About the job

Job summary

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible for promoting British trade across the world. This is an exciting time to join DBT’s Trade Policy, Implementation & Negotiations Directorate General where you will have the opportunity to shape the UK’s international trade agenda for years to come. 

The Intellectual Property (IP) team has responsibility for developing trade policy; delivering it in negotiations both in trade agreements with bilateral trade partners and multilaterally, for example the WTO’s Council on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS); developing legislation and communications post-signature and delivering implementation. The team’s objective is to promote balanced and effective protection of UK intellectual property (IP) overseas to encourage innovation, trade and growth. To do that we make it easier for businesses to register and enforce their IP abroad.  

We are seeking a Grade 7 to lead the development and deployment of trade policy in relation to various aspects of intellectual property. This will be one of two posts providing strategic oversight of issues like geographical indications, copyright, patents, trade marks, designs, enforcement and cross-cutting policies like new technology, the Windsor Framework and Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories.  The role will also include overall responsibility for communications about those areas. 

You would be responsible for leading a small team to liaise with Negotiators, Policy, Legal, Analysts, Bill teams and Communications professionals within the department and across Whitehall, particularly the Intellectual Property Office, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Health and Social Care and His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. 

While the intellectual property team at DBT has been working on many of these issues for some time, we are now restructuring the team so that we have Grade 7 leadership who can focus on policy issues. Separately, we have some Grade 7s who are trained negotiators but there may be opportunity for applicants for this policy lead post, to develop the appropriate skills to negotiate too. 

The role requires excellent interpersonal skills, stakeholder management, oral and written communications skills, as well as a range of policy-making skills including analysis of evidence, sound judgement, political understanding and project/programme management. You would be working in a fast-paced and varied policy environment which requires adaptability. As IP is relevant to most sectors there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about other areas of trade as we liaise with colleagues especially on life sciences, the creative industries and agri-food.   

The portfolio may also evolve with changing priorities. 

Job description

• Lead all work necessary for the development and deployment of IP policies within your portfolio and become a trusted expert.  

• Lead development of communications strategies for your areas of responsibility.  

• Lead development of a stakeholder engagement plan for a range of influential stakeholders including businesses and NGOs and forge networks of contacts in your areas of responsibility.  

• Lead and develop a diverse and inclusive team whether under immediate line management or as a wider cross-Whitehall team.  

• Manage relationships with internal teams and co-ordinate work across teams on key trade policy projects, commissioning economic and legal analysis as needed.   

• Support DBT’s Ministers and senior management, providing briefing and advice where needed.   

• Where necessary, lead coordination of post signature work across a wide range of Government Departments, possibly including legislative implementation. 

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

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

• Experience of the policy-making process  

• Experience working with other government departments  

• Experience of leading a team  

• Knowledge of Intellectual Property 

Desirable Criteria:  

• Experience or knowledge of trade policy, EU Exit or international work  

• Familiarity with Communications work  

• Familiarity with Bill or legislative work 

Personal Attributes & Skills:

• Ability to lead a team and set direction to deliver effectively through people, often to tight deadlines  

• Excellent oral and written communication skills  

• Ability to persuade and influence others  

• Ability to see the big picture  

• Ability to defend UK policy with internal and external stakeholders  

• Ability to establish good collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders  

• Good judgement and ability to analyse complex issues and come to a reasoned conclusion that can stand up to scrutiny  

• The ability to compile, assimilate, distil, interpret and present evidence and options in a clear manner whilst drawing upon experts as appropriate. 

There will be an expectation that the job holder remains in the role for 2 years.

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 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:    

1. 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.
2. A Personal Statement of up to 1000 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. 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 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 

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.