About the job

Job summary

The department for Business and Trade (DBT) brings together business expertise and world-class trade negotiators under the vision of making the UK the best place to start and grow a business – driving growth, increasing jobs, and raising wages and living standards.  The post-holders will contribute to the Intellectual Property team within DBTs Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations group.  

The purpose of the Intellectual Property (IP) team is to deliver UK trade policy objectives for IP in through Free Trade Agreements, multilateral and international forums. The team’s objective is to promote balanced and effective protection of UK IP overseas to encourage innovation, trade and growth.  

Ongoing negotiations at present include India, Canada, Israel and Switzerland, as well as a major programme of work to implement commitments across all existing free trade agreements and representation of UK interests in intellectual property at the World Trade Organisation. 

The post-holder will contribute to the delivery of IP policy work for new and existing FTAs according to ministerial priorities. They will also work with the other IP negotiation and bilateral trade relations teams in DBT to plan and support a busy programme of international engagement and domestic policy making.  

They will collaborate closely with the other key government departments to support the efficient and effective use of expert policy officials’ and legal experts’ time across a dynamic programme of international work and provide planning and support to the wider team to secure the UK’s international objectives. Flexibility in work across negotiations, policy and implementation will be needed according to business requirements.    

The post-holder will be an effective and clear communicator, able to summarise and explain complex issues in easily understandable ways and identify the key strategic drivers behind important decisions. Success in the role will require collaboration, working closely with teams across Government and elsewhere in DBT to access skills and expertise in support of the IP programme. 

Job description

There are several Policy Adviser vacancies within the Intellectual Property team working across negotiations, policy and free trade agreement implementation. We welcome policy and skills knowledge from a wide range of backgrounds, recognising that subject-specific knowledge will often be developed on the job and, hence, we are seeking candidates able to:  

• Use excellent oral and written communications skills to explain often complex pieces of policy to a variety of stakeholders. 
• Work collaboratively and effectively across the team, with flexibility to work across multiple priority projects in line with team needs. 
• Have an understanding of how their role fits into the bigger picture.  
• Navigate different points of view and deploy strong analytical skills to contribute to the development t of UK intellectual property trade policy  
• Understand the full lifecycle of trade negotiations, contributing to live negotiations whilst working to implement UK obligations already signed agreements. 

The post-holder will:  

• Work at pace to deliver team priorities across negotiation, policy and implementation 
• Provide support across a range of intellectual property rights, such as trade marks, geographical indications, copyright and patents 
• Support negotiation strategies 
• Coordinate international fora in the form of intellectual property sub-committees/dialogues/working groups with strategic partners 
• Use excellent communication skills to contribute to ministerial briefings, respond to parliamentary questions and feed into materials ahead of international engagements.  
• Be a team player, contributing to an inclusive team environment

Person specification

Essential Criteria  

• Ability to communicate complex issues to a range of stakeholders, both orally and in writing.  
• Ability to work flexibly across priorities, maintaining progress on multiple workstreams 
• Strong collaboration skills, with the ability to build relationships across diverse groups 
• Experience working at pace to deliver effectively 

Desirable Criteria 

• Experience or knowledge of international trade   
• Experience or knowledge of intellectual property 
• Policy development experience

Personal Attributes & Skills  

The ideal candidates must excel at agile and flexible working in a fast-paced environment to delivery effectively. A positive, proactive, and solutions-oriented way of thinking will also be of great importance.   

The role will involve building relationships across the intellectual property team, wider DBT teams and with other Government Departments, therefore a collaborative working style is essential.  

The ideal candidate will have good interpersonal skills, able to explain often complex aspects of intellectual property policy both orally and in writing.   

The intellectual property team is close-knit and friendly, and the Department offers a wide range of training to support learning and development as new staff come up to speed in their roles, and continue to develop their careers in the civil service.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £32,858, Department for Business and Trade contributes £8,872 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:    

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 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 only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.   

Location and working arrangements 

This role is available in seven UK locations and can only be worked from within the UK, not overseas. Most DBT employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in the office on average. Changes to these working arrangements are available in certain circumstances but must be agreed with the vacancy manager and in line with the requirements of the role and can only be discussed with successful candidates. Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DBT, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.   

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.

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.   

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email: Resourcing@businessandtrade.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.