Deputy Director National Security and Response & Deputy Director Energy Resilience

Deputy Director National Security and Response (NSR) & Deputy Director Energy Resilience (ER)

The Energy Security and Response Directorate ensures energy security in the short- to medium-term, driving cross‑Government efforts to maintain a resilient energy system. As part of this multi‑disciplinary team, you will lead policy to ensure gas, electricity, and fuel reach where they are needed and shape the resilience of future energy systems as part of Net Zero.

The teams' work is high‑profile, with significant senior and ministerial interest. They handle some of the UK's most significant risks, as outlined in the National Security Risk Assessment. You will collaborate with industry, regulators, leading practitioners, and governments across the UK and internationally.

Both the NSR and ER teams ensures energy (gas, electricity, and fuel) reaches customers and manages emergencies. They work with stakeholders to ensure the future energy transition as part of Net Zero is secure and resilient. The team is a Centre of Excellence for National Security and Crisis Management, driving cyber security in the energy sector, coordinating threats from hostile states, and assuring our ability to respond to crises affecting the energy and civil nuclear sectors.

Occasionally, emergencies within the energy sector occur – both these roles will provide leadership during responses as a senior leader on risk and crisis management within DESNZ. Training is available. In exceptional circumstances, there may be a requirement to work outside normal hours during emergencies.

The National Security & Response Team safeguards the energy sector by addressing critical threats, ensuring coherence on our national security policy and readiness as a Lead Government Department during emergencies. The Cyber Policy Team is responsible for setting and enforcing cyber security policy for the GB gas, electricity and oil subsectors. They work with industry and Government Departments to understand the cyber threat and work to build resilience to cyber‑attacks, strengthen response and recovery measures and regulate critical operators.

The Emergency Response:
Capabilities and Operations (ERCO) team lead an integrated and coordinated response to emergencies on behalf of DESNZ, supporting our sector teams to fulfil our responsibilities as a Lead Government Department. The State Threats Team work to protect the energy sector against threats from hostile states and to ensure capabilities to allow DESNZ operates as an effective national security department.

We seek an exceptional leader to join the team as Deputy Director National Security & Response. The ideal candidate will use their leadership, relationship‑building, communication, and strategic thinking skills to address energy resilience and security challenges. As a key member of the senior leadership team, this role will contribute to making our teams and Directorate a brilliant, welcoming, inclusive, and fulfilling place to work.

In energy sector emergencies, this role will provide leadership as a key member of the Energy Security and Resilience Directorate. There are excellent learning and development opportunities across crisis management, national security, and energy resilience teams, as well as through our Departmental Academy and cross‑government programmes, to help you further develop your skills and experience.

• National Security strategy – shaping and delivering a new National Security Strategic Framework for energy which provides the strategic direction for how the country will protect the energy system from evolving national security threats.
• National Security co‑ordination – acting as the lead for the department in overall co‑ordination of national security activities and interests through the National Security Hub, as DESNZ account manager for the UK Intelligence Community and National Security Secretariat and NSC.
• National Security capability – continuing to drive forward the National Security Network in the department, to drive up…