About the job

Job summary

Within the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) group delivers trade policy for the UK.  

This is a G6 role in the LACE (Labour, Anti-corruption, Climate Change and Environment) Trade Policy team leading on the implementation of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)  and our engagement with non-FTA partner countries.   

We are looking for someone to lead the team delivering on and driving forward the implementation of labour, anti-corruption, environment and climate chapters in the UK’s FTAs with a wide range of partner countries.

The UK has a large number of agreements which include ‘Trade and Sustainable Development’ chapters. We have also concluded agreements for example with Australia and New Zealand  as well as the more recent accession to the CPTPP with separate and stand alone chapters on each of the policy areas which the team leads on: labour, anti-corruption, and environment.  We are also negotiating further FTAs which will be implemented following agreement and entry into force.  

The postholder will also oversee the team’s work on establishing the stakeholder groups and engagement which are central to these agreements. This includes the UK’s Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum. The role also involves supporting our leadership of bilateral engagement with non-FTA partner countries alongside others in DBT.  

This is a key leadership role across the team. It involves management of a team of around 8 as well as playing an active part as a member of the team’s Senior Management Team. This includes occasional deputisation and representing the team internally and externally.   

The team is committed to diversity and inclusion, and has a vibrant culture of promoting inclusion in the workplace.  We are also strongly committed to the personal development of all our staff. 

Job description

The role will cover:  

• Leading and giving strategic direction to the team’s implementation of Trade and Sustainable Development chapters and the implementation of newer Labour, Anti-corruption and Environment chapters, providing policy oversight and steers where needed.  
• Oversight of the team’s engagement with stakeholder groups. This includes those specifically established to support implementation of FTAs: Domestic Advisory Group and Civil Society Forum.
• Supporting strategic direction and priorities in engagement with a range of non-FTA partner countries.
• Leadership of a team of around 8 staff including direct line management of 2 G7s.
• Membership of the LACE team’s Senior Management Team alongside the Deputy Director and two other G6 to ensure excellent team leadership and coherence of policies across FTA implementation, negotiations and multilateral policy. This may include taking on other areas of leadership and management to support the team or provide leadership resilience. 

The role will be based in London or any Places for Growth Location hub. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.  

Person specification

Essential Personal Attributes & Skills 

We are seeking an inclusive leader with strong abilities to work collaboratively across DBT, Whitehall and with external stakeholders, to develop and deliver policy across a wide range of issues. Strong policy-making, communication skills and an ability to see the big picture will be critical. We need someone who can provide clear strategic guidance to teams, often in the face of ambiguity and conflicting priorities, and who is comfortable engaging with senior officials, Ministers and external stakeholders. The role may also include direct engagement with external partners at a senior level and therefore we also need someone with the proven ability to lead similar engagement. 

Desirable Criteria  

Experience of working on any of the policy issues covered by the team. 

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 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 500 words to explain the motivation for applying for this role and the extent to which you satisfy the essential requirements of the role.

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.

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

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.

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.