Multilateral Green Trade, Carbon Leakage Policy

This is an exciting time to join the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The newly created department oversees the domestic business environment, breaks down international barriers to trade and investment, and helps boost economic growth by ensuring the UK is a country where businesses can thrive.

We are recruiting for an SEO role in the Carbon Leakage Team, based in the Multilateral Trade and Environment branch of the Labour, Anti-Corruption, Climate & Environment (LACE) team, sitting in the Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations Group (TPIN). TPIN covers a range of activity, creating and advancing the UK’s trade policy ambitions in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and with future negotiating partners.

LACE’s Multilateral Trade and Environment branch is designed to further UK policy objectives in multilateral fora – including the WTO, G7, G20, and more – for environment and climate policy. Our policy objectives focus on:

1. Ensuring that the UK’s trade policy supports the government’s commitment to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, whilst maximising the economic opportunities from the UK’s transition to a low carbon economy.
2. Ensuring environmental policy objectives are complementary to trade policy.

The role will focus on carbon leakage policy and engagement. Carbon leakage, which is a technical policy area, refers to the movement of production and associated emissions from one country to another due to different levels of decarbonisation effort through carbon pricing and climate regulation. As a result of carbon leakage, the objective of decarbonisation efforts – to reduce global emissions – would be undermined.

Key objectives for the carbon leakage team are to 1) advance the UK’s policy in the area, representing DBT business and trade interests in a wide range of x-gov policy development; and 2) shaping and defending the UK’s interests and objectives in multilateral fora. The role will include some close work with seniors and ministers – for whom carbon leakage has been a key priority. 

• Leading the development of DBT policy positions on a range of cross-cutting carbon leakage policy issues, including (but not limited to) carbon border adjustment mechanisms, mandatory product standards and emissions reporting. A key part of the role will be focused on policy development, providing briefings, alongside engaging and influencing seniors and ministers on these issues.
• Representing DBT in x-gov debates and policy work to shape HMG policy in line with DBT business and trade interests – with the ability to influence and build positive relationships.
• Support bilateral and international engagement on carbon leakage, including at the WTO. This will involve working with a wide range of countries on climate, environment and trade policy.
• Carbon leakage work is cross-disciplinary and fast-paced – it will include working with a large number of teams across DBT (e.g. analytical and modelling teams, sector teams and lawyers). The ability to be flexible in challenging environments, proactive and managing multiple and diverse projects simultaneously will be crucial.
• Manage or task manage an HEO.
• Play an active role in building a positive, inclusive, and supportive team culture.

Essential Criteria

• Experience of trade or environment policy in government or another context.
• Experience of policy development in government or another context.
• Confident written and oral communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage with colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Experience working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to quickly get up to speed in new and complex policy areas.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of decarbonisation, energy and / or climate change policy.
• Experience of working with other professions (e.g., analysts, lawyers, etc).
• Experience of working with seniors or ministers.

Personal Attributes & Skills

• Sound analytical skills – being able to identify analytical issues, gather information and data from a wide range of sources and contribute to the development of policy.
• Ability to learn fast, engage with technical material (including data, economics and legal materials). 
• Ability to work collaboratively in teams and build strong relationships with colleagues, create consensus where there is ambiguity or conflicting views.
• Ability to present issues clearly and persuasively with excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Appetite for engaging externally, including in international fora.
• Ability to plan and prioritise effectively to deliver a quality service and results at pace, with good attention to detail.
• Have political awareness and an ability to see the bigger picture. 
• Self-motivated, focused, self-aware, with inner resilience and calm under pressure.

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

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

• 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.

Job contact :

• Name : Marine Delloy
• Email : Marine.Delloy@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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