About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with 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.

Are you a highly motivated professional who can bring your skillset to support Government in developing policy to harness innovative technology?

Do you want to help ensure that self-driving vehicles are safe and secure when they arrive on our roads?

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for a Policy Advisor to join our team at the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) and we want to hear from you!

Job description

Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) is a joint Department for Transport (DfT) and Department for Business and Trade (DBT) unit. Self-driving vehicles have the potential to bring safety benefits, boost the UK economy, increase accessibility of travel and change the nature of our towns and cities for the better. As part of the CCAV team, this role offers the opportunity to be at the very heart of the Government’s critical work to secure these benefits.

Vehicle automation has already begun with cutting edge development happening here in the UK and elsewhere and billions of dollars being invested globally. The next decade will see a step change in the way vehicles are made, owned and used.

Self-diving vehicles bring many potential benefits but also bring new safety assurance challenges. One of these is how to ensure they have the sufficient level of resilience to cyber-attack, and that the data collected by self-driving vehicles is appropriately and securely held.

We are looking for an enthusiastic and talented Policy professional to join our committed and friendly team and support the development and implementation of policy on self-driving vehicle cybersecurity and data.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Supporting the development of detailed policy on self-driving vehicle cybersecurity, including supporting legislative and/or operational development through collaboration with the CCAV bill team, DfT legal teams and DfT’s agencies.
• Working closely with cybersecurity and data experts across government and the motoring agencies to develop policy and implement regulatory change.
• Engaging with internal and external stakeholders on your policy area.
• Leading the specification, procurement and management of research, including research projects delivered by third-party contractors.
• Attending national events to present on your policy area and the wider work of CCAV.
• Supporting the development of international regulation on vehicle cybersecurity.

For further information, please see the attached Role Profile.

Person specification

About You  

You will be responsible for helping shape the future alongside a dedicated team. You will be self-sufficient and enthusiastic, with a passion for problem solving and excellent interpersonal skills.

You are an excellent communicator, with the ability to understand and explain complex subjects. You will be able to engage with, and successfully influence, different stakeholders, ranging from industry experts to lay people.

You will be required to effectively manage a diverse portfolio of work, delivering at pace when necessary to meet the team’s priorities.

You are adaptable and flexible in your approach and thrive on managing a varied workload. You will be highly organised with good time management skills.

You are able to work independently but also enjoy working as part of a team, working together effectively towards achieving a shared goal.

Additional Information 

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement, for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 30 hours per week. 

A minimum 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. 

This role will likely involve travel to London for security meetings at least once per month. 

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, Strengths and Technical skills.

How to apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide evidence of when you have demonstrated the behaviours through 250 word limit statements.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour which is Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview and assessment.

The sift is due to take place 18th & 19th January 2024.

The written policy exercise and interviews are due to be conducted between 31st January and 6th February 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 and a written policy 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.