About the job

Job summary

• We are looking for an experienced policy leader to lead DBT’s work on economic crime and corporate transparency at a pivotal moment as we deliver the reforms introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. These measures will transform the legal framework around company incorporation giving us much greater insight into who owns and controls UK businesses and giving the Companies Registrar wide new powers to prevent bad actors from abusing the system. ​
• This person will lead, in conjunction with Companies House, a significant programme of reform to company incorporation that will play a major role in the UK’s fight against economic crime. These reforms are key elements of the Government’s Economic Crime Plan 2023 as well as featuring in the Integrated Review 2021, and you will work closely with counterparts in HM Treasury, Home Office, FCDO, HMRC and law enforcement agencies to help ensure they deliver against high expectations. ​
• Through this role you can expect to have significant exposure to regulatory policy-making, cross-Whitehall influencing, governance/assurance of an executive agency going through radical transformation, and sizeable people leadership responsibilities.​
• This is an exciting opportunity to work closely with Ministers, Parliament, operational partners, the business community and law enforcement to deliver reforms which will affect every company in the UK, and which will contribute to the Government’s objectives on economic growth, tackling crime, and national security.

Job description

• Delivering a programme of around 50 statutory instruments over 18 months to implement DBT measures within the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. Your role will be to ensure the regulations meet Ministerial intent, that there is policy and operational coherence across a well managed programme and that Ministers are well-supported through Parliamentary stages.​
• Sponsorship of Companies House.  Providing a ‘critical friend’ role to the transformation of the agency through partnership with its executive team and representing the Department on key governance boards. Providing support and challenge on progress of the transformation programme, working with DBT’s central project/portfolio function.  Supporting DBT’s Director of Company Law & Governance in oversight of the agency’s wider delivery, governance, and finances.​
• Representing DBT in delivery of the Government’s Economic Crime Plan.  Ensuring progress on DBT’s actions under the Plan, working with counterparts across Whitehall to join up DBT actions with other parts of the Plan, and overseeing stakeholder relationships with business and professional sectors, law enforcement and NGOs.  Help ensure trade-offs with ease of doing business are understood across Whitehall and factored into decision-making​
• Ownership of the core company law policy framework. Ensure the fundamentals of company law remain aligned with the Government’s objectives and fit for purpose. Make sure that new policy issues and correspondence are handled effectively and issues and risks escalated promptly to seniors and/or Ministers with clear advice on whether new policy work is needed.  Delivery of additional legislation (primary or secondary) may be needed over time.​
• Leadership of a policy team (c.20 staff), including line management of two G6s.  Help maintain an expert, connected, motivated and inclusive team environment and contribute to the wider corporate leadership of the directorate as a member of its senior leadership team.

Person specification

Essential Criteria​

The successful candidate will be an experienced leader and will need to show evidence of their capability in the following areas:​

• Strategy, able to lead and handle a complex agenda, maintaining a grip on the bigger picture while demonstrating understanding of the underlying detailed policy issues​
• A track record of policy delivery, with experience of leading on complex policy projects, ensuring their successful completion to tight deadlines and through periods of challenge and ambiguity;​
• An inspiring, inclusive and engaged leader, able to create a positive working environment where people feel motivated and engaged to deliver high quality outputs at pace;​
• A track record of delivering successfully through others, building strong relationships inside and outside of Government and an ability to gain the trust of a variety of audiences including Ministers, city lawyers, major financial services institutions and cross-Whitehall senior officials.​

Desirable Criteria​

• In the context of supporting delivery through Companies House and delivering a large SI programme, experience of programme, project management and governance would be desirable, but not essential.​
• The postholder will be overseeing the delivery of a significant legislative programme and therefore must be prepared to be in London as needed for London-based face to face briefings with Ministers and Parliamentarians during the passage of the SIs.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, Department for Business and Trade contributes £20,250 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

How to apply

Please follow the online instructions on the Civil Service Jobs website to apply for this role.  Applications must be submitted no later than 23:55 on 25th February 2024.  You will be asked to upload the two documents outlined below. It is essential you add your full name to both documents:

1. A CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role.  Please provide reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
2. A Supporting Statement of around two pages of A4, providing examples of how your experience meets the essential criteria.

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. 

If you encounter any issues or are unable to apply online please contact SCSRecruitment@businessandtrade.gov.uk  in the first instance.

For further information please see the candidate pack attached .

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.