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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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Policy
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About the job
Job summary
This is an exciting time to join the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The work we do has a real impact on jobs and growth across the United Kingdom. Our mission is to help businesses export, drive inward and outward investment, negotiate market access and trade deals, and to advocate free trade. We are an international department based in 108 countries, and we work closely with our colleagues worldwide.
We are seeking two enthusiastic and diligent policy leads in the Market Distorting Practices and Economic Coercion Team for this fast-paced, high-profile area, supporting Departmental priorities to secure world class free trade agreements (FTAs) and protect UK businesses from unfair practices. The role will be in the Trade & Competition sub-team, where we work to ensure open and fair competition for UK businesses by developing policy, resolving market access barriers, and negotiating commitments with trading partners on subsidies, state-owned enterprises and competition policy.
This is an exciting area of policy. You will need to be proactive, dynamic, able to balance competing priorities and problem-solve. While you do not need specific knowledge of trade policy or the regulatory environment, you will need to become an expert quickly. You will also need to be able to express technical arguments in a manner that is easy for non-experts to understand. You will need to confidently collaborate with Government departments and businesses to identify UK interests, leverage support for policy positions, and help formulate UK strategy for negotiations and other international engagement.
Our team is vibrant, hardworking and collaborative. We pay special attention to providing training and support needed to allow individuals to excel. We recognise the importance of professional and personal growth and will encourage you to develop your skills and trade knowledge.
Job description
These positions are high-profile and stretching roles for an SEO supporting DBT in bilateral and multilateral policy work. They will be supported in doing this by their G7 line manager, colleagues in our expert and specialised team as well as by country, analytical, legal and sectoral experts in the wider Department.
The team puts a premium on learning and development and would encourage the successful candidate to be self-reflective and to regularly consider how they can develop and improve. The team helps each other in doing this and encourages innovation.
1. Senior Policy Advisor Multilateral subsidies & SOEs
Key accountabilities include:
- Developing subsidies and SOEs trade policy that is consistent with the UKs domestic and international priorities, particularly on subsidies in support of the green transition. Creating an evidence-base for positions, including for country-specific negotiations or bilateral/multilateral engagement.
- Working closely with colleagues across Government to develop joined up policy and ensure analysis of information from a wide variety of sources.
- Developing a deep understanding of negotiation and policy issues, contribute to development of strategies and, in time, potentially participate in bilateral/multilateral engagement.
- Analysing the needs of businesses and consumers and develop recommendations in a rapidly changing environment.
- Advising how technical outcomes from negotiations or bilateral/multilateral work relate to real-world business impacts and communicate this in a way that businesses understand.
- Writing briefings and other materials related to policy areas for Ministers and senior officials.
- Commissioning legal and other analytical advice to inform our policy positions.
2. Senior Policy Advisor Implementation and Bilateral Trade Relationships policy
Key accountabilities include:
- Ensuring that processes are in place to implement FTA commitments in UK law and operational practice.
- Responsibility for the UKs state-owned enterprises listing obligations, as set out in our FTAs.
- Leading on bilateral engagement in competition, subsidies and state-owned enterprises, including by developing our policy positions on these areas in bilateral enhanced trade partnerships.
- Analysing the needs of businesses and consumers and develop recommendations in a rapidly changing environment.
- Advising how technical outcomes from negotiations or bilateral/multilateral work relate to real-world business impacts and communicate this in a way that businesses understand.
- Writing briefings and other materials related to policy areas for Ministers and senior officials.
- Commissioning legal and other analytical advice to inform our policy positions.
3. Senior Policy Advisor Deputy Chapter Lead
- Developing trade policy on State-Owned Enterprises, Subsidies, Consumer Protection, and Competition that is consistent with the UKs domestic and international priorities. Creating an evidence-base for positions, including for country-specific negotiations or bilateral/multilateral engagement.
- Working closely with colleagues across Government to develop joined up policy and ensure analysis of information from a wide variety of sources.
- Developing a deep understanding of negotiation and policy issues, contribute to development of strategies and, in time, potentially participate in bilateral/multilateral engagement.
- Analysing the needs of businesses and consumers and develop recommendations in a rapidly changing environment.
- Advising how technical outcomes from negotiations or bilateral/multilateral work relate to real-world business impacts and communicate this in a way that businesses understand.
- Writing briefings and other materials related to policy areas for Ministers and senior officials.
- Commissioning legal and other analytical advice to inform our policy positions.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Experience of working with and coordinating decision-making across a wide range of stakeholders with diverse views.
- Ability to drive forward own work proactively and independently, paying attention to detail on complex issues while often working at pace to tight deadlines.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to persuade and influence others.
- You are a strong team player who is flexible and proactive and can work across organisational boundaries.
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge or experience of trade policy.
- Ability to compile, assimilate, interpret and present evidence to build options and make recommendations and decisions, drawing upon experts as appropriate.
The ideal candidate will have the analytical skills to get into the detail of multilateral and bilateral trade agreements, trade policy issues and challenges facing UK businesses. You will need to be happy with learning and operating autonomously with limited supervision. You will need to have the problem-solving and organisational skills to lead policy development in a complex area.
You will need strong interpersonal and communication skills to support work with domestic and foreign colleagues. You will also need to be able to persuade and influence others to create collaborative solutions, sometimes in the face of sustained opposition.
In pursuing your objectives, you will be enthusiastic about developing yourself and others around you. You will prioritise effectively to meet competing needs and support colleagues at critical times. You will be flexible and ready to take on new challenges as the teams goals evolve.
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Benefits
£10,633 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%
We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) 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.
Please refer to the attached candidate pack for further information on our benefits.
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.
To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
- A Personal Statement of up to 500 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.
It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date though this is subject to change.
In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Vetting
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.
Reasonable Adjustments
We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:
Complete the Assistance required section on the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.
Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.
Candidate Support
You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.
Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.
Further Information:
- A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.
- Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
- The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
- 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. Any applicant who has 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.
- Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
- Please note the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/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
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 : Hefin Davies
- Email : Hefin.Davies@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@businessandtrade.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
