most important routes for reducing emissions from transport.

In tandem with the existing Low Carbon Fuels Technical Manager, you will provide leadership on technical and sustainability matters within the Unit, driving high standards for industry compliance and ensuring the effective use of evidence and data in the work of the Unit and the wider Low Carbon Fuels division. You will also play a key leadership role in the implementation of new policies such as the sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) mandate and the introduction of support for recycled carbon fuels (RCFs).

In this role you will lead and develop the Unit’s position as a centre of sustainability expertise through:

• Determining fuel eligibility: You will be responsible for assessing applications for support for both new low carbon fuels, and new low carbon fuel production pathways to ensure that support is only provided to those fuels which meet the respective RTFO and SAF eligibility criteria. These determinations are critically important to the integrity of the scheme.
• Validating carbon intensity claims: Under the SAF Mandate, fuels will receive support proportional to the greenhouse gas savings the fuels receive. You will be responsible for investigating and validating carbon intensity claims. This is critical to ensure that support is provided at a level consistent with the underlying legislation, and that the carbon savings delivered by the policies are accurately calculated.
• Collaborative working: To ensure high-quality and timely decision-making, you will work flexibly and collaboratively with colleagues in the Delivery Unit. This involves quality-checking the work of technical G7s or SEOs, commissioning and reviewing outputs from technical consultants, and collaborating with compliance and assurance teams to support the Unit's success.
• Wider engagement: Leading engagement across the Environment Strategy Directorate, government and with external stakeholders, including including low carbon fuel suppliers, international regulators and voluntary certification schemes, to ensure the successful operations of the RTFO and SAF Mandate schemes and promote collaboration on addressing technical and sustainability challenges.
• Team leadership: As a senior member of the LCF Delivery Unit, you will set a clear direction for the team, empower colleagues to work effectively, and model inclusive behaviour. You will initially manage one SEO, with the potential to manage a second in the future.
• Capacity building: Enhance the team's knowledge of key low-carbon fuel topics by providing and promoting relevant learning and development opportunities.

The ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge of renewable fuel feedstocks and production pathways, including biofuels, RFNBOs, power-to-liquid, and Recycled Carbon Fuels, along with a solid understanding of the RTFO and similar international schemes. They will have proven experience in conducting at least two of fuel life cycle assessments, feedstock assessments and carbon accounting. They will also have experience of strategic leadership and team management. Additionally, membership of a professional body, relevant chartership (such as CEnv or CEng), or a postgraduate qualification would be beneficial.

Additional Information

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Travel to other DfT offices every 1-2 months, in particular the Hastings office where the majority of the team are based, will be required. There will also be a need for domestic and occasionally international travel for site visits, meetings or conferences up to 3-4 times a year.  

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities. 

Please vist HERE for further details and to apply.