About the job

Job summary

The Department for Business and Trade is the department for economic growth. We support businesses to invest, grow and export, creating jobs and opportunities across the country. 

Roles in Trade Policy cover a range of activity, creating and advancing the UK’s new policy positions in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and with future negotiating partners. At the intersection of trade and environmental/climate policy and domestic and international objectives, these roles offer exciting opportunities for policy-makers. Both roles sit in Trans-Pacific Negotiations and Policy directorate within the Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations Group. 
 
The Labour, Anti-Corruption, Climate & Environment (LACE) Policy team leads delivery of the UK’s environment and climate objectives under the Free Trade Agreement and bilateral trade programme. This includes negotiating environment provisions in FTAs and bilateral agreements, implementing those agreements and taking forward activity to remove bilateral barriers to trade in environmental goods and services.  

The Trade and Environment Multilateral Policy (TEMP) team leads negotiations for environment and climate issues at multilateral trade fora including the WTO, OECD and G20, including representing UK domestic environmental policies with international trade interactions. 
 
We are currently advertising for 1 role within LACE (Environment FTA chapter lead) and 1 role within TEMP (Carbon Leakage policy lead).  

We may use any reserve list created through this recruitment to fill future vacancies within these, or other teams, including further roles focused on environment, labour and anti-corruption. 

Job description

(Two separate roles)

Environment and Climate FTA Chapter Lead 

The post-holder will negotiate the UK’s trade, environment and climate objectives with trade partners, including for live Free Trade Agreement negotiations. This includes developing negotiation texts and strategy, and leading conversations with trade partner counterparts. You will be responsible for progressing negotiations with multiple trade partners simultaneously and managing competing priorities. 

You will lead negotiating teams, comprising of DBT lawyers and policy teams as well as policy teams from other government departments. You will be responsible for ensuring good ways of working, clear coordination and collaboration, and supporting wider team updates to external stakeholder groups and the devolved administrations. 

You will work to support Parliamentary and stakeholder scrutiny and engagement of concluded FTAs, and develop expertise and leadership in wider trade and environment policy for specific thematic areas where work intersects across the multilateral. 

You will have line management responsibility for 1 SEO (deputy chapter lead) and play an active role in supporting their development of skills and career. You will be a flexible and proactive team leader and member of the management team to build and develop a high performing, inclusive, and resilient team.   

You will also remain flexible to supporting work across wider LACE priorities, including on labour and anti-corruption issues. 
 
Trade and Environment Multilateral Policy Lead 

This post-holder will be responsible for coordinating DBT’s business and trade interests on “trade-related climate measures,” and representing these interests in cross-Departmental and cross-Government policy development to counter carbon leakage. (Carbon leakage can be thought of as the potential and undesirable shift in production and emissions from the UK, where we have high climate ambition, overseas.)  This includes some close work with seniors and ministers – for whom this work has been a priority.  

We are looking for someone who can provide leadership and strategic oversight, driving a compelling vision across a range of complex policy issues and driving forwards policy development in an ambiguous and fast-changing environment. The individual should be confident with stakeholders, both externally with industry, academics, and NGOs, and internally within DBT, including at SCS level, and more widely across Government.

Specifically, the post-holder will be responsible for:  

• Leading development of DBT positioning on a range of cross-cutting trade and climate policy issues. This will include developing positions on the design and implementation of the UK’s carbon leakage measures including the UK Government’s recently announced Carbon Boarder Adjustment Mechanism. A key part of this role will be engaging with analysis and stakeholders and bringing together DBT’s wide ranging policy interests to create a single departmental position, and informing and building consensus with seniors and advising ministers on these issues. 
• Representing DBT in x-gov debates/policy work to influence HMG trade and environment policy in line with wider DBT business and trade policy objectives. Many carbon leakage policy levers sit outside of DBT, so building strong relationships with colleagues across government to support and influence decision making will be vital. 
• Building, maintaining, and developing a cohesive team across grades and across professions. Line management of one HEO and task management of an additional SEO is expected. Carbon leakage policy work is also inherently cross-disciplinary so working with virtual teams of analysts/lawyers – and an ability to manage multiple, diverse projects simultaneously – will be crucial. 

Person specification

Skills and Experience

Essential Criteria 

• Experience of trade, international or climate and environment policy in government or another context.
• Experience of working collaboratively to bring together a range of stakeholders and different viewpoints.
• Confident written and verbal communicator with experience leading conversations, whether with Governments, businesses or other stakeholders.
• Experience of delivering work in a fast-paced environment and managing competing priorities.

Desirable Criteria 

• Experience of policy development in government or another context, demonstrating openness to new and innovative approaches.
• Experience working on projects which require high levels of organisation and strong attention to detail.
• Experience leading teams and supporting good working practices.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,560, Department for Business and Trade contributes £14,461 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. 

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. 

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.

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

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your 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 and 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  

Vetting - SC clearance

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.   

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

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.