Head of International Relations

Background: The UK Space Agency: 

The UK Space Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and provides technical advice on the government’s space strategy, supporting the UK space sector to deliver the government’s vision. 

Space is a part of everyday life. Satellites underpin our national economy, from agriculture and banking to aviation and shipping, and support our national security. Space science provides critical data to understand and address global challenges such as climate change, while missions to explore our solar system unite nations and advance humanity’s horizons. 

We support a thriving space sector in the UK, which generates an annual income of £16.5 billion and employs 47,000 people across the country. 

Through our portfolio of programmes and projects, we encourage the development of national space capabilities and are an early-stage investor in space research and development.  We also promote the UK space sector’s interests and achievements; make connections to join up industry and academia; and represent the UK in international space programmes. 

We have a powerful global voice, partnering with institutions across the world, including the European Space Agency. 

More information about the Agency is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-space-agency 

To discover more please watch this film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbZZ-o0IkVU

Our Inclusive Environment

We have an inclusive culture to make UK Space Agency a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.

We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.

We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion.

The Head of International Relations will provide senior leadership and oversight of all the UK Space Agency programmes, activities and engagements with an international element (outside of ESA), providing strategic advice to DSIT on delivery routes to meet overall HMG strategic space priorities.

The post holder will lead a team of country experts who manage relationships across the globe to deliver on HMG space objectives. They will also be responsible for ensuring the effective delivery of the International Bilateral Fund, the Agency’s flagship programme for international strategic partnerships.

Alongside these wider objectives the post holder will lead the international relations team through a period of change as the Integrated Transformation Programme concludes and ways of working are amended.

Key Responsibilities:

• Working closely with DSIT and DBT, identifying and developing opportunities for bilateral cooperation with space agencies worldwide.
• Overseeing the successful delivery of the International Bilateral Fund.
• Coordinating and, where appropriate, leading the UK Space Agency’s participation in multilateral space organisations such as the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) and international events such as the Space Symposium.
• In support of the UK Space Agency Integrated Transformation Programme, helping to ensure the successful implementation of the design principles and frameworks as they are developed.
• Developing strategic policy advice to support DSIT and informing wider government engagement priorities.
• Managing a diverse and high-performing team which deliver international objectives on behalf of the agency.
• The post holder needs to be available for frequent and prolonged travel to international countries.

Skills, Knowledge, Experience and Qualifications:

• Leadership: The job holder must be able to lead and manage a high-profile portfolio and communicate about space in an engaging manner to senior audiences.
• Communicating and Influencing: The job holder must be able to communicate the value of our international partnerships using a variety of communications channels. They must also be able to influence stakeholders to support HMG objectives.
• Making Effective Decisions: Experience of working with evidence, including converting complicated information into simple policy lines for a lay audience.
• Working together: The job holder needs to have considerable experience of dealing with a wide range of high-level stakeholders.
• Experience of leading international meetings and negotiations would be an advantage but not essential as training can be given.
• Job holder must have experience managing a diverse team of subject matter experts.
• An Interest and passion for space is also desirable.

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

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

UK Space Agency offers a competitive mix of benefits including:

A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.

Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.

An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.

Access to a range of retail, travel, and lifestyle employee discounts.

A generous maternity/paternity and adoption leave package.

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance of attendance in the workplace (your permanent duty station which is based on business assessment of where the work is best done) and working from home, or elsewhere, as a personal choice (if the role is suitable for this).  If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Job contact :

• Name : Sarah-Jane Gill
• Email : Sarah-Jane.Gill@ukspaceagency.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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