About the job

Job summary

Are you someone who enjoys collaborating with others?

Do you have experience of analysing interpreting information?

Can you demonstrate strong drafting and briefing skills?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

This role supports the provision of policy advice, the review of existing policies and management of policy development for Driver Testing, within the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA). 

Job description

• The successful post holder will proactively review policies and legislation, utilising information from available sources (stakeholders, customers, operational areas, customer insight, data analysis, ministers and MPs) to ensure that policies are informed, evidence based and deliverable; introduce new or amending regulations; and support wider Department for Transport initiatives. 
• As a policy and regulation subject matter expert, the post holder will support the development of policy, from inception through to delivery. The post holder will be familiar with the policy development process/cycle and the regulatory change process.  
• The post holder will have strong drafting and briefing skills, and will help manage the drafting of ministerial and other official correspondence, submissions and briefings for senior officials, ministers and other government departments. 
• The post holder will provide support to senior leaders when representing DVSA at various meetings, working with officials across Government to advise on all aspects of Driver Testing Policy, the strategic direction of driver testing in the UK and relevant regulatory developments. The post holder will work with senior leaders to ensure strong links with external stakeholders and industry.  

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to;

• Develop, negotiate, draft, implement, interpret and review the policy and legislation for Driver testing and work with service and product leads on policy delivery. 
• Provide information for internal and external communications and correspondence.  
• Provide draft policy papers, ministerial responses, submissions and briefings for senior leaders.  
• Provide advice and guidance to stakeholders on Driver testing policy.  

For more information about the role and responsibilities please see the attached Candidate Pack.

Person specification

• To succeed in this role, you will have experience of interpreting policy, legislation, or other information to provide evidence-based insight and guidance. You can evidence strong drafting skills and have experience in preparing policy papers and briefings for senior leaders.  
• You have experience of supporting evidence-based policy change from inception through to delivery. Additionally, you are familiar with the policy development process/cycle and the regulatory change process. 
• You can effectively communicate with internal and external key people, adapting your communication style to suit the audience and can facilitate meaningful conversations, resulting in resolution. 
• Please take note that DVSA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. 

Additional Information

This role can be based in Swansea, Nottingham, Bristol, or Newcastle, where your presence at one of these locations will form part of the working arrangements agreed with you. We operate a hybrid working model giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work. Our current expectation is that you will spend a minimum 40% of your time at your base location. Visits to other DVSA sites or work locations count towards the 40%. Please be aware there is a Civil Service wide expectation to increase office attendance to 60% and we are working on our implementation plan.

There will be occasional travel required with this role to other DVSA locations, specifically Nottingham and will likely include overnight stays.

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.

About Us

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) helps keep Britain moving, safely and sustainably. 

 

We do this by helping people through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys, helping them keep their vehicles safe to drive, and protecting them from unsafe drivers and vehicles. 

We’re working hard to:  

• make roads safer
• improve services for our customers
• make road transport greener and healthier
• harness the potential of technology and data
• grow and level up the economy

We’re committed to giving all our colleagues purpose, professionalism and pride in what we do. We work in supportive, diverse and inclusive teams where everyone is valued. You can grow, develop and progress, and make a real difference to society. 

We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice and welcome and encourage applications from everyone, such as ethnic minorities, women, disabled people and those who identify as LGBT+. 
 
To find out more about how we champion diversity and inclusion in the workplace and making DVSA a great place to work visit our Careers website.  

Benefits

• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance
• Exceptional pension with an employer contribution of an average of 27%
• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year of service, up to 30
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday 
• Latest IT and Tech devices 
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues
• Excellent learning and development tailored to your role including paid apprenticeships up to Masters level
• Wide range of discounts schemes on high street names
• Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing 
• Cycle to work scheme and Gym membership offers
• For more information see visit our careers page

 

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.

How to Apply 

As part of the application process you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Your experience of interpreting policy, legislation or other information to provide evidence-based insight and guidance.
• Your drafting skills and experience with experience preparing policy papers and briefings for senior leaders.
• Your experience of working with policy development process/cycle and the regulatory change process. 

Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 750 words.

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

• an interview

The sift is due to take place 06 - 07 February 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held from 20 February 2024.

This interview could be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

We’ll try to meet the dates we’ve set out in the advert. But there may be occasions when these dates will change. We’ll give you plenty of notice of any important dates.

If you would like to find out more about what it’s like to work for DVSA and how to apply, we will be holding virtual sessions to find out more. Please click here to secure your place at one of our upcoming events.

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

The Department for Transport recruits using Success Profiles. For each role, we consider what you need to demonstrate 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.

You can read more about Success Profiles here.

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.