View Vacancy – SG – Regional Lead for Clean Energy & Industrial Decarbonisation, Southeast Asia, G7 (Maternity Cover)

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.

Job Category

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Policy & Political roles)

Job Subcategory

Climate change, Environment & Sustainability

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)

Main purpose of job:

This is a senior, fast-paced, high impact role within the Singapore-based Regional Climate, Energy & Nature Hub – providing expert leadership and technical support to British Embassy and High Commission teams across the Southeast Asia region to drive forward UK priorities on energy and industrial decarbonisation. This is an exciting opportunity to champion the UK’s energy transition agenda in a region that is key for delivering UK and global climate, growth & security objectives.

The UK is partnering with Southeast Asia to drive a just energy transition that delivers for growth and energy security – bringing opportunities for the region, but also for UK growth and security. This role is key in bringing these interests together effectively and coherently, recognising interests from different UK government departments (particularly the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT)), and working across very different country contexts. This will require flexibility, strong leadership, and subject matter expertise as well as the ability to work through others from a range of backgrounds, professional groups, and seniority.

The ideal candidate will thrive in a busy environment, confidently managing significant responsibility and accountability while being keen and willing to travel across the region. You’ll need strong technical skills combined with strong economic diplomacy and policy leadership abilities. You will need to be able to work at a fast pace to respond to rapidly developing opportunities across concurrent workstreams, while maintaining a long-term perspective. We are looking for a proven leader who can inspire, support, and develop teams made up of people with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and working styles.

You will be based in the British High Commission (BHC) Singapore, reporting to the Regional Director for Climate, Energy and Nature (also Singapore-based). You will be a key part of a team of experts, providing advice and support to British Embassies (BEs) and High Commissions (BHCs) across the region and acting as a key link between stakeholders in the region and UK policy, regulatory, finance, engineering expertise.

Roles and responsibilities / what will the jobholder be expected to achieve:

In this role you will be responsible for:

Policy Leadership (30%)

• Lead delivery of the energy pillar of the Southeast Asia Climate, Energy & Nature strategy, ensuring our regional work is aligned with HQ priorities.
• Provide thought leadership on emerging policy areas (e.g. coal phase out business models, critical minerals) and lead on issues where a regional approach is critical (e.g. ASEAN energy interconnectivity).
• Maintain strong links back to UK policy teams, particularly in DESNZ and FCDO (including attending the cross-Whitehall energy working group and ensuring Southeast Asian countries engage with UK-led initiatives such as the Global Clean Power Alliance (GCPA)), ensuring that perspectives from the region are fed into HQ policy making and programme design.
• Provide expert policy analysis, advice, and timely reporting to senior UK stakeholders on regional energy and industrial decarbonisation issues, incorporating whole of UK government perspectives. Escalate risks/amplify issues to HQ seniors as needed.
• Work with the regional energy champion (the UK Ambassador to ASEAN) to amplify high-profile energy issues at a senior level and ensure a single ‘Southeast Asia voice’ on key topics (e.g. response to the Middle East conflict, ASEAN Power Grid, Southeast Asia Energy Security Review)
• Commission deeper analysis on key topics, drawing on your networks and bidding into x-HMG funds as needed.

Technical support to BE/BHC teams (30%)

• Provide technical advice and support to 10 BE/BHC teams across Southeast Asia the UK Mission to ASEAN (UKMIS ASEAN) on clean energy and industrial decarbonisation. Including:
• Supporting teams’ engagement with key stakeholders e.g. meeting with energy ministries/regulators; speaking at external events; shaping energy dialogues; facilitating connections to specific expertise within your wider network.
• Facilitating access to UK public and private sector expertise – working closely with UK energy regulators and system operators (e.g. NESO, National Grid, Ofgem) and private sector partners to facilitate peer exchanges, learning and collaboration.
• Providing technical inputs to programme/policy development and implementation (e.g. supporting Business Case design, engagement with delivery partners, Annual Reviews)
• helping refine research questions to address evidence gap
• Help shape new centrally-managed ODA programmes to ensure the UK’s ‘toolkit’ is targeted at the most high-impact opportunities and that the region can continue to access UK tools and resources to deliver energy priorities.
• Collaborate with BE/BHC teams and partners to host/support relevant events that contribute to delivery of the UK’s objectives, including:
• Supporting UKMIS ASEAN to deliver a planned visit of senior ASEAN officials to the UK and France to learn from our experience of interconnectors/electricity trading (Oct tbc)
• Shaping side-events in the margins of the ASEAN Energy Business Forum, Singapore International Energy Week and others to further UK energy priorities.
• Raise capability and capacity of energy leads at BEs/BHCs across the region, through sharing expertise, informal mentoring and arranging learning sessions on key topics.

Strategic relationship management (25%)

• Maintain strong relationships and influence with key regional players, particularly International Energy Agency (IEA), ASEAN Centre for Energy (working closely with UKMIS ASEAN), UN ESCAP, ADB and World Bank.
• Oversee UK funding of IEA’s regional Energy Security Review
• Maintain strong links to key players in the UK energy system including Ofgem, NESO and private sector stakeholders, drawing on their expertise and experience to influence policy and build relationships in the region.
• Work closely with the UK’s Department for Business & Trade, spotting opportunities to join-up our work and maximise impact.
• Engage with key partners within the UK’s development finance toolkit (including BII, PIDG) to explore how we can use our different finance instruments to progress energy priorities.

Supporting visits, high-level meetings and events (10%)

• Support Ministerial/Special Representative/Senior Official visits to the region; helping shape and deliver programmes, provide excellent briefing and reporting.
• Ensuring UK visibility at key regional fora/events such as Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF), Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), ASEAN Energy Business Forum (AEBF) – organising set-piece side-events where these can help further UK priorities.

Communications (5%)

• Work closely with comms teams and relevant teams across UK Government to make full use of comms as a tool for delivering UK energy objectives in the region.

Resources managed (staff and expenditure):

No line management envisaged, but role will require strong technical leadership and engagement across different BE/BHCs and Whitehall Departments to support effective day-to-day work.

Oversight of project, programme, and administrative budgets of up to around SGD500k/yr.

Learning and development opportunities (if any):

We offer time and financial support for the successful candidate to take advantage of professional learning and development opportunities inside and outside of the organisation.

The BHC has an active Learning & Development Committee which works hard to provide a comprehensive L&D offer. There is a wide range of options available for personal development including training courses, coaching and mentoring, job-shadowing, presentations and learning sets. Staff have access to a wide variety of online resources through the International Academy and Civil Service Learning. Staff are strongly encouraged to take advantage of all available opportunities.

All new hires undertake a workplace induction and there are several mandatory e-learning courses that must be completed to pass probation.

Essential qualifications, skills and experience

This role is a Nature, Infrastructure, Climate and Energy (NICE) Expert role. The successful candidate will have a demonstrable track record of delivering NICE outcomes at Expert level through strong capability in the NICE technical competencies. Further details can be found in the FCDO CEIE Technical Competency Framework. If you are successful and not already accredited to the NICE cadre, you will have the option to work towards accreditation and will be supported to do so.

Essential skills/experience
• Leadership skills, in delivering on high-profile policy objectives;
• Substantial energy sector expertise
• Experience in international roles
• An understanding of development finance and private investment;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong partnership building skills engaging with external stakeholders, including governmental, civil society, MDBs and private sector;
• Ability to work at pace and respond to quickly evolving events.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience

• Experience of working with comms and political teams
• Accredited to the NICE cadre or expecting to be accredited during this posting at expert level
• Policy expertise in industrial decarbonisation
• Experience working within UK and / or a SE Asian Government

Required behaviours

Communicating and Influencing, Leadership, Seeing the Big Picture, Working Together

Application deadline

31 May 2026

Grade

Grade 7 (G7)

Type of Position

Full-time, Fixed Term

Working hours per week

37.5 per week

Duration of Post

6 months

Region

Asia Pacific

Country/Territory

Singapore

Location (City)

Singapore

Type of Post

British High Commission

Number of vacancies

1

Salary Currency

SGD

Salary

SGD 11,825

Type of Salary

monthly

Start Date

29 July 2026

Other benefits and conditions of employment

This position is a fixed-term role for six months, with the possibility of extension.

Working patterns:

Normal working hours are 37.5 per week: 8:30AM to 5:00PM from Monday to Friday inclusive of one hour per day for lunch.

British High Commission Singapore supports and promotes flexible working as a crucial part of our inclusive offering. Our current policy allows for staff to work from home for up to 40% of their working week, subject to line manager agreement.

Terms of service:

In addition to the duties which this job normally entails, you may from time to time be required to undertake additional or other duties as necessary to meet the needs of the High Commission, including playing a part in the corporate life of the mission and supporting any crisis response.

No accommodation or relocation expenses are payable in connection with this position. You must have or be able to obtain a local work permit which we will sponsor.

Staff recruited locally by the British High Commission are subject to terms and conditions of service according to local Singapore employment law.

Employment offers are subject to successful clearance of pre-employment checks. Only short-listed applications will be called for personal interviews.

We have a generous leave offer including: 23 days annual leave, increasing to 25 after 5 years” service, with the option to carry over up to 12 days into the subsequent leave year; 14 public holidays; generous maternity and paternity leave; and childcare leave. We encourage volunteerism and offer up to 5 days paid volunteer leave.

We offer medical insurance to support staff with the high costs of healthcare in Singapore and periodic reimbursement for the cost of eye tests and replacement eye wear

The British High Commission is an equal opportunities employer and does not discriminate on grounds of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation. Our values of Collaboration, Openness, Respect and Expertise (CORE) are our guiding principles. We aspire to live our values consistently to make the British High Commission a great place to work where staff feel valued, supported and inspired to be their best.

There is a possibility of extension beyond the initial six month period.

Please note that all successful candidates will be expected to serve a minimum of 6 months in a role before being eligible to apply for further positions within the British High Commission.

Learning and development opportunities (and any specific training courses to be completed):

We offer time and financial support for the successful candidate to take advantage of professional learning and development opportunities inside and outside of the organisation.

The BHC has an active Learning & Development Committee which works hard to provide a comprehensive L&D offer. There is a wide range of options available for personal development including training courses, coaching and mentoring, job-shadowing, presentations and learning sets. Staff have access to a wide variety of online resources through the International Academy and Civil Service Learning. Staff are strongly encouraged to take advantage of all available opportunities.

All new hires undertake a workplace induction and there are several mandatory e-learning courses that must be completed to pass probation.

Additional information

Please ensure that your application is authentically written based on your own experiences. If AI tools are used, their usage must only be limited to specific tasks such as ensuring formatting consistency and keyword relevance. The core content, personal narratives, and responses to behaviour and skill-based questions must genuinely reflect your professional journey, experiences, and achievements. We place great importance on originality and individual effort throughout the application process. Any form of plagiarism will result in immediate disqualification.

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

Note: All applicants are required to mandatorily fill the online application form completely including the employment and educational details, experience, professional skills and behaviour-based questions. We will be thoroughly reviewing the applications and incomplete form in any respect may not be considered while shortlisting for the next stage.

Only shortlisted candidates for interview will be contacted. Interviewees will be assessed on the core behaviours/qualifications listed above. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified via the system in due time. Appointable candidates who were unsuccessful may be placed on a ‘reserve list’. If during the reserve period of 6 months the same or a largely similar role becomes available, that role may be offered to the second or subsequent candidate.

To ensure a successful application it is important that you explain how you demonstrate these behaviours, including through your experience. You are strongly advised to read the Success Profiles Civil Service Behaviours Framework, which provides detailed guidance on how the behaviours are defined.

Applicants are encouraged to use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) format to prepare specific examples of when they have demonstrated these behaviours in their application. Using the STAR format to provide evidence of your skills and experience in your application and at interview helps to give a structure. You briefly describe the situation in which you showed the behaviour, and then explain your task in addressing the situation, what action you took and the result of this.

For inclusivity and diversity, please remove the following personal information when uploading your CV: name, address, email address, age, date of birth, gender and nationality.

The start date mentioned in the job advert is a tentative start date and the successful candidate will be required to undergo security vetting procedures. Any offer of employment will be subject to the candidate achieving suitable clearances.

Please be aware that you will only be able to apply to vacancies for Country Based Staff roles with the British Government through this official tal.net site (operated by Oleeo). Jobs may be advertised on third party websites, however our adverts will always link back to the official tal.net site. If you complete and send an application through any other site, we will not receive it.