About the job

Job summary

We are recruiting for a Policy Adviser (Higher Executive Officer – HEO) in the North America team, which forms part of the Bilateral Trade Relations directorate. This role contributes to the Secretary of State’s top priority – to remove trade barriers. 

The primary focus of the North America team is the delivery of state-level trade objectives in the United States and expanding market access in Canada – both high-profile ministerial priorities. This is an exciting time to join the team, which manages delivery of signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with seven US states, development of several further such arrangements, and live and rapidly progressing work on a wider state-level market access agenda. The Team also oversees implementation of our trade agreement and trading relationship with Canada. The successful candidate should expect to contribute to a range of projects across the team’s agenda.  

The role would suit a driven and dynamic candidate interested in developing skills and experience in trade and international affairs, capable of producing high-quality work to tight deadlines, and motivated to deliver outcomes for UK businesses and consumers.   

The role requires a candidate who can:  

• Build constructive relationships with partners including businesses, colleagues at Post across North America, and government officials.  
• Analyse complex policy and regulation to understand trade barriers. 
• Develop effective strategies for negotiation. 
• Plan impactful activity to realise commercial benefits for UK businesses. 
• Draft concise and accurate briefings for ministers – paying close attention to detail. 
• Contribute to positive team morale – especially when the unit is under pressure. 
• Grasp the politics of trade in the US and Canada. 

Job description

• Drafting briefings for ministers to support meetings with key stakeholders, including counterparts in North America. 
• Supporting resolution of priority barriers on recognition of professional qualifications. 
• Identifying, evaluating, and planning resolution of other market access barriers. 
• Supporting work to open up state-level procurement opportunities for UK suppliers. 
• Planning and delivering impactful activity to help grow bilateral trade through the frameworks established by signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with US states. 
• Planning ministerial visits, in conjunction with colleagues at Post, in private offices, and in the central Visits team. 
• Developing effective communications assets, including core public lines – working with colleagues in Communications teams.
• Supporting work to manage relationships with the Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies.
• Supporting governance of the state-level trade agenda and engagement with partner Government departments.
• Supporting the wider work of the North America team as required.
• Supporting implementation of the UK's Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) with Canada. 

Person specification

Skills and Experience

Essential criteria 

• Demonstrated ability to deliver high-quality written briefings (or equivalent product). 
• Demonstrated ability to research and understand complex policy, regulation, and legislation and develop informed and relevant policy options. 
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and harness them to realise ministerial objectives – influencing stakeholders as necessary. 
• Demonstrated ability to communicate proficiently – both orally and in writing. 

Desirable Criteria 

• Experience working internationally or on international policy. 
• Experience working on trade or trade policy. 
• Experience of trade negotiation. 
• Familiarity with the United States, its federal system, and its politics. 

Personal attributes and skills 

• Adaptable.
• Analytical.
• Explainer.
• Improver.
• Negotiator.
• Problem solver.
• Relationship builder.
• Strategic.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,858, Department for Business and Trade contributes £8,871 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 (500 words) explaining your motivation for applying for this role and the extent to which you satisfy the essential and desirable 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. 

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 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.