About the job

Job summary

This is an exciting role in the Investment Directorate that works at the heart of global network of investment professionals seeking to make the UK the best place to do business. The Investment Directorate is accountable for promoting inward investment into the UK.  

The Investment Environment team sits within the Investment Strategy, Performance and Environment team and does three things: 

1. Supports high value investment – including strategic investors with business environment or policy issues – specialising in land planning, migration,  skills and tax. 
2. Capability – across the international network, particularly to inform and upskill colleagues of new or developing policies. 
3. Influences policy – where we work closely with HMT, No10 and other government departments to shape and change the UK’s business environment for the better. 

The team have had a number of strong successes, including supporting institutional investors and their investment projects (announced at the recent Global Investment Summit) as well as securing a number of high-profile policy changes at the recent Autumn Statement 2023 and Spring Budget 2024.  

The team has been delivering a number of capability sessions both across the UK and internationally – there will be opportunities for overseas travel. 

The role holder will be expected to work with senior officials across government to negotiate or influence policy, and be responsible for managing the operations of a team of c.10 FTE. 

The role holder will work closely with the Deputy Director for Investment Strategy, Performance and Environment and work within an SLT to manage a broader team of 30 FTE and make both the team and the investment directorate a fun and inclusive place to work.

Job description

• Lead on the operations and policy work of the Investment Environment team, provide support, strategic direction and cross-cutting leadership to the team’s specialist functions (Land planning, Skills, Visas, Tax). 
  
  
• Provide overall leadership and assurance to the team’s policy development – including ensuring the team’s policy positions make best use of the evidence, as well as leading on senior engagements with senior officials, Ministers across the team’s specialisms and investment environment issues more broadly. 
  
  
• Interface with senior corporate or institutional investors – inspiring confidence in investor’s decision making to invest into the UK. 
  
  
• Line manage 5 x G7s, and the overall line management of a team of c. 10 FTE. 
  
  
• Alongside two other senior managers, work in the senior leadership team to make the Investment Strategy, Performance and Environment team an inclusive and fun place to work

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

Outstanding leadership skills An inspirational and empowering leader who demonstrates confidence and experience in corporate delivery, staff engagement and builds high performing teams. We are looking for someone who can do this with a sensitive management style & approach that develops themselves and others. 

Evidence of highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills with a proven ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with a range of senior stakeholders 

Excellent stakeholder and relationship management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships both internally and externally and foster collaborations across organisational boundaries. 

Experience of shaping or developing policies, or making best use of data or evidence to make strategic arguments.

Desirable Criteria  

• We are open to applications from both the public and private sector – experience in any of the team’s specialisms or experience working with UK central government is desirable but not essential. 

Personal Attributes & Skills 

• The ideal candidate is engaging and can inspire colleagues and stakeholders to achieve strategic aims.
• The candidate would bring both an empathetic and adaptive leadership style, and is confident in driving performance within teams.
• The candidate would have both a good eye on the big picture, with an ability to zoom in on the detail.
• The candidate would enjoy developing and nurturing relationships both inside the department and across government. 

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 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 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 (5-7 mins), 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.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only 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.

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