About the job

Job summary

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) helps businesses in all parts of the UK to grow domestically and internationally, creating higher paying jobs and strengthening communities. We have teams across the UK and around the globe to provide a service to businesses, giving them the knowledge and connections they need to trade and grow.

Our aim is to create thriving places of opportunity around the UK and to expand and develop markets–to help businesses grow and export; increase their global market value; and diversify their market risk. We will both attract new investment and support overseas direct investment. Northern Ireland businesses have competitive advantage in several sectors that are key to delivering the UK’s ‘race to a trillion’ export ambition. These include Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering, Financial and Professional Business Services, Healthcare and Life Sciences, Tech, Creative Industries and Food and Drink. DBT Northern Ireland also seeks to maximise related cross sectoral opportunities around the green economy.

The UK Government wants every business with a suitable product or service to consider exporting, or expanding exports, and to a regular part of the strategic decision making. A number of DBT services especially target help to these companies. As the Head of Export Delivery you will lead a large team delivering DBT Northern Ireland’s Export Support Service, including the introduction of new one-to-one support to increase the pipeline of exporting businesses. This new element – delivered by five International Trade Advisers - will specifically focus on 250-375 businesses with exporting potential, increasing their market reach and strengthening the overall Northern Ireland exporting base for the future.

This will be a complex and high-profile leadership role, drawing advice and evidence from internal and external stakeholders on which businesses should be targeted, how to generate maximum impact and how to measure growth.

The role also includes delivering our support for Export Academy and Export Champions, as well as our engagement with important Devolved Administration partners on overall export support policy and the business community as a whole. This will include private sector organisations, trade bodies and other groups. The DBT Northern Ireland communications function will sit within your team too.

You will need to build effective and collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders in Northern Ireland including the Devolved Administration, Invest Northern Ireland, businesses, business organisations and wider public and private sector bodies, to maximise and deliver joined up export support.

The DBT Northern Ireland team is also responsible for ensuring UK Government support is most effectively deployed to maximise delivery of successful inward investment in Northern Ireland as well as taking a strategic approach to supporting trade with respect to key sectors including those cited above.  In implementing the new export service you will work closely with DBT Northern Ireland’s Head of Sectors and Investment, working together to provide Ministers and senior leaders in UK Government with advice on complex trade and investment issues.

As part of the Senior Leadership team in the UK Nations Directorate you will be jointly responsible for the corporate management of a complex directorate based in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Within DBT Northern Ireland, you will work closely with the Deputy Director and Head of Sectors and Investment ensuring coherence between our trade and investment strategy and our delivery and engagement.

Job description

This is a key role in DBT Northern Ireland providing leadership and day-to-day management of a growing work area delivering services vital to export growth in Northern Ireland. It will be a fast-paced and exciting portfolio of work, offering opportunity to shape delivery and innovate with excellent opportunities for senior development in a leading government department on a Ministerial priority.

Leadership  

You will work with the Deputy Director for DBT Northern Ireland and the Grade 6 Head of Sectors and Investment to shape the strategic direction for DBT export activity in key business sectors. As part of this, you will develop and maintain strong relationships with key Devolved Administration partners including Invest Northern Ireland, the Department for the Economy, local councils and other export support providers. 

Management and Delivery of a High Quality Team and Service 

You will lead a team comprising of five International Trade Advisors (ITAs) and a G7 ITA Manager, as well as their support staff, and teams leading on overall engagement. 

You will empower the team to think creatively and develop innovative approaches that support them to deliver a quality service to businesses, working effectively alongside others in wider DBT Northern Ireland team. This will include encouraging peer to peer learning through Export Champions. 

The role will require you to consider a range of data and evidence to decide on the best way to deploy the new ITA service, deciding which businesses and sectors should be prioritised for support. You will create regular opportunities for colleagues, stakeholders, delivery partners and customers to help improve the quality of service. 

Working Together With Others

You will build and maintain strong strategic relationships with DBT regional leads, strategy and sector leads, and senior level contacts with devolved partners in Northern Ireland and the wider business community. You will support our existing work to build relationships with high priority businesses in each nation by acting as a first point of contact.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria

You must ensure the successful candidate meets your specification entirely, so do not put expectations that are not vital.

A strong track record of leading and delivering projects aligned with wider organisational goals. 

Experience of operational delivery and leading a team to deliver against specific goals and objectives.

Experience of using data, evidence and new technologies, to make clear, practical and manageable plans for service delivery and to proactively manage risks/ identify solutions. 

Experience of building and delivering high quality engagement and communication portfolios across a wide range of stakeholders, including businesses.

Desirable Criteria

Strong knowledge of Northern Ireland’s economy and a strong network within Northern Ireland’s trade and investment landscape.

Experience of engaging with investors, businesses or other commercial stakeholders

Interpersonal effectiveness and a strategic approach to communication in managing staff.

Personal Attributes & Skills

Ability to work as part of a matrix and multi-disciplinary diverse teams,

understand own role and strengths in the team and empowering others to support delivery of the overall ambition.

The ability to plan ahead, think strategically, and ensure that service provision is developed to meet changing business needs.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £64,432, Department for Business and Trade contributes £17,396 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 750 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 Personal Statement only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.   

Vetting 

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. 

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 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 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

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.