About the job

Job summary

We recognise the challenges that people with protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Can you build and maintain effective working relationships in the UK and with overseas contact?

Are you able to clearly communicate in a straightforward manner through both written and verbal communication?

Have you empowered other team members to make effective decisions as well as driving your own work forward?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Job description

International air services help us to deliver a global, outward-facing Britain. As a Senior Policy Adviser in the International Aviation Negotiations team, you will be helping to generate the international connectivity that is so important for our economy. The work directly secures business opportunities for airlines and airports and helps increase the range of choices and value for money available to UK consumers and businesses.

International air services are governed through a myriad of complex bilateral and multilateral treaties called Air Services Agreements (ASAs) – the teams primary job is to negotiate, maintain and, if necessary, enforce those ASAs.

We need to add to our small team to help ensure that the UK’s extensive ASA portfolio remains fit for purpose and this essential policy work is maintained. This is particularly important now in light of the UK's withdrawal from the EU, recovery of the industry from the COVID-19 crisis, and managing the impacts of conflicts around the world.

If you are looking for hands-on experience of international relations (both bilaterally and through multinational institutions), participating in high-profile negotiations and securing commercially valuable outcomes, we would very much like to hear from you!

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Contributing to the formulation and implementation of the UK’s air services strategy and development of related policies (for instance regarding airline ownership and control and fair competition).
• Working through international institutions to develop multinational policies and other initiatives relating to international air services.
• Liaising closely with: - Counterparts in other countries, both to negotiate, update and enforce ASAs and to build multinational policy consensus;industry to ensure that the UK’s ASA portfolio reflects their needs and aspirations; Ministers, other government Departments, agencies and NDPBs – in particular FCDO and the Civil Aviation Authority - to ensure that wider political, diplomatic and regulatory requirements are properly reflected in the UK’s ASAs; - and through the Department’s interactions in international institutions regarding air services
• Leading on handling the many and varied “doing business” issues/challenges encountered by airlines when seeking to operate under the terms of our bilateral/multilateral ASAs.

For more information, please see the attached Role Profile.

Person specification

A minimum of 60% of your working time should be spent at your principal workplace, although requirements to attend other locations for official business, or carry out detached duty in another DfT workplace, will also count towards this level of attendance. 

Please note that this role will include regular International Travel which will occur approximately every 2 months for around 1 week.

Learn more about our Policy Roles here

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance. 

Find out more about what it's like working at the Department for Transport

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, Experience and Technical skills.

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How to apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide a CV and Personal Statement (500 words). Please tailor your CV to suit the role. For your Personal Statement, please provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Experience of Building and maintaining effective working relationships
• Experience of aligning and adapting your own priorities to changing circumstances

The sift is due to take place 1st February 2024

The Policy exercise is due to be conducted 12th February 2024

Interviews are likely to be held from week commencing 26th February 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• a policy exercise and an interview

This interview will be conducted online via Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.  

Technical 

You will be assessed against the Technical element of the Success Profile Framework. Two Policy Profession Standards are being assessed: Policy profession standards - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Strategy 1.1. Policy Context and Purpose Level 1: Developing

• Define the sought impacts and outcomes of a policy.

Democracy 2.1. Working with Ministers Level 1: Developing

• Deliver effective internal communication. Write for different audiences and purposes, including scrutiny.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity. 

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website. 

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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.

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.