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About the job
Job summary
Join a new workstream, based in the Office for Investment (OfI - a joint No10 and DBT unit), focused on attracting major new philanthropic capital into exciting and early-stage ventures. You will work with the most exciting and high-profile foundations and philanthropists across the world.
Philanthropic Capital is a high value pool of capital investment – global private foundations assets were valued at over £1.9 trillion with annual expenditure of ca. £150 billion. Within this, deep pools of venture philanthropic capital exist with interests aligned to UK government priorities (Science and Technology, the transition to Net Zero, Talent and Levelling up).
The Government has until recently not had a dedicated strategy for engaging with this capital in a targeted or systematic way to unlock its potential for the UK’s economic growth. The Secretary of State has therefore agreed the Office for Investment (OfI) will take this forward, working to Lord Johnson as Investment Minister.
Focusing on attracting this philanthropic capital investment into the UK will contribute to making the UK the undisputed destination for foreign investment. It will create a new funding stream for innovative early-stage R&D, in turn creating valuable UK-based IP from which the companies of the future can be grown. It will tangibly strengthen the UK’s offer and reputation as the best place, with the best talent, to do cutting edge research in science and technology.
This role will be focused on providing an end-to-end ‘single front door’ service for the world’s wealthiest philanthropic organisations and individuals. As well as proactively pursuing strategic high value international philanthropic capital to invest in critical UK priorities.
You will play a crucial leadership role pathway finding for the UK government, working with senior individuals across Whitehall and the philanthropy landscape, with the aim of delivering new investment into sectors of priority for the PM.
The OfI is at the core of Government’s efforts to increase private investment, which is crucial to the UK’s economic growth and the future prosperity of its citizens as well as being fundamental to both achieving Net Zero by 2050 and establishing international leadership as a science and technology driven economy.
Job description
This role will build and deliver an effective strategy and operation for attracting major philanthropic capital and channelling into priority UK sectors. The role will be yours to shape, but key aspects will include:
- Developing an evolving strategy with concrete goals to deliver the objectives of the workstream;
- Understanding and helping to shape the Minister for Investment’s priorities for attracting philanthropic capital by providing expert advice reflecting discussion with the Minister, his office, and wider DBT teams;
- Working with Whitehall, especially DCMS and HMT, to ensure that the strategy has buy-in from key delivery partners; and providing cross-Whitehall leadership in order to cohere teams across HMG and Post to deliver investment wins;
- Building and managing sustainable relationships with senior philanthropists and foundations, working with UK universities and institutions, and supporting the delivery of events in the UK and overseas;
- Working with senior leaders and your grade peers to contribute towards operational, corporate and cultural priorities across the OfI.
The role is outcome focused and has significant leadership stretch, with consistent exposure to senior officials, Ministers and C-suite stakeholders.
There is limited precedent in Whitehall for what we are seeking to achieve, so the role will be genuinely self-starting, encompassing both strategy development and delivery.
If this kind of challenge - and the opportunity to deliver brand new outcomes at pace – appeals to you, get in touch.
Person specification
Essential Skills and Experience
This is an excellent opportunity for someone with energy, vision, good judgement and stakeholder management skills.
You will:
- Be a capable self-starter, able to take the initiative to develop and deliver a programme of work across competing demands;
- Enjoy the challenge of delivering from a blank sheet of paper, able to deliver ambitious outcomes with finesse and at pace;
- Be effective and considerate, able to develop and nurture a range of relationships with senior individuals to attract new flows of philanthropic capital into the UK;
- An excellent communicator and someone with personal impact and credibility which enables you to win over senior stakeholders to deliver meaningful outcomes;
- A structured strategic thinker – able to define and deliver a strategy to make the UK a world-leader in drawing internationally mobile philanthropic capital;
- A creative, inclusive, experienced leader, possessing political nous and someone known for problem solving in creative and innovative ways;
- Have excellent drafting and briefing skills - able to develop ideas and options, clearly articulating benefits, risks and impacts.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Leadership
- Seeing the Big Picture
Benefits
- 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.
This role is available in seven UK locations and can only be worked from within the UK, not overseas.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DBT, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
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 and 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
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.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
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
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team
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
