About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Business Support Policy Team. Our team sits within the Department for Business & Trade’s (DBT) Small Business Growth directorate, which was formed to help shape and grow the economy of the future, looking at the opportunities and issues facing UK businesses.    

There are 5.5 million Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the UK, making up 61 per cent of employment and 51 per cent of turnover in the private sector. To build a stronger, greener country it is essential that across all sectors and regions these businesses start right, are productive, and grow successfully.   

We deliver a range of programmes and policies that help SMEs to access the information, advice and support they need to start, grow and thrive in a more productive way.

This includes the Business Support Service (previously known as the Business Support Helpline), which provides information, guidance, and signposting to businesses in England, via telephone, webchat, email, and social media. The service also conducts a wide range of partnership and engagement work.  

The post holder will be responsible for management and delivery of the service, through direct relationship management of the contracted third-party supplier.  

You will jointly explore innovative support solutions for businesses, including working with the provider to plan and deliver new service features, such as enhanced communication strategies, partnerships, and data management. 

The successful candidate will explore and lead the development, and expansion, of the service’s strategic relationships within DBT, other Government Departments and Growth Hubs, enhancing the support offered to businesses.   

This is a broad area of work and will offer a range of opportunities to evolve and develop the service in line with the DBT priority area of economic growth.  

This role will require a combination of programme delivery, strategic and policy skills. We are looking for a talented, proactive SEO, who can work independently and deliver at pace. This is a unique opportunity to be part of a high-profile DBT policy area.   

You will be joining a team which is driving forward delivery of wider small business support, including the Help to Grow: Management programme.  

You will enjoy flexible working, get the opportunity to lead on specific work areas, gain new skills and undertake learning and development opportunities. This role is available on level transfer or promotion.  

Job description

• Driving forward operational priorities for the Business Support Service, and using a range of operational, governance, and time-management skills to manage the delivery of the contract.  
• Leading the development of work to align with a range of other services to enhance the DBT support offer to businesses.  
• Building close working relationships with internal and external delivery partners, experts and specialist DBT teams. You will be liaising and building relationships with stakeholders on a regular basis.  
• Working at pace to respond to requests as they arise, including requests for Ministerial briefings, papers or advice.   
• Ensure all elements of governance for the contract are updated, monitored, maintained and advanced. 
• Proactively contribute to other areas of business support policy, the wider team and directorate.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

• Experience or understanding of operational and/or programme delivery.  
• Able to develop positive, working relationships and build consensus with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.   
• Understanding, or experience of, aligning policy area with wider organisational priorities.  
• Strong communicator, to a range of audiences, both verbally and in writing.  
• Organised and proactive, able to prioritise and problem solve, to deadlines.  
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and manage conflicting priorities effectively.  
• Experience of drafting policy documents, including submissions and briefings. 

Desirable Criteria  

• Experience of public sector commercial exercises. 
• Strategic planning experience  
• Some awareness and knowledge of project management tools and techniques, including developing delivery plans, related project documentation and products such as risk/issue logs. 

Personal Attributes & Skills 

• Have experience, or an understanding of, operational delivery, performance management, and relationship management. 
• Our ideal candidate would be confident engaging and managing external stakeholders, and internally within Government.  
• We are looking for somebody able to communicate and influence effectively, work in an ambiguous and fast-changing environment, and who can balance competing priorities.  
• You will be a team player, and keen to make an impact quickly within a close-knit, high-performing team. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,384, Department for Business and Trade contributes £10,633 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

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

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.

After the closing date 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.

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.   

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the personal Statement only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.   

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 

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.