About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with particular 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 who are disabled, and people with gender diverse identities.

 Are you passionate about removing barriers to accessing transport so that it is inclusive and accessible for all?

 Are you excited by the prospect of shaping strategy and delivering policy, with the potential to benefit millions of people?

 Do you excel at making connections and building relationships to influence and inspire others to make a real difference?

 If so, we would love to hear from you! 

Job description

The Accessible and Inclusive Travel Division (AIT) is responsible for addressing some of the Department’s most pressing challenges. Situated in the Local Transport Directorate, we work with teams across the Department, to help ensure everybody has the same access to transport and opportunities to travel, regardless of disability, age, gender, race or other protected characteristics. We aim to tackle the barriers that prevent some people from using the transport network or from doing so easily, safely, and confidently.

 Within AIT, the Accessible Travel Policy and Projects Officer roles are in our Local Passenger Transport Accessibility (LPTA) team which leads key policy development and project delivery with a focus on local transport modes and infrastructure, including buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles, covering issues as diverse as physical accessibility, information provision, staff training and interaction, and vehicle automation. 

You will join the LPTA team at an exciting time as we respond to the Transport Committee’s inquiry into accessible travel, finalise our response to the review of public service vehicles accessibility regulations, implement new accessibility regulations and funding for audible and visible information on board bus services, and plan for future fiscal events. The role has a strong focus on developing and delivering policy and projects to improve the travelling experience of disabled people, with opportunities to work with a range of important external stakeholders and cross-departmental colleagues, to understand and respond to complex policy challenges. It will particularly suit candidates who thrive on problem solving and working collaboratively to transform ambiguity into real policy options for ministers.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Bus and Coach Accessibility Reform: Implementing the conclusions of the review of the Public Service Vehicles Accessibility Regulations 2000
• Future of local passenger transport accessibility: Support our policy response to the Transport Committee’s inquiry on transport accessibility
• Accessible information on board buses and coaches: Implementation of the recently introduced Accessible Information Regulations
• Managing £4.6m funding for small bus operators:
  Managing our grant agreement with an external partner to deliver £4.6m funding to help small bus companies comply with the new Accessible Information Regulations
• Ensuring our core messages of accessible and inclusive travel are understood by internal and external stakeholders.

 For further information, please see the attached Role Profile.

Person specification

About you:

We are looking for someone who has exceptional communication skills and can express themselves in a confident and concise manner with colleagues at all levels. You will represent the department professionally and clearly, ensuring key messages are delivered to internal and external stakeholders in a timely fashion.

Excellent organisational skills are required, and you will be able to manage and filter workflows as well as organise and prioritise your work to maximise productivity and achieve all deadlines. You will be highly adaptable and flexible, adjusting to the requirements of the role.

You are a diligent person, committed to concentrating on your responsibilities and doing a thorough job even when under pressure. You are ready to react quickly with focus and clarity of thought, regardless of the context.

Additional Information:

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Periodic travel to other DfT offices may be required.

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your CV and Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following: 

• Drawing on and analysing a range of information sources to make effective evidence-based decisions.
• Working effectively with stakeholders, managing conflicting priorities to deliver business objectives.
• Conveying complex information or arguments concisely and effectively through written and verbal briefings and reports.

Please fully utilise the 750-word count when completing your personal statement.

The sift is due to take place from Monday 11th March 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held from Monday 25th March 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include:

• An Interview
• A written exercise

This interview will be conducted online via MS Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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 had their employment continued. Any applicant’s 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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

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). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.