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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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International Trade
Policy
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About the job
Job summary
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is the department for economic growth. We support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country.
We are the Global Futures Group – DBTs internal think tank within its Ministerial Strategy Directorate. Our role is to advance the most pressing long-term issues facing the department with impactful evidence and policy advice. The team is made up of around 20 colleagues who are driven by delivering impactful work that improves the world we live in and who create a kind, diverse and inspiring team spirit.
The role leads the Foresight and Green Strategy team. That team covers an exciting dual portfolio. Across that portfolio, you will be responsible for providing vision and leadership to a multi-disciplinary team of seven. Although the team includes established functions, its breadth means there is considerable autonomy for the roleholder to shape its direction and so will appeal to those looking to innovate.
On one side, the team is responsible for the development, governance, and oversight of DBTs Green Strategy. This strategy defines how the Department will use its policy levers to help accelerate the green transition overseas and maximise the growth opportunities of the transition for businesses at home. You and your team will also play a major role in scanning the horizon for new environmental policy issues that pose risks or offer opportunities for the Department to show leadership. Key to the role will be coming up with policy solutions to new challenges and convening representatives from across Government to agree how best to respond. You will need to develop evidence-based arguments to drive our future approach and ensure that we are active in engaging across Whitehall and the wider green policy community.
The other side of the team the Foresight function generates qualitative research and horizon scans to identify the emerging technologies, scientific innovations and geopolitical scenarios that could disrupt the future of the UK economy. Working closely with the Analytical Grade 6 in the group, your role will be to help to develop a work programme that drives the think-tanks efforts to ensure that DBTs strategic choices are underpinned by a forward-looking perspective. Your team will work to develop the evidence base for Department for International Trade’s (DITs) long-term thinking on a range of complex issues, which recently have ranged from the future of multilateralism to the role of science and tech in trade.
Job description
- Strategic Leadership You will be adept at identifying the long-term strategic questions facing the department, both around climate and more broadly, and be able to deploy your team flexibly to address those questions. You will also have a keen interest in climate and economic policy and pro-actively track the frontiers of thinking to help spot opportunities and risks to the UK.
- Project management and delivery You will be expected to lead high-profile projects, at times concurrently, on a range of issues. You will be comfortable directing projects using multidisciplinary teams and a range of research techniques to generate insight. That includes a willingness to engage with both qualitative and quantitative analysis generated by the team to answer strategic questions.
- Stakeholder management you will be prominent in the teams engagement with both Whitehalls climate and futures ecosystem. That includes building networks to join up activity and docking into latest thinking as well as representing DBTs views with other departments, in particular with DESNZ, DSIT, FCDO and Cabinet Office.
- People Management and Leadership: You will oversee 7 members of staff including direct line management of three Grade 7 Team Leaders. You will help your team reach their full potential through pro-active management and leading by example. You will also coach others in the group as well as the wider Ministerial Strategy Directorate, as projects will often involve working closely with other teams.
Working patterns
You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas.
Informal hybrid working arrangements will be available as agreed with the vacancy manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Most DBT employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in an office, on average.
If your office location is London, you will be eligible to receive London weighting.
Appointments will be made to candidates in merit order based on location preferences.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Experience in economic policy making, allowing you to apply your own knowledge and curiosity to solve complex policy problems.
- Numerate and comfortable drawing on quantitative and qualitative analysis to make evidence-based arguments.
- Leadership experience of managing and developing a team.
- Experience of policy development.
- Drafting and presentation skills.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience in climate policy, either within the Civil Service or externally.
- Experience of working in a fast-moving, changing environment.
- Experience of strategy work.
Personal Attributes & Skills
We are looking for a self-starter and innovative thinker able to engage with and bring evidence to bear on a range of strategic questions.
You will be an eloquent communicator, who is skilled at drawing out key messages from analysis and presenting them in a way that engages senior audiences.
You will be an empathetic leader, able to build relationships, inspire and bring people along with you, and lead and manage a high-performing team.
You will be effective in managing diverse workstreams and be able to prioritise and effectively manage across multiple projects simultaneously. You will also be comfortable working in a fast-paced policy-making environment and be able to flexibly adjust your work priorities in the face of emerging demands.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Benefits
£16,889 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.
Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.
Sift will take place week commencing 15/09/2023
Interviews will take place week commencing 25/09/2023
At interview stage you will be assessed on 3 behaviours:
- Leadership
- Developing Self and Others
- Making Effective Decisions
As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and a Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please align your CV with previous skills and experience. Equivalent of 2 A4 pages.
In your Personal Statement, please explain your motivation for applying for this role and the extent to which you satisfy the essential and desirable requirements of the role. Maximum word count of 500.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the CV. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
If you are offered an interview, you will be asked to give a short (5-7 minute) presentation. You will receive further details for the presentation prior to the interview to prepare.
For this role, the Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. Please note we are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI. If location is in England will be DBS, Scotland will be Disclosure Scotland & Northern Ireland will be Access NI on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk
For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicants details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Please note the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
The Department for Business & Trade embraces and values diversity in all forms. We welcome and pride ourselves on the positive impact diversity has on the work we do, and we promote equality of opportunity throughout the organisation.
Please note harmonised terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Further Information
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.
Any move to the Department for Business & Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service via dbtrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
- Complete the Assistance required section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Vetting Requirements – SC
All security clearances require you to provide evidence of your UK footprint where you have been physically present in the UK.
The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years.
Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.
If you require SC clearance you will need to provide evidence of the below requirements.
Checks will be made against:
- Departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
- UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
- Your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
- Security Services records
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Mathew Sim
- Email : Mathew.Sim@businessandtrade.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dbtrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email: Resourcing@trade.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.
For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints.
