About the job

Job summary

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy.  Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat and the air we breathe, to the water we drink.

You will be providing support to the Global Animal Health, International Market Access team in policy and strategy development and the planning and delivery of market access.  You will help to develop and expand the UK’s exports of live animals, germplasm and products of animal origin to non-EU countries across the globe, while ensuring high standards of animal welfare and food safety. 

The team represents the UK as the Central Competent Authority for this international trade and you will be working closely with colleagues across Defra, other UK government departments, devolved administrations, delivery bodies and agencies, as well the UK livestock industries.  You will help to ensure that our priorities are aligned with, and contribute to, the UK’s goals for international trade and economic diplomacy, and industry’s views of export market opportunities. 

You will also be part of the Animal and Plant Heath & Welfare (APHW) directorate whose objective is to protect the nation from animal and plant diseases and pests, and to uphold our high animal welfare standards.  These are major priorities for Defra. They underpin much of the work of the department – ie creating a healthy environment that everyone can enjoy, a successful, productive food and farming sector, and a thriving rural economy.  

Defra’s APHW directorate is a friendly and collaborative group, working on some of Defra’s highest priority objectives.  We benefit from an inclusive culture and we are looking for candidates who can contribute to making this a welcoming and positive place to work.  We want our recruitment to be inclusive too, so if you have any reasonable adjustments to request at interview, please read the guidance further down the advert about how to notify us of these. 

Job description

International trade is a high-profile area and key priority for Defra, the Secretary of State and ministers, and these policy advisor roles will be at the cutting edge of delivering this - supporting international trade delegations during their time in the UK and enabling businesses to access invaluable international markets.  

As a policy advisor you will have the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills, including policy development, drafting written and verbal briefings for Defra ministers, stakeholder management and project management, among others.

Responsibilities may include:

• Planning and implementing successful inward international trade-related visits, missions and delegations.  This may include planning and hosting non-EU country video inspections of UK food establishments
• Stakeholder engagement including Defra and other colleagues across UK government, British Embassy posts, UK industry and delivery partners, to plan and prioritise activities to support the development of policy and delivery of the UK’s international market access priorities
• Developing draft written and verbal briefings for Defra Ministers, senior officials, colleagues and stakeholders
• Working with others to collate and compile responses to dossiers requested by overseas authorities when considering market access
• Coordination and delivery of work related to the listing of UK exporters by overseas authorities, including communications with British Embassies overseas
• Contributing to the development of official certification and guidance for exporters, in collaboration with others
• Working closely with veterinary and international trade colleagues to support the provision of advice for market access policies and negotiations
• Contributing to and supporting the International Market Access team leaders with the response to incidents and emergencies (eg notifiable disease outbreaks)
• Coordinating responses to internal and external Market Access commissions

You may also be responsible for line and functional (matrix) management, working with and across other teams in and outside Defra.  Areas of responsibility may vary depending on business needs and the priorities of the team. 

Person specification

We are seeking highly motivated, capable and dynamic candidates to contribute to our policy and delivery work in the International Market Access team.

Essential skills 

In this exciting, fast moving and high-profile policy area, you will need to plan and prioritise effectively to deliver results, with good attention to detail, excellent written and oral communication skills, and the ability to deliver and implement at pace.  You will also need well-honed interpersonal skills and the ability to build strong relationships and interact effectively with multiple internal and external stakeholders including both policy and technical experts. 
 
In addition, we are looking to appoint individuals who have the following abilities: 

• Sound analytical skills, identifying and gathering information from a wide range of sources to detect trends and critical issues and escalate as appropriate
• Tactical thinking with collaborative problem-solving abilities and development of clear, evidenced options 
• Fast learners who can get to grips with an area of expertise quickly 
• Self-motivated, self-aware with high inner resilience and calm under pressure 
• A flexible and adaptable approach to change 

We value your range of skills and we do not expect applicants to have specialist knowledge of the area; we will help you to build your expertise in these roles.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £30,317, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £8,185 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.

Application Process

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, one Behaviour Statement (250 word max) and a Statement of Suitability (500 word max) to demonstrate how you meet the required skills as outlined in the job specification, the experience you could bring to the team and why you consider yourself suitable for this role.

When completing your CV please include brief details of your responsibilities and key achievements for each role.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Indicative Timeline

Applications should be submitted by 23:55 8 January 2024. Sifting will take place following the closing date. Interviews are expected to take place in January 2024.

Sift

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using your Behaviour Statement.  Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview

Interview

If successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed on your experience and the behaviours. Interviews will take place via a Microsoft Teams video call. 

Location

Candidates applying for these roles will be based at one of the Defra hubs as advertised.  

For information, our core Defra hub locations are:

• York – the Kings Pool
• Newcastle – Lancaster House
• Bristol – Horizon House (Please note that space at this office is limited and it may not be possible for all Policy roles to be recruited to this location)
• London – 2 Marsham Street

Internal (core Defra) employees can apply for this role and choose to remain in their current location or to be based in one of the advertised locations.

All other applicants will be based in one of the advertised locations.

Defra’s current policy is that no more than 40% of the working week should be spent at home, averaged over a month unless exceptional circumstances apply and/or the post-holder is a contractual home worker.

Travel and subsistence will not be paid for travel to a base office location.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Near Miss 

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Defra which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.

Merit Lists 

Where more than one location is advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to state your location preference on your application.

Salary 

New entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. The internal roles rules apply to existing Civil Servants, ie level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest.

Visa Sponsorship Statement

Please take note that Defra does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via defrarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, if you’re deaf, you may need a Language Service Professional.

Criminal Record Check

If successful and transferring from another Government Department, a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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. 

Internal Fraud Database Check

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 had their employment continued. Any applicant’s 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.

Higher Security Clearance 

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

All of these posts require the successful candidate to hold basic security clearance. Candidates posted to London may be subject to a higher level of clearance because of the security requirements for that location. Job offers to these posts are made on the basis of merit. Security vetting will only take place after the receipt of a job offer. 

Childcare Vouchers 

Any move to Defra from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.