AddressDetails
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
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 two Senior Policy Advisers in the Trade in Goods Policy Team within the Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations Group (TPIN). TPIN is responsible for negotiating and implementing the UK’s trade agreements with partner countries from across the globe to support the growth of UK businesses internationally. The Group has over 700 people, expert in diverse technical areas of trade policy and negotiations, at the cutting edge of delivering the UK’s trade negotiation objectives.
The Trade in Goods Policy Team aims to be an inclusive and diverse group of people, who work on challenging and high-profile issues in a supportive and learning environment and who adopt flexible policies to accommodate a wide range of personal circumstances.
We are seeking enthusiastic and diligent policy colleagues, supporting Departmental priorities to secure and implement world class free trade agreements (FTAs). You will support work on current FTA negotiations as well as policy development, engagement and implementing the UK’s suite of FTAs. Policy areas we are recruiting for include Rules of Origin and Agriculture.
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 to negotiate and implement FTAs. Successful individuals will be supported in doing this by their line manager, colleagues in our expert and specialised team, as well as by country, analytical, legal and sectoral experts in the wider Department.
Key responsibilities for these roles include:
- FTA Implementation - You will support preparations for technical committees with partner countries that oversee the successful implementation of the UK’s FTAs with opportunities to take ownership of particular areas.
- Policy Development - You will work closely with colleagues, as well as with Other Government Departments, to develop trade policy that is consistent with the UK’s domestic and international priorities. You will support recommendations that draw on expertise from analysts, legal colleagues, Other Government Departments, Overseas Posts, other policy teams and businesses to ensure the policy positions are in the best interest for the UK. This can include contributing to, or in time leading on, briefings for senior officials and Ministers as appropriate.
- Working with other Government departments - These roles involve significant collaboration with teams across DBT and Other Government Departments. You will develop strong working relationships both interdepartmentally and across Government to help ensure there is a clear understanding of departmental objectives and priorities, seeking to establish strong relationships and a united approach in the development of UK positions.
- Stakeholder Engagement - You will work closely with other teams in the Department to enable effective engagement with businesses and interested persons on matters relating to Trade in Goods, ensuring that they can input into policy making and are provided with comprehensive updates on the UK’s progress in ongoing negotiations.
- Cross-cutting responsibilities – You will influence wider HMG workstreams on Trade in Goods, tracking areas of innovation where there is a goods interest and ensuring that any future policies promote the use of existing FTAs.
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.
Person specification
Essential criteria
- Ability to work at pace, remaining flexible and adaptable to successfully deliver priorities in a fast-moving environment.
- A problem-solving outlook, with an ability to quickly learn a new and complex policy area.
- Ability to work collaboratively within and across teams, with the capability to build and maintain long lasting working relationships.
- Confident written and oral communication skills with the ability to communicate with colleagues and external stakeholders at all levels.
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise a high workload.
The Department for Business and Trade has a comprehensive trade policy training and development programme available to all staff. We welcome policy and skills knowledge from a wide range of backgrounds recognising that subject-specific knowledge will often be developed in the role. Relevant support and training will be provided to ensure staff are equipped to carry out their roles effectively.
Desirable criteria
Knowledge or experience of issues relating to international trade, and/or related sectoral or international work (e.g., foreign policy).
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to persuade and influence others.
Personal attributes & skills
- You will be a motivated, conscientious, hardworking and highly organised team player who has an eye for detail and can communicate effectively with different audiences. You will help us maintain and improve our inclusive and diverse team environment.
- You will have the ability to be proactive, to develop and take forward policy initiatives and to gather, organise and present research.
- You will be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and be able to prioritise between competing demands, balancing the needs of the team and other stakeholders.
- You will have the ability and desire to pick up new subject matter quickly and to build collaborative and productive relations with colleagues, external stakeholders and negotiation partners.
- You will have a strong interest in your personal development and will aim to make use of DBT’s extensive learning offer and the International Trade Profession.
Successful applicants will need to be willing to go through security clearance to ‘SC’ level. In most cases, this requires that candidates have been living in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5-years. If you want to check eligibility, please contact us.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
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 your motivation for applying for the role and 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.
Location and working arrangements
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/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
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
