About the job

Job summary

The post-holder will contribute to trade negotiations through effective programme management within Department for Business & Trade (DBT) Intellectual Property (IP) International Trade Negotiations team. 

The purpose of the IP team is to deliver UK trade policy objectives for IP through international free trade negotiations and multilateral engagements. 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, Mexico, Canada, Israel, Switzerland and the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as a major programme of work to implement commitments in existing free trade agreements, and representation of UK interests in intellectual property at the World Trade Organisation. DBT is developing an ambitious future-facing programme of negotiations that are expected to continue into 2024. 

The post-holder will contribute to the delivery of IP programme work for new and existing FTAs according to ministerial priorities. They will also work with the other IP negotiation 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 that are critical for the delivery of the IP chapters, 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. 

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 negotiations. 

Job description

We welcome project and programme knowledge from a wide range of backgrounds, recognising that subject-specific knowledge will often be developed on the job and, hence, we are seeking a candidate able to: 

• Coordinate the full programme across the IP team, including oversight of negotiations, policy and governance, working collaboratively and effectively in teams and with external stakeholders. 

• Monitor deliverables and keep senior colleagues up to date on developments across the full suite of FTA negotiations, implementation, and multilateral work. 

• Lead on aspects of programme reporting and maintenance of the programme dashboard, working with policy leads to ensure accuracy and effectiveness of reporting. 

• Monitor risks and issues across the programme, identifying workable solutions, for instance on resourcing or legal constraints. 

• Use oral and written communications skills and display forward-thinking to contribute to effective planning of negotiations, policy priorities and international engagement.  

• Undertake stakeholder mapping and analysis to determine the levels of interest and influence across stakeholder groups, including devolved administrations, crown dependencies, industry, and other government departments. Feed into an overall refresh of the IP team’s engagement strategy to ensure we are maximising the benefit of these relationships. 

We are committed to the personal development of our staff and the successful candidate will be supported with learning and development opportunities to build their knowledge and expertise in intellectual property and trade policy. 

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience of programme or project management.  

• Excellent team working skills working alongside colleagues of all grades and ability to influence and persuade.  

• Experience working collaboratively with stakeholders, maintaining strong relationships and offering constructive challenge when required.  

• Strong written and presentational skills to ensure clear communication of all programme related issues. 

Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of negotiations and / or intellectual property.  

• Holds a project management qualification such as APM Project Fundamentals, APM Project Management Qualification, PRINCE2, or other relevant qualification. 

Personal Attributes & Skills

• Ability to deliver effectively, often to tight deadlines.  

• Interpersonal skills and the ability to build productive, collaborative relationships based on respect and mutual support.  

• Ability to see the big picture.  

• Ability to persuade and influence others, offering constructive challenge when required.  

• Prioritisation skills – the ability to manage multiple work activities and to change priorities quickly as required. 

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 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 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.  

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

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.   

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 

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.