About the job

Job summary

Our priorities  

Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world.  

Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent.  

Put public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people.  

Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world.  

Deliver legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.  

Our Inclusive Environment  

We have an inclusive culture which makes the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it helps us be more innovative. 

We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.  

We welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion and fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.  

We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/departmentforsciencetechnologyandinnovation?  

You can also follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/  

Job description

The Integrated Review Refresh 2023 set out a range of economic security challenges facing the UK and the world, including growing geopolitical competition, national security risks emanating from legitimate economic activity, and supply chains vulnerable to shocks and exploitation. The Government is committed to tackling these challenges in a way that makes sense for the UK as an open, mid-sized economy that benefits from trade and investment and which supports global norms.

The Government considers economic security through three objectives: ensuring we are better able to tackle economic-based national security threats in a proportionate and targeted manner; making our economy more resilient to supply shocks and stronger in areas of strategic importance; and using economic strengths and international partnerships to tackles threats to global norms.

The Economic Security Unit in DSIT is recruiting a Senior Policy Adviser to join a fun, friendly team committed to innovative policy-making, thought leadership and embedding tech and innovation at the heart of the economic security debate in Whitehall.

In this role you will be responsible for engaging regularly across Whitehall to shape and influence the direction of cross-government policy thinking on economic security.

You will draw on sector teams’ expertise in critical technologies, and build your own core economic security know-how as you develop new insights and tackle novel approaches to getting the risk balance right. This debate is inherently political, so you will be drawing down insights from your network across Whitehall to shape and land our Ministers’ positions on ensuring the safe and secure growth of tech, science and innovation. You’ll be shaping papers taken to the regular meeting of the NSC (Economic Security), identifying new risks, and working to land our own policy approaches with international partners.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

You will be:

- Identifying and responding to novel problems, able to respond to new issues as they arise, thinking innovatively and building expertise, working with analysts and others to find the most compelling information and presenting your arguments.

- Developing strong, collaborative relationships with other departments across Whitehall to strengthen your policy-making and shape policy-making led by other departments - including MoD, Cabinet Office, UKIC, DBT and HMT.

- Building convincing and persuasive arguments for change in the toolkits we deploy to protect the UK's national security and prevent those who would do us harm from building their technical capabilities.

- Working on behalf of, and with, the technology sector teams in DSIT, supplementing their insights with core economic security expertise to ensure a robust approach to how we balance security and prosperity interests.

We’re looking for people with excellent critical thinking skills, who are comfortable operating in a fluid policy environment and generating new answers to problems where there is no pre-existing policy approach.

The role will require Security Clearance prior to starting the role and a willingness to undergo Developed Vetting. Guidance on the national security vetting process can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels#developed-vetting-dv 

Skills and Experience

We would welcome hearing from candidates who are:

- Able to think innovatively and creatively, to generate new policy and break down problems.

- Able to communicate clearly and succinctly, verbally and in writing.

- Able to make the right judgement calls on risks, drawing together an evidence picture, thinking about gaps and how to fill them and able to make a persuasive argument about the right course of action as a result.

- Able to work flexibly and at pace, and are collaborative by default.

We welcome those with wider knowledge as warmly as those who may already be familiar with national and economic security work, and those familiar with policy development. Throughout the application process candidates will be assessed on the extent to which their written and oral communication is clear, concise, and effective.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £38,860, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £10,493 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.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to outline why you are a good candidate for this role, and how your previous skills and experience matches the criteria set out.

Applications will be sifted on CV and personal statement.  

In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the personal statement. 

Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The interview will consist of behaviours and strength based questions.  

Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.  

Sift and interview dates

Expected Timeline subject to change

Sift dates: w/c 13/05/2024

Interview dates: w/c 20/05/2024

Interview Location: MS Teams.

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

Further Information

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply,and can be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Reasonable Adjustment

We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.

We fully support adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.

We do not have an exhaustive list of adjustments that we support but just some examples include additional time to complete your application form, behaviour questions up to 72 hours prior to interview and having extra time at interview.

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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home). 

DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign.

DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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. 

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

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.