zero emission delivery jobs

If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives, the Treasury can offer you an exciting opportunity to influence decision making that affects the whole of the UK. Working at the heart of government, we collaborate across government to promote responsible public spending and drive strong and sustainable economic growth.

Our work ranges from protecting customers through the regulation of the financial sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and creating a greener economy, to promoting British trade around the world and supporting people across the country on jobs, growth and more.

We are part of the Darlington Economic Campus, a pioneering new cross-government hub which brings people together to play an active role in the most important issues of the day whilst working closer to the communities we serve. The campus provides the opportunity for people from all over the UK to help shape the future of the country, and our flexible working practices ensure you can collaborate effectively with our partners. It’s central government, made more accessible to you!

About the Group

Enterprise and Growth Unit

The Enterprise and Growth Unit (EGU) promotes sustainable economic growth and higher productivity for the UK. We provide analysis and advice on enterprise, innovation, private sector investment and a cost-effective transition to a low-carbon economy. The Enterprise and Growth Unit has a varied and exciting agenda and we work closely with a wide variety of other teams across the Treasury.

We also work alongside other departments and government organisations to ensure that we are thinking creatively, spending wisely, and acting boldly to deliver these goals. These organisations are:

• the Department for Business and Trade,
• the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero,
• the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs,
• the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology,
• the Department for Transport,
• the Department for Culture, Media & Sport,
• the Competition and Markets Authority,
• HM Land Registry, and
• UK Export Finance

About the Team

The Climate and Environment Team (CET) acts as the focal point for HM Treasury’s work on climate change, net zero and nature. The team leads on embedding domestic climate risk, net zero and environmental policy considerations into the work of the department. We work with teams in tax, spending, economics, trade, fiscal, financial services and financial stability to use the range of levers which Treasury controls to ensure the government has affordable and economically efficient plans to achieve its legal commitments under the Climate Change Act 2008 and Environment Act 2021.

We advance Treasury interests across some of the biggest policy opportunities and challenges facing the UK including climate mitigation and adaptation, decarbonising heat and buildings, water company regulation, waste sector reform, implementing England’s agricultural transition plan and reforming our domestic environment policy.

The team leads engagement with and spending control for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and works closely with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), Cabinet Office and No10 on the government’s overall climate change strategy and plan. We also support international colleagues in their efforts to galvanise global action on climate and nature.

We are a flexible and friendly team, and our members have a range of working patterns.

About the Job

We are advertising for a policy adviser role in the Defra spending team, which has spending control responsibility for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and advises the Chancellor and HMT Ministers on all areas of policy within Defra’s remit, and that of its arm’s-length bodies.

The branch advises HMT ministers on Defra policy - including agriculture, rural affairs, nature, waste, water regulation and environmental regulation - and on ensuring government has economically efficient plans to deliver our statutory environmental targets and resilience to climate risk.

This is an exciting opportunity to be at the heart of government policy making and will give the postholder the opportunity to lead and shape policy in several of these areas, in a supportive environment that encourages innovation, independent thinking, and a focus on delivering value for the UK taxpayer.

You do not need to be a policy professional, have any specific qualifications, or prior experience/knowledge of these policy areas to apply for this role. We are looking for people who have the right set of skills for the role, who demonstrate the values of our organisation, and who are motivated to come and work with us on a range of issues that are key to the UK’s economic prosperity and resilience. These are stretching posts that will require you to develop expertise within the relevant policy areas.

Any previous experience in public spending or the relevant policy areas would be beneficial, however our ideal candidate would be someone who can influence a range of stakeholders, develop novel solutions to complex issues, and make evidence-based decisions where significant trade-offs need to be balanced. The postholder will be well supported by line management and the wider team, and training on spending control and reviewing business cases will be provided.

Environment and Net Zero policy adviser

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead on the delivery of the Environment Act Framework and Defra’s contribution to net zero in line with HMT’s objectives. You will lead engagement with Defra to enable the economically efficient and affordable delivery of environmental targets and goals, as well as decarbonisation of Defra sectors within HMG’s carbon budgets, advising on fiscal and non-fiscal levers.
• Lead on a number of environmental policy areas including waste and circular economy, trees and peat, air quality, and biodiversity. You will identify and promote HMT interests across a range of policy areas, with spending responsibility for £100s of ms. This will involve developing and maintaining relationships with colleagues in Defra and across Whitehall, working through spending and/or policy issues with autonomy and advising HMT ministers.
• Lead on scrutinising and supporting Defra’s work to increase private finance into nature and adaptation. You will scrutinise and lead on providing spending control of Defra’s green finance package and engage with Defra green finance leads to support the mobilisation of additional private finance into nature to support delivery of environmental targets and goals.

Responsibilities may evolve in response to business needs, and team members are expected to be flexible to respond to evolving work priorities.

Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams

The hiring manager will be running a candidate drop-in session for this role to give you greater insight about the role as well as the chance to learn more about HM Treasury and ask any questions you may have. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.

Wednesday 14th January 2026 @ 12:45 - 13:15 Join the meeting now

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date for applications to find out more about the job, please contact Sarah Cise (sarah.cise@hmtreasury.gov.uk).

We are looking for the below skills, experience and behaviours and we will ask you to demonstrate these in your application form. Please review the Candidate FAQ document that is attached to the advert for guidance on how to complete your application form.

• Ability to evaluate different and sometimes competing evidence sources to apply considered judgement to come to a conclusion (Making Effective Decisions)
• Ability to build strong relationships with a wide network of partners in government, and use these relationships to deliver your objectives (Working Together)
• Ability to juggle multiple competing priorities in a fast-paced environment whilst delivering longer term objectives (Delivering at Pace)
• Ability to demonstrate understand of wider priorities and issues in your work (Seeing the Big Picture)

The lead criterion is: Ability to evaluate different and sometimes competing evidence sources to apply considered judgement to come to a conclusion (Making Effective Decisions)

If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criterion only.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace
• Seeing the Big Picture

• 25 days’ annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King's birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant)
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)
• Generous parental and adoption leave package.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 28%
• Onsite restaurant and coffee bar. The London office also offers a gym, showers and prayer room
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving
• Access to a retail discounts and cashback site
• A Rental Deposit Advance Scheme to help meet the total costs of deposits for privately rented homes
• A range of active staff networks, based around interests and diversity

Flexible Working Arrangements

HM Treasury views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they can enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including; part-time, compressed hours and job sharing. Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees the flexibility to adjust their working patterns throughout the week which is subject to operational needs and line management approval.

At HM Treasury we have an incredibly broad remit; our work touches every citizen of the country. So, it’s important our employees come from the widest possible range of backgrounds, bringing us the widest possible range of perspectives and ways of thinking. We are committed to ensuring that all staff can realise their potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

HM Treasury operates an office based working approach across all Treasury sites - Darlington, London, and Norwich, and along with the rest of the Civil Service, has an expectation of a minimum of 60% attendance in the office, along with working remotely. This blended working approach allows you to work collaboratively, meet stakeholders face to face, support others and promotes a healthy work life balance (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. All our offices have been recently modernised and designed to collaborate and connect with colleagues as well as desk and quiet space to allow a range of ways to work.

The office working expectation is linked to the location of the role. If you apply to a post in a single location, then you will not be able to meet this expectation at any of our other sites or move your role to another location.

Job contact :

• Name : Sarah Cise
• Email : sarah.cise@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk