About the FCDO Advisory Cadres

World-leading technical and analytical capability is central to FCDO’s mission. FCDO Advisers embody these capabilities, playing a key role in the delivery of the UK’s international diplomacy and development objectives.

Advisers have a central role in the design, implementation, appraisal, and evaluation of international development programmes; in the development and implementation of foreign and development policy; and in diplomacy and international negotiations and partnerships. They play an expert role in inter-disciplinary thinking and thought leadership, linking policies and programmes and bringing deep expertise to maximise impact. They have strong links with specialist networks, research organisations, and professional bodies in the UK and globally.

Advisers are accredited to one or more of 12 Advisory Cadres. These are professions within FCDO: Climate, Environment, Infrastructure and Energy, Conflict, Economics, Education, Evaluation, Governance, Health, Humanitarian, Food and Agriculture, Private Sector Development, Social Development, and Statistics. The Economics, Statistics, and Evaluation Cadres are linked to government-wide advisory services. Each Cadre has a Head of Profession (HoP), who is responsible for ensuring that professional standards are maintained both within the Cadre and for those wishing to join. The HoP provides thought leadership, quality assurance, and supports continuous professional development. The CEIE cadre advisers work closely with the climate attaché network to deliver UK climate objectives.

Adviser capabilities

Advisers need to have certain common capabilities (across all cadres) to be effective. These include but are not limited to the following:

• expertise and thought leadership in international policy and investment, applicable across a range of themes and geographies, and with a focus on development impact
• use of evidence to inform policy and programming including the use of political economy analysis
• policy and programme delivery, from design through to implementation and appraisal
• international influence and diplomacy, thinking and working politically and cooperatively, and through appropriate challenge, to shape norms and approaches
• brokering partnerships with governments, civil society, the private sector, multilaterals, research organisations and professional bodies in the UK and globally
• delivering value for money by applying key economic and commercial concepts
• safeguarding to ensure the UK does-no-harm by integrating gender equality, child protection, disability inclusion, preventing sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment
• tackling climate change and restoring nature, ensuring that programmes are aligned with the Paris agreement on climate change and UK commitments on nature
• embodying Civil Service behaviours in applying, communicating, influencing, and leading technical and evidence-informed processes and engagement
• knowledge of data relevant to operating sector and context, and application of professional expertise in interpretation and analysis of this in support of intended outcomes
• systems thinking, recognising inter-linkages, real-world dynamics, and complexity to help design effective policies and interventions
• innovation, proactive in exploring and validating innovative approaches, technology solutions and creative ways to address the world’s challenges

About Climate, Environment Infrastructure and Energy (CEIE) Advisers

CEIE Advisers provide the technical expertise on CEIE issues to ensure that FCDO can deliver its goal of creating a world free of poverty on a liveable planet. They provide the expertise and experience required to ensure that climate compatible growth and sustainability are at the core of what FCDO does.

CEIE Advisors ensure that the best technical and evidence based approaches are used to inform FCDO development programmes, international policies, UK diplomacy and action to tackle climate change, reverse environmental decline and drive sustainable low carbon and climate resilience growth and climate smart, sustainable urbanisation in liveable cities.

CEIE Advisers continuously develop their own capabilities in specific areas and support the development of the climate attaché network, CEIE community in FCDO and other UK Government Departments to ensure that FCDO continues to have the knowledge and skills to address CEIE challenges now and into the future.

The cadre is open to all people with relevant experience and expertise in including diplomacy, policy, and research and cross government roles in other relevant departments such as DESNZ, DEFRA and DBT.

CEIE Adviser deliver their roles by:

1. Supplying high-quality technical expertise to support and guide FCDO’s CEIE ambitions including the design of strategies, plans, policies, programmes, rules, and guidance.

2. Working closely with the Climate attaché network to deliver on UK climate and energy objectives.

3. Being a strong partner with other departments (particularly DEFRA and DESNZ) in delivering the UK’s international CEIE ambitions.

4. Drawing on the best available evidence, consulting with other specialisms or sources of knowledge and working with others to quality assure ministerial advice, policy and programmes.

5. Tailoring CEIE interventions to the development aspirations of ODA recipient countries in ways that are consistent with UK and international commitments and ambitions.

6. Integrating CEIE across FCDO’s work at all levels and in all sectors, taking account of the FCDO digital development strategy, advising on possible C&E risks, opportunities, solutions within policies and programmes, and providing appropriate levels of challenge when necessary.

7. Championing CEIE achievements, learning and development and professional excellence.

8. Ensuring our skillset remains up to date through continual learning and professional development.

CEIE Advisers also require strong influencing and diplomatic skills, being able to use their knowledge of evidence and research to support the enabling environment, implementation and service delivery.  In particular to deliver the UK governments global ambitions on sustainable economic development and trade.  They also respond to crises, disasters and humanitarian situations where increasing numbers of the poor and climate vulnerable live and where access to infrastructure services are lowest and migration to urban areas the highest.

CEIE Advisers also recognise that development and diplomatic impact is often secured through cross-cutting and inter-disciplinary approaches. CEIE advisers are therefore encouraged to affiliate or accredit to other cadres to either directly or indirectly influence the attainment of all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Similarly, members of other professional cadres are encouraged to affiliate or accredit where their skills and experience overlap with those of the CEIE cadre.

CEIE Technical Competencies

CEIE Advisers are expected to demonstrate knowledge and practice across FCDO’s strategic priorities for CEIE. These are based on 3 clusters of competencies . The majority of cadre members are already accredited to one of these clusters or associate strongly with one of them^{[footnote 1]}. Following the formation of the combined CEIE cadre the competency frameworks have been brought together into the 3 ‘clusters’ set out below:

Some cadre members will have competencies that cut across the pre-existing clusters, e.g. low carbon growth, infrastructure delivery and energy access. Existing and new members of the Cadre members have the opportunity to have their competencies recognised across different clusters and become ‘cross cluster’ accredited.  These clusters are complemented by specialist competencies in each of the cluster areas. The 3 clusters and the associated competency areas are summarised in the table below.

Cluster[footnote 2]	Competence: 1	Competence: 2	Competence: 3	Specialisms
Climate and environment	Low-carbon growth and mitigation	Nature and environment	Climate resilience and adaptation	See C&E competencies
Infrastructure and urban	Infra. governance and finance	Infra. delivery and impacts	Urban governance and delivery	See I&U competencies
Energy	Energy security	Energy transition	Energy access	See energy competencies

Cluster[footnote 2]	Competence	Specialism
Cross Cluster Accreditation	Competency in any 3 of the 9 competency areas	CEIE Specialism + evidence in any two other areas

Standard competencies

Each competency is described in terms of knowledge and practice areas e.g. the evidence base; commitments and agreements; mechanisms; barriers and incentives for change; and use of available UK levers.

Advisers are not expected to have knowledge and practice experience in every one of the issues listed but are expected to provide some evidence across 3 competency areas, and within each competency be able to demonstrate evidence of some in depth practice and experience in that competency area.

For example, within the Nature and Environment competency, it would be acceptable to supply evidence of knowledge and practice in sustainable supply chains or payment for ecosystem services, but there is no requirement to supply evidence for both (although supplying evidence of both would also be acceptable).

Assessments will focus on the extent of knowledge across all areas as the basis for accreditation, with depth of knowledge and practice in chosen competencies determining the level of capability to accredit at

Specialist competency

To reflect a continued need for specialists expertise in a range of CEIE areas, the technical competency framework includes provision to accredit as a Specialist, requiring more in depth knowledge and expertise in a specific competency area

Accreditation routes

It is possible to accredit in 3 ways:

Cluster accreditation

Demonstrating capability across the 3 ‘standard competencies’ in 1 of the 3 CEIE clusters.

Cross Cluster

Demonstrating competency in 3 competency areas across any of the 3 of clusters,

Example 1:

Example 2:

CEIE specialist

Demonstrating in depth capability in 1 area of speciality and capability in at least 2 of the other standard competencies.

Cluster specialist

Example:

1. Specialism in nature based solutions

2. Competence in adaptation and resilience

3. Competence in nature and environment

Cross-cluster specialist

Example 1:

Example 2:

Climate and Environment competency cluster

Climate and Environment Cluster Advisers provide technical expertise to inform and guide FCDO’s goal of driving international action to tackle climate change and reverse the declines in our natural world in ways that promote sustainable, inclusive, and climate resilient growth and poverty reduction. They understand the importance and urgency of action on climate and environment and have  the tools and networks to deliver outcomes in these areas. They ensure that climate and environment are fully integrated into the decision making, policies and programming of the FCDO.  

C&E Advisers recognise the fast changing, science, technology and political landscape of work in the climate, environment and nature sectors. As a result, they continue to develop their own capabilities and support the wider C&E community in FCDO, and in particular the C&E attaché network to develop their own capacity, so that that FCDO continues to have the knowledge and skills to address climate and environmental challenges now and into the future.

C&E competency 1: Low carbon growth and mitigation

Knowledge and practice areas:

• the evidence base: pathways needed to avoid dangerous climate change; sources, impacts, and measurement of emissions, and areas of uncertainty; the relationships between emissions and growth; target setting principles and practice, e.g. net-zero

• commitments and agreements: differentiated approaches to mitigation across countries; governance mechanisms (e.g. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP), systems and processes (e.g. NDCs), and the climate finance architecture; systems of climate governance at national level, and the regional and local factors that shape and inform these

• mechanisms: clean technologies, infrastructure, and carbon removals; natural resource sources and sinks including blue carbon; private finance (banking and investor) principles and mechanisms to stimulate low carbon growth

• barriers and incentives for change: market measures and distortions (e.g., fuel subsidies); carbon markets and credits; use of demand and supply-side interventions including investment and regulations; political-economy contexts; vested interests and role of elites

• use of available UK levers: design, delivery, and appraisal of development policy and ODA programme interventions; design and implementation of trade and diplomacy measures; maximising use of diplomatic networks and relationships; internal influencing to mainstream C&E; influencing across His Majesty’s Government; facilitating bilateral, regional, and multilateral agreements and negotiations

C&E competency 2: Nature and environment

Knowledge and practice areas:

• the evidence base: trends in biodiversity and natural resources, both terrestrial and marine, and consequences to society; direct and indirect human impacts and threats to nature and natural resources; systems of measurement and sources of data

• commitments and agreements: international, regional, multi-country agreements including legal frameworks and voluntary commitments for conservation and resource management; private sector commitments and standards (e.g. Environmental, Social, and Governance standards); targets, indicators, means of measurement, and reporting

• mechanisms: sustainable supply chains and circular economies; payment for ecosystem services; policy and regulatory approaches; carbon markets; community engagement and participatory practices; nature-based solutions; environmental safeguards; strategic and project-level impact assessments

• barriers and incentives for change: market measures and distortions (e.g. agricultural subsidies); integration and valuation of nature and environment, including externalities, in financial and economic systems; compliance, enforcement, and transparency; supply, demand, and financial influences on commodity and wildlife trade; political-economy contexts; vested interests and role of elites

• use of available UK levers: design, delivery, and appraisal of development policy and ODA programme interventions; design and implementation of trade and diplomacy measures; maximising use of diplomatic networks and relationships; internal influencing to mainstream C&E; influencing across His Majesty’s Government; facilitating bilateral, regional, and multilateral agreements and negotiations

C&E competency 3: Climate resilience and adaption

Knowledge and practice areas:

• the evidence base: the physical science basis for climate change; climate projections, variability, and uncertainty, how these translate into impacts through human sectors and ecosystems; climate impacts on poverty and prosperity, and the connection between prosperity and climate vulnerability; regional climate forecasts and risk assessments

• commitments and agreements: international agreements, frameworks, and mechanisms for adaptation; national planning processes; financial commitments and mechanisms; private sector initiatives on risk and resilience

• mechanisms: sector and project-level risk assessments across sectors (e.g. water, infrastructure, health); links to disaster risk reduction; the role of nature; integrating measures into policy and programme development, translating theory to practical implementation; technology and innovation; local engagement in planning processes

• barriers and incentives for change: role of data, systems, and human capacity to perform risk assessments and design adaptation plans; role of long-term planning; non-climate drivers of instability; effectiveness of and access to multilateral financing mechanisms

• use of available UK levers: design, delivery, and appraisal of development policy and ODA programme interventions; design and implementation of trade and diplomacy measures; maximising use of diplomatic networks and relationships; internal influencing to mainstream C&E; influencing across His Majesty’s Government; facilitating bilateral, regional, and multilateral agreements and negotiations

C&E specialisms

Recognised specialisms are listed below:

• biodiversity conservation and management
• climate science
• climate conflict and security
• climate diplomacy and policy influencing
• forestry, agriculture, and natural resource commodity supply chains
• gender and inclusion in climate policy and programming
• climate governance
• health and climate
• education and climate
• humanitarian response and climate resilience
• infrastructure (Resilience and Low carbon)
• climate security and Displacement
• nature based Solutions
• climate smart Private sector development and green finance
• social development and inclusion in climate and environment
• water resources management

Important notes:

• evidence for specialisms must demonstrate how knowledge and practice relates to one or more of the 3 standard competencies but also demonstrates distinction from them through a high degree of knowledge and practice in the specialist area. As an example, evidence of applying a limited set of economic tools and approaches to the natural environment would not constitute evidence of a specialism in Economics under this framework nor would it meet the requirements of the Nature and Environment standard competency

• as with the standard competencies, evidence of knowledge and practice should be supplied across the 5 areas of: the evidence base; commitments and agreements; mechanisms; barriers and incentives for change; use of available UK levers.

Infrastructure and Urban (I&U) competency cluster

Infrastructure and Urban Cluster Advisers identify and design I&U strategies, interventions and programmes that are evidence-based, suited to different contexts and support reform at scale. They understand the critical role that infrastructure and urban development play, as foundations for generating growth, eliminating poverty and opening up development opportunities for all. I&U cluster Advisers also recognise the critical contributions that infrastructure and urban development must make to reducing emissions and building resilience to climate change. They also apply their knowledge of equity and inclusion to maximise the impact of I&U investments on the poorest and most marginalised, especially women and girls and those with disabilities. 

They are also skilled at seeing opportunities to innovate and maximise the impacts of technology and innovation that needs to be made accessible to all to realise its development benefits.  Their I&U technical knowledge and professional standards are combined with political economy, relationship, and management skills to deliver effectively and uphold FCDO core values.

I&U Competency  1: infrastructure governance, planning and finance

Knowledge, application and practice areas:

• institutions (rules of the game): how to establish, work with the status quo and improve and reform the institutions for infrastructure at the global, regional, national and local levels. Understand the role of G7 and G20 infrastructure initiatives and other international actors such as the UN and its specialist bodies, the multilateral development bank (MDBs), the International Finance Corporation, OECD, multilateral and bilateral organisations and  regional bodies (e.g. African Union, Southern African Development Community (SADC), United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), etc.); PPIAF; infrastructure policy development and implementation; sector reform; UK departments and agencies working internationally

• instruments and mechanisms: how to meet the massive financing gap for infrastructure through a variety of means – public finance, debt (including bonds), equity, guarantees, funds, climate finance, public-private partnerships, private finance, blended finance, taxes tariffs and transfers; technical assistance; also recognising country-specific arrangements; the pitfalls of tied aid

• framing principles, issues and context response: how to frame FCDO response – alignment with the relevant international agreements ( e.g. Paris agreement) and FCDO partnership principles as it affects infrastructure; alignment with democracy and open societies; recognise Quality and Resilient Infrastructure Investment (Ise-Shima principles); apply Economic, Social and Governance (ESG) safeguards – especially to promote anti-corruption and inclusion mechanisms; the role of regulation and the importance of and approaches to national/sectoral/local planning; options for capacity building and self-financing; ensure safeguarding against sexual exploitation and abuse and harassment (SEAH); promotion of inclusive and participatory planning; use of digital twins; recognise infrastructure inter-dependencies and systems thinking; understand issues of scale, regional and transboundary infrastructure; use of context specific and practical Political Economy Analysis

• evidence of impact: how to demonstrate what does and does not work – FCDO Multilateral Aid Review and other similar reviews and the ‘Best Buys’ findings; refer to the work of others such as the International Growth Centre (IGC), Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI), MDB and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) evaluations as well as sector-specific bodies; familiarity with data sources, key research and think-tanks

• UK levers: how to make the most of what the UK can offer – professional bodies such as the - Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE); academia and its networks (e.g. UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC)); the UK’s consultant and contracting sectors; industry bodies and specialist agencies such as Transport for London or CrossRail; trade opportunities; civil society such as EAP and EWB as well as sector specific entities such as TransAid and WaterAid; Royal Academy of Engineering; diplomatic networks and relationships; other government departments; His Majesty’s Treasury, IPA; and long-standing UK collaborations in infrastructure and urban sectors in partner countries

I&U Competency  2: Infrastructure delivery and impacts

Knowledge, application and practice areas:

• institutions (rules of the game): how to support better delivery of infrastructure and outcomes for beneficiaries – the roles of external actors such as the MDBs, UK entities, and international and regional players as well as national and local governments and agencies; how national and sectoral planning is translated into strategies and budgeted plans and ultimately bankable projects; different roles of public and private sector; administration and devolved bodies, including regulators and monitoring bodies; private sector operators; watchdogs, consumers and media; to hold agencies to account.

• instruments and mechanisms: how finance is converted into assets – options for infrastructure and resilience delivery models and mechanisms and programme management, oversight and verification, public and private finance, public-private partnerships and special purpose vehicles, procurement processes, state-owned-enterprises, technical assistance, alternative and innovative instruments (BOOT) and similar arrangements, concessions; IPA’s 5-case business model; and operations of British International Investment (BII) and Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG) recognising country and project needs; economic ( e.g. cost-benefit) analysis and ensuring sound cash flows. Includes policies and mechanisms to ensure inclusion and provision for excluded groups e.g. lifeline tariffs

• framing principles, issues and context response: how we can support partner governments to frame and implement their approach – use of Private Sector Participation (PSP); applying ESG standards; use of Fédération Internationale des Ingénieurs Conseils (FIDIC), new engineering contracts and country-specific procurement; ensuring transparency and accountability (CoST); safeguarding and Health and Safety and EIAs and SEAs – and use of technical assistance for such approaches; approaches to the circular economy, energy efficiency and building standards. Includes: how we can support partner governments to improve outcomes –willingness to pay and willingness to charge, tariffs, customer surveys, safeguarding; Doing Business Surveys; affordability

• evidence of impact: how to demonstrate what does and does not work – implementers and utility performance; use of carbon accounting; project delivery reporting (on time and within budget); service delivery standards (e.g. maintenance spend/new construction ratios, staff/thousand water customers, wastewater water quality, power outages, road safety etc.). Includes, impacts on jobs, SMEs, service coverage, cost recovery as well as Doing Business Surveys; standard sector performance data (kWh generated, water supply l/c/d)

• UK levers: how to make the most of what the UK can offer – industry, trade bodies, professional bodies; the UK’s consultant and contracting sectors; UK other government departments and agencies; IPA; academic networks and think tanks and civil society. Includes research organisations, and civil society; accountability and transparency organisations (e.g. CoST)

I&U Competency  3: Urban governance, delivery and impacts

Knowledge, application and practice areas:

• institutions (rules of the game): how to produce liveable cities – national ministries and local government; town planners and regulators; the UN (Habitat) and the MDBs; community and civil society groups including representatives of the urban poor, other international actors such as C40, IIED, Cities Alliance, SDI and WRI; the Resilience Shift; greening urban and infrastructure development, infrastructure sector agencies and coordination between the national, provincial, sectoral and local

• instruments and mechanisms: how to finance urban development and management – national financing frameworks, fiscal transfers, revenue generation, taxes and tariffs – property, business rates, land-based financing mechanisms – land pricing and management

• framing principles: how we can support partner cities and municipalities –decentralization; rural-urban links; urban land tenure and land markets, understanding different needs of megacities, growing economies, secondary cities, small towns, locations vulnerable to rising sea-levels, stressed cities (e.g. through drought); safeguarding requirements; slum upgrading; housing; sponge cities; smart cities, urban renewal and heritage protection

• evidence of impact: how to demonstrate what does and does not work – service delivery standards and coverage; population surveys; Doing Business Surveys

• UK levers: how to make the most of what the UK can offer – Royal Institute of British Architects, British Engineering Advisory Group (BEAG), Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), research and academia, local government associations

Infrastructure and urban specialisms

Deep sector knowledge or experience in specific infrastructure sectors and relevant professional areas:

• transport including road, rail, marine and air

• water, support IWRM and basin management and infrastructure including dam, irrigation etc

• waste management, energy from waste and waste-water management

• ICT, cyber, telecoms, infrastructure

• engineering and infrastructure in emergencies and humanitarian

• structural engineering including seismic risk management

• corruption and transparency in the infrastructure sectors

• strategic infrastructure planning

• labour based and community infrastructure approaches

• health and safety and decent labour

• extractive industries and supply chains

• urban planning and governance

• subnational finance for urban development

• in climate smart and low carbon urban development

• urban inclusion including in-migration and informal settlements

Energy competency cluster

Energy cluster advisers in the FCDO understand the global energy landscape and energy’s role in supporting modern society and economies. This includes energy supply’s role as the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions, and land, air and water pollution. Expertise also covers how to accelerate the transition from fossil fuel to clean energy systems to deliver global net zero and deliver clean energy to all.  Advisers also understand that the transition will require new skills and new international collaborations and will shift geopolitical and trade relationships. Energy Cluster advisers also recognise that access to secure, clean and affordable energy is essential to development and poverty reduction. Energy cluster advisors also understand the need for private sector participation and investment in the energy sector including effective markets, energy tariffs and fiscal incentives for performance and decarbonisation.

To deliver successfully across the FCDO energy objectives, CEIE advisers will need to think strategically to understand and integrate energy concerns with climate and sustainability, social and economic development, fragility, security and geopolitics, and trade and investment.

Energy competency 1: Energy security

Knowledge and practice areas:

• the evidence base: energy markets in a globalised world and the way they underpin security of supply and affordability; incentives to ensure markets function and the role of Governments in shaping them; economic and social impacts of market disruptions; the opportunities and risk to energy security of resource imbalance; levers to deal with market disruptions; clean energy supply chains, critical minerals, and associated risks and benefits; methods for building energy diplomacy relationships; Understanding the role of Critical National Infrastructure, ownership, access in providing energy security; UK-international energy supply/demand balances

• commitments and agreements: government energy security policy, including that of the UK; energy in agreements at COP, G7, G20, OPEC, WTO and IEA; IEA stocking policy; how countries’ (include the EU’s) energy policy impacts the UK; the role of sanctions in energy security

• mechanisms: horizon scanning and risk based approaches to geopolitics and energy security; defining strategic (G2G and G2B) energy security relationships; role of policy in facilitating markets; infrastructure and markets such as UK international interconnections; North Sea Oil and Gas supply status; UK Renewable Energy sector status and growth including Off-Shore Wind, On-Shore Wind, Hydro, Solar and Marine; international oil and liquid natural gas markets (technical sub-themes)

• barriers and incentives for change: OPEC and fossil fuel energy cartels; fossil fuel prices and international markets; malign actors, global conflict, and competition; industry structure and market dominant industry players such as national oil corporations; access to finance for large scale energy projects; environmental, social and governance risk (governance, finance, economics)

• use of available UK levers: Strategic Energy Dialogues with energy partner countries; UK’s relationship with IEA and similar organisations; UK consulting expertise in the energy sector analysis and development; UK academic expertise, horizon scanning and scenario modelling; the diplomatic network; UK government policy and industry expertise in the North Sea oil and gas sector and on Critical National Infrastructure Ownership

Energy competency 2: energy transition

Knowledge and practice areas:

• the evidence base: emissions and transition status of the energy sector by technology and geography; remaining hard to abate energy end-use sectors; the C&E impacts of various energy vectors; areas of most progress and most likely potential transitions in different contexts and the potential need for whole system changes; the role of the private and public sectors in the energy transition and of Net Zero strategies

• commitments and agreements: countries’ energy transition policies, including NDCs and UK and international COP energy and Net Zero Commitments; Mission Innovation and the Breakthrough Agenda; the UK’s membership of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA); the Just and Inclusive Transition and related international declarations and statements including the Powering Past Coal Alliance; UK Government international climate and energy commitments including the Global Clean Power Alliance (governance)

• mechanisms: Renewable Energies including wind, solar, hydro, marine, bioenergy; energy efficiency including appliances, carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and industrial decarbonisation; green grids, regional power pools, and the stable transmission and distribution of clean energy; energy storage and hydrogen; renewable energy project development, independent power producers and related contracting considerations including take or pay; ESCOs and payments for services and regulatory/standards-based approaches to energy efficiency; circular economy and tackling eWaste from energy equipment; the role and implications of nuclear; critical minerals and their role in the energy transition (technical sub-themes)

• barriers and incentives for change: energy tariffs, costs and subsidy regimes; carbon markets as relating to energy; energy transition policy levers and commercial structures such as feed in-tariffs, auctions and contracts for difference; power sector reform and unbundling, and their relation to transition; the political economy of existing fossil fuel supply chains and the barriers to transition, including coal phase out

• use of available UK levers: the UK offer on energy including of ICF from Ayrton R&D and innovation, to policy technical assistance (TA) to British Investment Partnership investment instruments; UK trade levers including UK Export Finance; the UK energy and climate attaché network and their relation to energy; domestic energy transition expertise including in regulation transition, offshore wind, CCUS, hydrogen, O&G transition, decommissioning and energy storage, understanding of UK Fossil Fuel Policy as lever for transition

Energy competency 3:  Energy access

Knowledge and practice areas:

• the evidence base: Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) tracking data and where progress on affordable, reliable, modern and sustainable energy access is being achieved and where it is lagging; the Multi-Tier Framework of energy access and levels/quality of access; the data specific to modern cooking access, including gender-related impacts; the role of energy access in achieving a just and inclusive transition

• commitments and agreements: SDG7 Compacts and policy commitments on energy access by country and sector; the positions of key MDBs, International organisations and industry associations on energy access including the World Bank, AfDB, GOGLA, AMDA, and SE4ALL; UK energy access commitments and related UK policy documents

• mechanisms: distributed renewable energy approaches, including household solar and mini-grids; modern cooking technologies including electric, LPG, and biogas; the energy access landscape from rural electrification agencies, regulators, and Ministries of Energy to national utilities, the private sector, and users; reaching the poorest and the social uses of energy such as in healthcare, schools and humanitarian settings; productive and economic uses of energy and approaches to develop them; urban energy access, grid-connected mini-grids and beneath the grid connections; energy efficient off-grid/solar powered appliances and last-mile distributors; local participation and leadership in energy access projects

• barriers and incentives for change: results and outcomes-based financing and other rural electrification incentive approaches; cost-reflective tariffs and the role of cross-subsidy; the economics of rural electrification; carbon and impact revenues and their applicability to clean cooking; leave no-one behind and the role of social protection and transfers; local production of energy equipment and green jobs

• use of available UK levers: The ICF energy access portfolio including centrally managed and country programmes; the UK’s capability and role in international energy access; the UK’s voice and influence in MDBs and the UN system; UK relationships with key industry bodies; UK expert NGOs and sector-leading enterprises and equipment suppliers

Energy specialisms

Specialisms include:

• energy sector scenarios and energy transitions

• energy access: including distributed renewable energies (DRE), clean cooking and enabling policies and mechanisms to deliver sustainable energy access for all

• renewable energy: technologies, policies and markets

• fossil fuels markets and geo-politics

• power sector reform: utilities, ministries, regulators, and the private sector

• energy in humanitarian, fragile and conflict affected contexts

• energy technology and innovation:  energy storage, hydrogen, CCUS enabling technology for greening the grid etc

• energy legislation and agreements: sanctions, power trade global conventions etc

• energy project finance, risk mitigation and deal structuring

• critical minerals: geopolitics, supply chains, resources for energy transitions and fossil fuels

Important notes:

• evidence for specialisms must demonstrate how knowledge and practice relates to the standard competencies but also demonstrates distinction from them through a high degree of knowledge and practice in the specialist area

• as with the standard competencies, evidence of knowledge and practice should be supplied across the same competency areas: the evidence base; commitments and agreements; mechanisms; barriers and incentives for change; use of available UK levers

Assessing capability

Assessments will be based around a review of evidence that describes the extent of knowledge and expertise applicants hold in the relevant competencies, and also against capability levels from the FCDO Capability Framework: Awareness, Foundation, Practitioner, and Expert (within Expert, the HoPs Group differentiate between Expert and Senior Expert).  Note that, particularly for Senior Expert level, consideration will be given to candidates’ ability to give high-quality demonstration of technical leadership and an ability to communicate and influence in their evidence.

Practitioner:

• strong and confident day to day application of capability across CEIE competency areas in common or standard situations but may need to seek expert support on more complex issues

• holds relevant CEIE experience^{[footnote 3]} and may be augmented by a formal qualification of direct relevance

• minimum level required in order to be a member of the Cadre – successful technical assessment dependent on fulfilling criteria in the technical competency framework

Expert:

• recognised for CEIE specialist or technical knowledge and/or skill, underpinned by extensive experience applying it in practice on complex issues; connected with other experts

• holds significant relevant CEIE experience^{[footnote 3]} and likely to be augmented by a formal qualification of direct relevance

• successful technical assessment dependent on fulfilling all stated criteria in the CEIE technical assessment

Senior Expert:

• recognised for deep specialist or technical knowledge and/or skill, underpinned by extensive experience applying it in practice on complex issues; connected with other experts
• holds very significant relevant CEIE experience^{[footnote 3]} and likely to be augmented by one or more formal qualifications of direct relevance
• evidence of applying specialist knowledge and skill as well as displaying leadership qualities in a range of contexts.
• accreditation dependent on fulfilling all stated CEIE criteria in the TCF and assessment against 2 Civil Service Behaviours: Leadership and Communicating and Influencing at level 4 or above

A range of sources of evidence can be used by applicants to support their applications for accreditation and to demonstrate their technical skills.

Examples of sources of evidence include:

• a CV
• examples of technical skills being used in situation, task, action, result format
• work-based training including 10% cadre contribution
• qualification
• self-directed study
• professional development record or learning log
• project report
• published or peer-reviewed papers/dissertation
• membership of a relevant professional body

Accreditation assessments will take into account the entire academic and professional history of a candidate and not rely solely on their most recent post.

Assessment framework

The table below sets out the framework for how capability will be assessed at the competency level. The framework is based around the standard 1 to7 scoring system used for Civil Service recruitments.  During an accreditation round, the sift panel will agree a pass mark for all competencies.  This could be, for example, 4.  A sift will score all competencies at or above the pass mark for an applicant to pass from sift to interview.  If a candidate applies for a level and does not pass, the sift panel can at their discretion agree whether they might still pass at a lower level.  For example, an applicant might apply at ‘Expert’ level.  During the sift the panel might not pass them on all competencies, but after discussion agree to progress them to interview at ‘Practitioner’ level. 

Prior to interviews, the interview panel will again set a pass mark for all elements of the assessment.  An interviewee must score higher than the pass mark in all areas to be considered for accreditation.  If a candidate applies for a level and does not pass, the interview panel can at their discretion accredit the candidate at a lower level.  Candidates who pass at a particular level cannot be considered for accreditation at a higher level, regardless of their scores.  They must re-apply for accreditation at a higher level in a future accreditation round.  The full set of accreditation requirements are specified in ‘Section 5’.

Standard scoring for assessment

Score	Classification	Definition
7	Outstanding Demonstration	The evidence provided wholly exceeds expectation at this level
6	Strong Demonstration	Substantial positive evidence; includes some evidence of exceeding expectations at this level
5	Good Demonstration	Substantial positive evidence of the competency or behaviour
4	Acceptable Demonstration	Adequate positive evidence and any negative evidence would not cause concern
3	Moderate Demonstration	Moderate positive evidence but some negative evidence demonstrated
2	Minimal Demonstration	Limited positive evidence and/or mainly negative evidence demonstrated
1	Not Demonstrated	No positive evidence and/or substantial negative evidence demonstrated

Routes to accreditation

There are 3 pathways to accredit to the CEIE cadre:

Cluster pathway

Demonstration that knowledge and practice meets the requirement for Senior Expert, Expert or Practitioner in all 3 standard competencies in a cluster

Specialist pathway

Demonstration that knowledge and practice meets the requirement for Senior Expert, Expert or Practitioner in a specialism and acceptable demonstration of knowledge in 2 of the 3 other standard competencies

Cross cluster pathway

Demonstration that knowledge and practice meets the requirement for Senior Expert^{[footnote 4]}, Expert or Practitioner in 3 standard competencies across 2 or more clusters or specialist knowledge in one cluster and knowledge in 2 of the other standard competences from any of the clusters. Those assessed as being accredited at Senior Expert, Expert or Practitioner are considered to be accredited to the CEIE cadre.

Those assessed as being accredited at Senior Expert, Expert or Practitioner are considered to be accredited to the CEIE cadre.

The table below illustrates the routes to accreditation as set out above.

Cluster category	Competence 1	Competence 2	Competence 3	Specialism
Climate and environment	Low carbon growth and mitigation	Nature and environment	Climate resilience and adaptation	See C&E competencies
Infrastructure and urban	Infra. governance and finance	Infra. delivery and impacts	Urban governance and delivery	See I & U competencies
Energy	Energy security	Energy transition	Energy access	See energy competencies

Cluster category	Competence	Specialism
Cross-cluster accreditation	Competency in any 3 of the 9 competency areas	CEIE specialism plus evidence in any 2 other areas

Career progression pathways

The cadre supports development of CEIE capacity and learning to ensure an understating of CEIE issues across  FCDO using the 5 level FCDO Capability framework. The table below summarises the 5 levels of technical understanding and experience required at each level for CEIE and how this relates to CEIE cadre accreditation. FCDO is committed to supporting the development of in-house expertise by supporting the development of CEIE capacity to progress to full accreditation.

Competency	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3	Level 4	Level 5
Description	Awareness Basic knowledge Ability to access the Network	Foundation Limited technical knowledge Active in the CEIE network	Practitioner Technical knowledge in some areas Contributes to CEIE network content	Expert Technical leadership. Key expert for network	Senior expert Thought leader and high level advice Leads network in areas of expertise
Accreditation	N/A	Affiliate	Accredited	Accredited	Accredited
Typical Grade[footnote 5]	NA	HEO	HEO/SEO	SEO/G7	G7/G6