UK NSTA Looking for New CFO

The UK’s North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) announced, in a statement posted on its site on Friday, that it is looking for a new Chief Financial Officer and Director of Corporate Functions.

The job will be based in Aberdeen, Scotland, according to a link to the job description  included in the statement, which highlighted that the NSTA’s hybrid work scheme “includes an expectation for staff to spend 40 percent of their time in the office around business requirements”. The description showed that the job comes with an annual salary of GBP 172,644 ($233,318).

According to the description, the closing date for applications is May 7. First round Interviews will take place in Aberdeen in the week commencing May 18 and second round interviews will take place in Aberdeen in the week commencing June 1, the description revealed.

“The NSTA is recruiting a new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) & Director of Corporate Functions to provide strategic leadership and oversight of financial management and of several established vital corporate functions including digital and data,” the job description noted.

“The postholder will ensure robust financial stewardship, modern and efficient corporate services, and contribute as a key member of the NSTA Board and Leadership Team including providing the principle advice and support to the Chief Executive in their role as the Accounting Officer, responsible to Parliament, and acting when needed as the Deputy Accounting Officer,” it added.

“As the CFO, a key priority for the successful candidate will be to ensure the NSTA continues to have a clear financial strategy and sound financial structure. You will ensure the integrity of all financial services including delivery, analysis, controls and internal and external reporting is of the highest quality and robust. Additional responsibilities with regards to fraud prevention and financial auditing fall within your remit,” it continued.

“The role has direct line management responsibilities for the Head of Finance, Chief Digital Officer, Chief Data Officer and Head of Corporate Services and Program Delivery. The Directorate currently comprises of c50 staff,” it said.

“As we work with government to respond to the North Sea Future Plan, we are reviewing potential further activities that may be overseen by this role, all of which will be discussed with the successful candidate,” the description went on to state.

In the statement posted on its site, the NSTA said “there couldn’t be a more important time to work in energy”.

“Ensuring that the UK has the energy we need is at the top of the agenda for government and industry, and there is a massive role for oil and gas, carbon storage and hydrogen - all of which are regulated and enabled by the North Sea Transition Authority,” it added.

“This is also a great time to join the NSTA; the government plans to expand our role, giving us enhanced powers and wider responsibilities, and we are reviewing the shape of our organization and our priorities to be ready for that next chapter,” it continued.

“The new CFO and Director of Corporate Functions will play a vital part in that, and will provide strategic leadership of financial management and several other key functions as well as being a key member of the board and the leadership team,” it highlighted.

In a statement posted on its site on Monday, the NSTA announced the appointment of Ian Chisholm, Mitch Flegg, and Rebecca Wiles as non-executive directors.

“Each one of them bring many years of senior experience and achievement, both with the oil and gas and offshore energy industries, and further afield and we look forward to benefiting from that in our ongoing work,” that statement said.

“We would also like to record our real gratitude to Iain Lanaghan who is stepping down after six years on the board. He has made an enormous contribution to our work and to the industry,” it added.

The NSTA licenses, regulates, and influences the UK oil and gas, offshore hydrogen, and carbon storage industries, the organization’s website states.

“We support UK energy security, drive emissions reduction from UK supplies, and help accelerate the transition to net zero to realize the potential of the North Sea as an integrated energy basin,” it adds.

The NSTA has day to day operational independence from the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and undertakes its activities in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, the NSTA’s site states. The UK Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero sets the overall policy and legislative framework within which the NSTA operates and is ultimately responsible to Parliament for the NSTA, the site highlights.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com