About the job

Job summary

As a policy advisor, you will play an important role within the Trans-Pacific Negotiations and Policy Directorate in the Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations Group. The directorate is comprised of over 100 officials working on a diverse range of trade policy, international engagements and negotiations. These include bilateral trade agreement negotiations e.g. between the UK and the Republic of Korea; work on the UK’s role in the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans Pacific Partnership agreement; and policy work to align trade with the UK’s climate and environment objectives including through multilateral outcomes and initiatives at the World Trade Organisation. We are recruiting for:  

• 3 roles supporting country-specific trade agreement negotiations,  
• 1 role supporting the UK’s engagement in the Comprehensive and Progressive agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a multi-lateral agreement,  
• 1 role working on developing trade-focused climate and environment policy and associated international engagement.   

The exact scope of the role will depend on the current priorities when you join. Agreement-facing roles will be international-facing and often fast-paced.  

We are a diverse and agile Directorate who work together on cross-cutting issues and, when needed, across agreement portfolios. Our work is part of the wider UK Government effort to achieve the strategic trade objective of using our voice as a new independent trading nation to champion free trade, fight protectionism and remove barriers at every opportunity. We are a fun, friendly and inclusive team.  

These roles would be ideal for you if you have an interest in international affairs and are looking for your next challenge. The successful candidate would be joining to work on the types of roles described above, but may in time support on other priority elements of the Department’s Free Trade Agreement programme, or its core trade policy development work. 

Job description

This is a superb opportunity to play a key role in helping to shape and drive the strategic direction of the UK’s trade policy and its relationships with partner countries at an incredibly important time for both the department and wider government. The exact scope of each role will depend on the current priorities when you join, but it is likely to involve some or all of the following:  

 
 Trade agreement roles:
 

1. Contributing to high quality guidance and briefing to the team’s leadership and Ministers during and outside of negotiation rounds and other high-profile meetings. 
2. Building a deep understanding of the policy/workstream areas they lead on and understand wider considerations,  and developing strong relationships within the Department and across Government, to deliver this  
3. Support development of policy positions and objectives for individual negotiation rounds and the overall negotiation strategy. You will need to analyse and consider various aspects of our trading relationship and make recommendations on the action required in the UK’s best interest. 
4. To help facilitate negotiations, you will need to work collaboratively and effectively across government and internationally to understand and support wider objectives throughout negotiations and other interactions. The ideal candidate will have experience of building strong relationships and using them to deliver their objectives. 
5. Project management of interwoven workstreams to the negotiations, such as but not limited to, managing engagement with Parliament and the Devolved Administrations and leading on logistics. In busier periods it will be especially key to manage project delivery efficiently and manage shifting priorities. 
6. A focus on learning and development. The Directorate puts a premium on this and would encourage the successful candidate to be self-reflective and constantly consider how to develop and improve.   

 Climate and environment trade policy role:  

1. Keeping track of upcoming international engagements on trade and environment, such as relevant meetings of the World Trade Organisation, G7 and G20; reviewing the agendas for these meetings and helping to shape them in line with UK policy and objectives; coordinating with officials to ensure effective UK engagement; and ensuring outcomes are captured and effectively communicated across government.  
2. Working with colleagues across government to formulate UK policy in a key area for sustainable trade, for example ensuring international trade is aligned with objectives to halt and reverse global forest loss. This work will be varied and cross-cutting, and will include:

• Helping to shape UK domestic policy by working with a wide range of teams in the Department for Business and Trade, and departments such as the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
• Developing the UK’s approach to engaging internationally on your policy file, especially with trade partner governments through the World Trade Organisation.   
• Maintaining awareness of key developments related to your policy file, both domestic and international, and using these insights to inform the direction of your work. 
• Using research, analysis, and stakeholder engagement to continually advance the UK’s understanding the policy problems in your area, identify potential solutions or mitigations, and evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of these interventions.
• Facilitating decision-making by seniors and ministers through communicating insights, including on the opportunities and risks associated with various courses of action.

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

Demonstrable ability to: 

• Plan and deliver high quality work at pace, including having excellent time management and organisation skills. 
• Communicate confidently and clearly, orally and in writing. 
• Build and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders. 
• Make effective decisions both independently and through decision making processes, showing a firm grasp of how to research issues, develop and assess options, and involve others in decision making.

Desirable Criteria  

It would be helpful, but not essential if you have: 

• Experience of working on issues relating to international trade, economic diplomacy, climate or environment and/or related international work.
• Experience of project management.
• Experience working on policy development.

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. 

After the closing date 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. 

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 up to 500 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.   

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.   

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.