Senior Policy Manager

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Are you looking for an opportunity to make your mark on a challenging policy area that aims to bring about a sustainable future of transport?

Do you want a chance to prove and hone your skills in building evidence, influencing decision making, and collaborating across multiple stakeholder groups?

Do you have an eye for detail and ability to communicate complex information to multiple audiences?

If so, we have a great opportunity for you in the Systems team, and we’d love to hear from you!

This is a fantastic role in the Systems and Strategy Division (SyStra), part of the Future Transport System and Environment (FTSE) Directorate. Our purpose is to ensure that DfT can create a sustainable transport future. We do this by considering systems-level enablers to drive innovation, incentivise outcomes, and support decision-making.

We are looking for a highly-driven individual that is able to bring together multiple stakeholders across Government, academia and industry to build evidence and understanding around the future of transport. This role is essential to helping us to meet DfT’s strategic aims, including our Net Zero and wider environmental commitments, improving transport for the user, and growing the economy.

The jobholder will lead research and cross-cutting projects that aim to find new and innovative ways to enable sustainable travel choices. You will be expected to operate independently and proactively, taking ownership over research projects, including leading on a flagship, multi-million pound research hub on the theme of mitigating and adapting to climate change. You will need to be comfortable working in ambiguity, and confident in developing plans to bring clarity to uncertain situations.

Strong influencing skills and the ability to build consensus among a diverse range of stakeholders are a must. The jobholder will be expected to work with ministers, senior leaders at director-level and above, private offices, spads, and colleagues across a range of disciplines.

Responsibilities

Key accountabilities of the role include:

• Developing and implementing systems approaches to solving complex problems that DfT faces in delivering is strategic aims on reducing environmental impacts, as well as improving transport for the user and growing the economy.
• Leading research focussed on enabling sustainable travel choices by expanding the breadth, flexibility, and convenience of options available to users.
• Leading the Secretariat for the Sustainable Transport Choices Working Group.
• Working closely with colleagues across ‘Future Transport Systems and Environment’ directorate and beyond to embed the benefits of sustainable travel choices into DfT strategies as well as analytical tools and decision-making. This includes supporting the implementation of environmental reporting into DfT’s most senior investment board.

For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.

You will have a strong professional background with experience of developing evidence to support policy making and guide strategic direction. You will have a strong awareness of how your work fits into the bigger picture and the ability to apply systems thinking to find creative solutions to complex, cross-cutting problems.

Confident and strong communication skills – with the ability to explain complex issues clearly and concisely, verbally and in You can draw together and present reasonable conclusions from a wide range of incomplete and variable evidence and data – able to act or make decisions even when details are not clear, presenting complex evidence with clarity and authority to influence decisions and promote the value of analysis in decision making.

You will be able to work collaboratively, building and leveraging strong networks – within government and beyond – to deliver their objectives. You will have experience influencing a broad range of stakeholders and reconciling their competing priorities. You will recognise the importance of individual responsibility and help to foster a culture of empowerment, autonomy, and mutual support within the team.

Additional Information

A minimum of 40% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance.

For more information on the role, please contact:

Vacancy Holder –  Tom McLenachan via email tom.mclenachan@dft.gov.uk or Kirsty Austin –  Kirsty.Austin@dft.gov.uk

Please note Tom McLenachan will be on leave from 16th October – 6th November, in his absence please contact  Kirsty Austin. 

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it’s like working at the Department for Transport

Job contact :

• Name : Tom Mclenachan
• Email : tom.mclenachan@dft.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk