About the job

Job summary

This role provides an exciting opportunity to join the Department for Business and Trade’s civil maritime team which is based within the UK Defence & Security (UKDSE) Directorate to work on policy development and implementation for one of the UK’s most important manufacturing sectors.  The shipbuilding sector is a high priority for the Government and this role will focus on delivery of one of the key planks of the Government’s National Shipbuilding Strategy - the Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme (SCGS).  This high profile £500m scheme supports ship buyers, owners and operators to purchase, refit and repair vessels at UK shipyards.  In parallel there will be the opportunity to work on developing new maritime policy interventions working closely with other Government Departments and agencies including the National Shipbuilding Office, UK Export Finance and Department for Transport.   

This role is a fantastic chance to work with Ministers, stakeholders and industry to ensure successful delivery of the SCGS and to help design future policy interventions to ensure the UK maritime sector takes advantage of opportunities presented by the transition to net zero and the advent of autonomous vessels. 

Job description

The post-holder will: 

• Help drive successful delivery of the SCGS by leading on the work of the SCGS Steering Board and Programme Board. This will include drafting papers, commissioning work from OGDs and analytical teams and producing recommendations for improvements and innovations to help the scheme evolve.
• Oversee the performance of the scheme, developing a culture of continuous improvement, reporting on scheme metrics and ensuring that these evolve as the scheme develops.
• Work with stakeholders and industry to ensure that the SCGS is well understood across the sector and that partner organisations are all working together to promote the scheme. 
• Contribute to the development of marine manufacturing spending proposals including work on the successful delivery of analytical work considering the impact of possible interventions to support different parts of the marine manufacturing supply chain including around zero emissions technology and autonomy.   
• Advise and support DBT Ministers on the SCGS and other maritime issues as required.  As part of this, the post-holder will liaise with DBT comms to maximise media opportunities such as ministerial visits and other engagement. 

The post-holder will have the opportunity to shape our future strategies and will contribute to developing business cases. Opportunities for direct line management responsibility might arise in future.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experienced in engaging and influencing stakeholders, internal and external. 
• Comfortable operating at pace, managing parallel priorities. 

Desirable Criteria  

• Policy experience, for example drafting advice to ministers or senior officials. 
• Project management experience, for example planning and delivering projects. 
• Well-developed analytical skills

Personal Attributes & Skills

You are an enthusiastic, dynamic and creative candidate. This is an interesting and high-profile job, working closely with Ministers and industry. The team is highly collaborative, working together to develop thinking and meet objectives. 

Prior knowledge of the maritime industry is not required, there are plenty of opportunities to learn on the job. 

This post is a great development opportunity for emerging leaders. The team will provide support and guidance for the post-holder to help continue their development. 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,384, Department for Business and Trade contributes £10,634 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 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. 

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 

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.