Head of Trade and Strategic Export Policy
Ministry of Defence
About the job
Job summary
The Head of Trade and Strategic Export Policy is one of three Deputy Director posts in the Industrial Strategy & Exports Directorate. The postholder leads a mixed civil service and military team of approximately 30 colleagues with responsibility for increasing MOD’s share of existing export markets and to develop new markets to support our UK industrial capability (to deliver for our Armed Forces) and UK prosperity and gain influence and access with more international partner nations.Job description
Key Responsibilities
The current responsibilities of the role include:
- Implementing the exports commitments in the Defence and Security Industrial Strategy and the Defence Command Paper.
- Delivery of strategic export campaigns across all domains: Combat Air; Complex Weapons; Maritime; Land, Rotary & Cyber; Air & Space.
- Leading the Programme Office for Strategic Defence Exports (POSDE), which is implementing HMG “Defence Partnerships” (Government-to-Government) approach.
- Providing advice on export policy issues.
- Implementing exportability as a core feature of the Integrated Procurement Model – working to ensure that procurement strategies take account of the needs of potential export customers and international partners.
- Working closely with the Department for Business & Trade’s Defence & Security Exports (DSE) team, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Cabinet Office, other Partners Across Government, and Industry and Trade Associations in pursuit of the above.
- International representation and responsibility for leading a high-performing team that works with UK industry, our Armed Forces, colleagues across Government, and international partners to deliver key aspects of Defence & Security Industrial Strategy and international engagement.
Person specification
The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate their experience and skills against the following essential criteria:
- A proven leader of inclusive, high performing teams who is committed to empowering, supporting and coaching staff to deliver their best and bringing on talent, particularly from underrepresented groups.
- A first class policy professional who can set strategic direction and follow through to ensure it is delivered. This should include experience of delivery in the fields of foreign affairs, trade or defence.
- An instinctive collaborator who is committed to breaking down organisational boundaries to deliver results, with evidence of having done so in a complex stakeholder environment.
- A clear communicator able to tailor their message to a range of stakeholders and command the confidence of Ministers, senior officials and industrial partners.
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Application
To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the advertisement listed for this role. This should be completed no later than 23:55 Sunday 9th June 2024 and will involve providing the two documents outlined below via the Civil Service Jobs portal:
- A CV (no more than 2 pages) setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
- A Personal Statement (no more than 2 pages) explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role.
Both documents are weighted equally in their scoring, so it's important to consider this when uploading your application. Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification.
For further information about the role and full application process, please refer to the candidate pack attached below. If you wish to receive any material in a different format for accessibility, then please contact People-CivHR-SCSCandidateSupport@mod.gov.uk.
Barnaby Kistruck, Director of Industrial Strategy, Prosperity and Exports will be offering an online Q&A session on Tuesday 4th June 2024 at 15:00-16:00 to provide an overview of the role and welcome any questions you may have. Candidates can access the meeting by clicking here.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is developed vetting (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
Open to UK nationals only.
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.