Head of UK Policy

Brief

Climate Change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and the ability to capture, transport and store or utilise carbon dioxide will be crucial to ensure a sustainable, competitive and equitable transition to a low-carbon economy.

The CCSA is seeking a highly motivated Head of UK Policy to lead the policy and regulation activities of the Association at this very exciting time in the development of the carbon capture and storage and hydrogen industries.

In the UK, CCUS enjoys strong political support, with government initiatives driving both net zero goals and economic growth in industrial regions. In 2024, the government committed £21.7bn over 25 years to develop the first CCUS projects by 2030. The first major projects in the East Coast Cluster (Teesside) and Hynet (North-West England and Wales) are now under construction, with more clusters and projects in the pipeline. The Association works closely with government to ensure these projects progress and to establish a clear plan for a self-sustaining UK CCUS industry and an EU-wide CO₂ market by the 2030s.

The CCUS industry is global and many of our members are actively developing projects in the power, industrial, hydrogen, fuels and carbon removals sectors all around the world, yet still see the UK as having one of the most conducive environments for successful CCUS projects and clusters.

Who are we?

The CCSA is a trade association representing over 120 organisations accelerating the commercial deployment CCUS through advocacy and collaboration. Our ambition is to see CCUS developed and deployed at the pace and scale necessary to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and deliver sustainable growth across regions and nations.

We represent a wide variety of organisations with an interest in the development and deployment of CCUS across many applications to decarbonise heavy industries, power and hydrogen production, and remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. The CCSA team works across two offices, with staff based in London and Brussels.

The role

You will report to the UK Director and lead the UK Policy Team, supporting the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) in advancing the work of the association to accelerate the deployment of CCUS on behalf of the CCSA Board and its members.

You will be responsible for developing and delivering the UK policy work programme, aligned with the association’s overall UK strategy, and shaping the policy and regulatory frameworks required to enable the deployment of CCUS, hydrogen and related low-carbon solutions. This includes overseeing policy analysis and the development of CCSA consultation responses, position papers, briefing notes and other policy outputs that articulate the priorities of the sector.

You will play a central role in convening industry and policymakers through the CCSA’s Regulation and Policy Forum and associated working groups, ensuring the association continues to provide an established and trusted platform for dialogue between industry and government. You will also be an ambassador for the CCSA and CCUS industry, speaking at industry conferences, and representing the industry on Government working groups and taskforces.

You will lead engagement with government and regulators, managing relationships with senior policymakers and stakeholders relevant to the implementation of CCUS and related policy areas – this includes market design, standards, supply chains and skills – ensuring the CCSA remains a trusted and influential voice in the development of UK policy.

Working closely with colleagues across the association, you will support engagement with Parliament and other stakeholders, contribute to the association’s external profile, and ensure strong internal alignment across the CCSA. This includes working closely with the External Affairs team on lines to take and messaging. As well as working collaboratively with the CCSA EU office in Brussels, using your UK policy expertise to help inform EU work streams to help align CCUS policies in both markets on issues such as standards and regulation.

The role includes leadership and development of the UK Policy Team.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the UK Policy Team, setting the strategic direction and delivering a policy work programme that supports the development of the CCUS and hydrogen sectors.
• Provide strategic oversight of policy, fiscal and regulatory developments affecting CCUS, advising on implications for the sector and shaping the CCSA’s policy positions and engagement with government and regulators.
• Lead the CCSA Regulation and Policy Forum, providing an established and trusted platform for dialogue between industry, policymakers and regulators, and building consensus across the membership on key policy priorities.
• Oversee the delivery of CCSA policy working groups, ensuring effective coordination of member expertise to inform policy development and support the sector’s engagement with government. This will include managing some working groups yourself.
• Develop and maintain CCSA policy positions that reflect the evolving policy, fiscal and regulatory landscape and support the development of bankable CCUS business models and routes to market.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with CCSA members, parliamentarians, government officials, regulators and other stakeholders, including undertaking stakeholder mapping with members, other trade associations and relevant public and private organisations.
• Represent the CCSA and the UK CCUS sector at national and international conferences, forums and policy discussions, acting as a leading voice on UK CCUS policy and regulatory developments.
• Hold expert positions on external task forces, advisory groups and industry forums, contributing sector expertise and ensuring the CCSA’s perspectives are reflected in wider policy and regulatory discussions.
• Support internal alignment across the CCSA, including working closely with the External Affairs team to provide policy input, briefing lines and rebuttals, and ensuring effective coordination with the CCSA EU team on processes and cross-cutting policy issues such as standards, regulation and cross border policies.
• Support the Membership and Events team by providing insight to help shape high-quality events, as well as assisting with member recruitment and retention.
• Line-manage and develop the UK Policy Team, ensuring effective delivery of corporate objectives and contributing to strategic planning, budgeting and reporting across the association.

Essential criteria

• Proven experience in leading policy development and influencing policymakers, preferably within the CCUS, hydrogen or wider energy sector.
• Strong knowledge of CCUS and its role across industrial decarbonisation, power, hydrogen, advanced fuels and carbon removals, and the policy and regulatory frameworks required to enable deployment.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a strong track record of producing high-quality policy outputs including consultation responses, position papers and briefing materials.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience building trusted relationships and influencing policymakers, regulators and industry stakeholders at senior levels.
• An effective and diplomatic communicator, able to explain complex issues clearly and facilitate consensus where stakeholder views differ.
• Demonstrated leadership experience, with the ability to manage and develop a high-performing team and deliver strategic policy objectives.
• Experience convening and working with diverse stakeholders to develop shared policy positions and coordinated approaches to complex policy challenges.
• Excellent organisational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, deliver at pace and balance short-term demands with longer-term strategic goals.
• A proactive and results-driven approach, with the ability to work effectively in a dynamic policy environment and deliver outcomes with a small team.
• A strong understanding of climate policy and the technologies supporting the transition to net zero.
• Proficiency in standard IT applications.

Desirable criteria

• A relevant undergraduate degree in an area such as geosciences (e.g. geology), climate change or a related field.
• Extensive relevant experience of working in energy and climate change, particularly carbon capture and storage and hydrogen.
• Knowledge and experience of the CCUS market in both the UK and EU, plus awareness of global CCUS developments.
• A strong understanding of UK politics, government and policy making processes.
• A broad understanding of how the EU policy process works.
• Experience engaging with, or working within, trade associations, with a clear understanding of their role in supporting businesses and advocating on behalf of industry.
• Good technical understanding of the CCUS value chain.
• Experience in applying and assuring compliance with regulations.
• Experience working in cross-function and multi-geography teams.

At CCSA we celebrate diversity as we know it makes our company a great place to work. Encouraging applicants with different backgrounds, ideas and points of view, we create teams who work together to lead a new industry. We recognise that multiple perspectives come from many sources including diverse ethnicity, culture, nationality, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, disability, marital status, parental status, education, social background and life experience of people.

Location/hours

This is advertised as a full-time role. We operate a hybrid policy and the successful candidate will spend a minimum of 2 days a week in our comfortable London office near beautiful St James Park, SE1. This role requires flexibility when it comes to in-person event support and delivery, so there will need to be occasional travel both in the UK and potentially abroad, with occasional evening/early morning events.

Deadline: 9am, Monday 13 April 2026