Senior or Principal Consultant: Industrial Decarbonisation Policy Consultant

Locations: Bristol, Glasgow, Harwell, Leamington Spa, London, Madrid, Manchester, Shoreham-by-Sea

Ricardo is creating a world fit for the future

Ricardo Energy & Environment is a leading sustainability consultancy combining energy, climate change, environmental and chemical risk expertise with strong IT and economics capability. Operating across the world, we work in partnership with our customers to help transform the way they work, empowering business leaders with award-winning consultancy advice. With unrivalled sector insight and a reputation for producing innovative solutions, we offer a stimulating and rewarding environment in which to work.

We have an opportunity for a Principal Industrial Decarbonisation and Regulation Policy Consultant to support business development and delivery within our Policy, Strategy and Economics Practice. We are one of Europe’s leading consultancies supporting the UK Government, the European Commission, overseas governments, and multilateral development agencies in the development, implementation, and appraisal of climate change policies affecting industry.

Growth and Opportunity

You will work within a team that wins and delivers a wide range of projects covering policy option development, technical analysis, design, impact assessment, evaluation, and capacity-building activities such as workshop delivery and guidance production. Our work is often multidisciplinary, and specialisms in industrial technologies, regulatory compliance, economic analysis or legal analysis.

You will be at the forefront of shaping industrial decarbonisation policies. You will support governments in developing such policies and businesses in complying and responding to them. Ideally, you will have experience with initiatives such as emissions trading, carbon border adjustments, carbon taxes/levies, sectoral climate agreements, and funds for technological demonstration and innovation. Experience of these policy measures within the EU and UK would be an advantage.

Your work will involve project management, technical delivery, and business development activities, including competitive bidding, client and partner relationship management, and participation in promotional events. You will also be responsible for technical leadership and supporting the development of more junior staff within the practice. You will work flexibly within Ricardo Energy & Environment’s consultancy business, collaborating with specialists in fields such as renewable and heat supply, environmental policy, and transport policy. You will have a strong commercial awareness and energy and enthusiasm for growing the business in your technical area. Ideally, you will have experience in leading or working on proposals and projects for clients such as development banks, the European Commission, and national governments.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitoring market developments and shaping company business development activities to take advantage of emerging opportunities.
• Development and maintenance of close client and partner relationships at high level to support winning new business.
• Leading, managing and contributing to complex proposals.
• Leading the delivery of large complex projects or tasks within such projects. Responsibility for client satisfaction, timely delivery, project financial management and high-quality outputs.
• Leading and mentoring other staff in their involvement in bids and projects.
• Carrying out detailed technical work to contribute to high-quality project delivery.
• Leading and participating in capacity building activities including workshop facilitation and presentation delivery.
• Presenting Ricardo Energy & Environment’s work at client meetings and conferences.

About You:

• Strong project management skills with track record in leading complex projects.
• Excellent written and spoken English essential; fluency in other European languages will be an advantage. Strong Spanish or French language skills proven in a consultancy environment will be considered a particular strength.
• Strong oral and written communication essential, including concise and precise report writing.
• Strong analytical skills essential.
• Good team worker and experienced delegator.
• Strong level of commercial awareness and appreciation for project financial management principles.
• Educated to at least Bachelor’s degree level specializing in scientific, engineering, environmental, legal, or economic fields.
• Strong expertise demonstrated through past work in at least several of these areas:

• The EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), particularly in relation to the carbon leakage component and its implications for industrial sectors.
• The EU and (developing) UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms (CBAMs), including practical insights into policy frameworks, compliance requirements, and their impact on cross-border trade.
• The UK Climate Change Agreements (CCAs), with a proven track record of helping industries meet emissions reduction commitments through negotiated agreements.
• MRV of industrial greenhouse gas emissions.
• In-depth knowledge of UK industrial decarbonisation roadmaps, both from a regulatory and technological perspective.
• Hands-on experience with emissions intensive trade exposed sectors such as cement, iron & steel, ceramics, chemicals, and refineries.
• Modelling decarbonisation measures, assessing the feasibility of various industrial technologies to meet emissions reduction targets.
• The UK's Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS), including its audit requirements and strategies for businesses to reduce energy consumption and enhance energy efficiency.
• The UK Energy Technology List.

• Experience leading business development and/or competitive bid writing in a consultancy environment is essential.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary teams is essential, and experience managing large project teams is desirable.
• Experience managing or working within projects for clients such as the European Commission, World Bank, GIZ, EBRD, Asian Development Bank, and UK Government is essential.

What We Offer

Our Culture

This is an exciting and rewarding place to work, with the opportunity to make a difference. What sets us apart is our People. You will work with an exceptional team of talented, dedicated, and supportive individuals. You will have a fantastic opportunity to develop your career with us through our broad range of projects, mentoring opportunities and a personalised approach to your learning and development. We are always keen to hear from people who have drive, ambition and a flair for innovative thinking.

Flexibility, Wellbeing and Work-life Balance

We offer flexible approaches to work, whether that’s working from home, being in the office, or as a hybrid worker. We’re happy to discuss flexible working arrangements. Wellbeing is at the core of our culture, allowing employees to flourish and to achieve their full potential.

Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Statement

Ricardo Energy & Environment is an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours. We have an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach. We value diversity; recognising that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment. Diversity also drives innovation, by allowing us to offer our clients the best consultancy service that we can.

Benefits

Our Core benefits include 25 days’ annual leave, plus 8 flexible bank holidays, a competitive company pension scheme, life assurance and professional subscriptions reimbursement. We also offer a wide range of flexible benefits to suit your lifestyle.

What Next

Once you have submitted your application a member of our Recruitment Team will be in touch. Please be aware that the timing can vary dependent on the volume of applications that we receive for each role and in some cases, we may start to review applications prior to the closing date.