About the job

Job summary

The Strategy, Sustainability and Impact Group (SSIG) has been created, in part, in recognition of the need for greater senior-level influence and increased resource across high-profile areas previously undertaken by the Chief Executive’s Office. This has come about due to the level of ambition the government has for its trade agenda, and the role ministers see for UKEF in supporting priority strategic goals such as the economic recovery following Covid-19, support for SMEs and the levelling-up agenda. Ministers’ ambition for UKEF and their desire to align the department in a more agile way with emerging government policy will all have an impact on UKEF policy and creates a need for more UKEF policy-development. In addition, EU exit and no longer being represented by the Commission in certain areas provides further context on the International side.

SSIG currently has six divisions: 

1. Strategy
2. Climate Change & Sustainability
3. International Relations
4. Information & Governance
5. Environmental & Social
6. Products and Policy Development

 
Within the Directorate, the International Relations Division leads on five major areas:

1. International policy formulation and horizon scanning
2. Cross-government and internal policy co-ordination in respect of international issues
3. Represent UK/UKEF in international fora such as OECD, G7, etc
4. Relations with other ECAs and trade bodies such as the Berne Union
5. International reporting and notifications, and (casework) advice to (Business Group) colleagues on compliance with international agreements

Job description

The role is as a Senior Advisor (SEO) in the International Division of SSIG. The division comprises 1 SCS1 Deputy Director, 2x Grade 6 Heads, 2x Grade 7 Deputy Heads, 2x SEOs and 1x HEO.  

The role holder will support the Deputy Head of International and Head of International Outreach and Engagement on the below:

1. Formulating policy and negotiating positions on current international issues and emerging issues.
2. Representing the UK/UKEF in negotiations and delivering UK/UKEF objectives in the OECD Export Credits Group, the Berne Union, and other relevant bodies.
3. Engaging with other export credit agencies, the Berne Union and OECD Secretariat to maintain and constructive working relationship and facilitate the sharing of information and best practice to assist with organisational objectives.
4. Ensuring UKEF fulfils its international transparency and reporting obligations.
5. Producing comparative materials and benchmarking reports for the department.
6. Liaising with other government departments on cross-cutting issues and engagement internally with subject matter experts.

Person specification

• Support the UK’s/UKEF’s international strategy on export credits.
• Support the senior members of the division to represent UKEF internationally to further UK international strategy objectives; and, where required, take the lead in representing.
• Maintain constructive working relationships with colleagues in other Export Credit Agencies (ECAs), guardian authorities and associated organisations. Including organisation UKEF participation in bilateral and international meetings.
• Coordinate comparison benchmarking activities that concern technical and policy issues of concern to UKEF.
• Provide advice to UKEF colleagues on the meaning and correct interpretation of the international regulatory framework.
• Support the maintenance of internal control systems and provide advice and guidance to colleagues to ensure that UKEF adheres to its international reporting and compliance obligations.
• Ensure that international reporting obligation returns are accurate and dispatched in a timely manner. This involves an element of data analysis and quality assurance.

Further duties of the role can be found in the candidate information document.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,890, UK Export Finance contributes £11,850 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, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

We are assessing candidates using Success Profiles and across the whole process we will assess your Experience, Ability, Technical aptitude and Behaviours as highlighted below.

You will be invited to complete the online application form.  The application form must be completed by 23.55 on the day of the closing date for it to be accepted.

All applications will be sifted against our minimum selection criteria outlined in the personal specification.  

You will be asked in the relevant sections of the application form to provide examples of evidence against a range of the success profiles. Where applicants are asked to apply with a personal statement, you should fully articulate in 500 words how you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification within the Information Pack. It is not enough to reiterate the criteria.

Sift Stage

For the initial sift your application will be evaluated against:

1. Experience
2. Skills
3. Knowledge

In the event of a large number of applications you will also be assessed against:

• Making Effective Decisions

Interview Stage

If you are successful following the sift stage, you will be invited to an initial interview; this will include the following assessment:

1. Behaviours/Technical/Experience - a formal panel interview where you will be interviewed across all five behaviours highlighted and your technical ability to successfully carry out the role.

• Behaviour - Seeing the Big Picture
• Behaviour - Making Effective Decisions
• Behaviour - Delivering at Pace
• Behaviour - Communicating and Influencing
• Behaviour - Leadership

2. Technical - a short presentation (this will be on a topic determined by UKEF and will need to be prepared in advance).

3. Technical - questions relevant to the role.

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

Security

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.