About the job

Job summary

This role is for a Senior Investment Partner to lead the OfI’s service to help strategically important investors navigate the most complex operational barriers. Building on the launch of the joint DESNZ/OfI ‘grids triage’ at Autumn Statement 2023, which aims to facilitate timely grid connection times for transformational investment projects, you will manage this process and expand the service to tackle other perennial challenges, including around planning and skills. You will be expected to be an active and inspiring member of the OfI’s senior leadership team, building effective relationships within DBT and with other government departments and agencies.

Job description

Responsibilities ​

Project Delivery. You will run a bespoke service to trouble-shoot operational blockers for top-tier investments, including on grid connections and planning/permitting. You will facilitate rapid engagement between investors and Ministers, regulators, agencies, and other delivery partners who can identify solutions, ensure that HMG policy is being implemented effectively on the ground, and use all their levers to prevent processes from causing unnecessary delays. You will work closely with other government departments, including DESNZ, DLUHC, and DfE.​

Policy Influencing. You will champion an investor-centric approach to policy development across Whitehall, applying investor insights constructively and critically. In particular, you will help to drive forward ongoing programmes of work to reform processes around grid connections and planning, ensuring that the requirements of the highest-impact investment projects are effectively prioritised.   ​

Investment Strategy: You will provide expert, commercially astute advice to No10, DESNZ, and HMT on how to unlock investment to operationalise the Government’s strategies. You will engage industry, investors, academics, and policy experts in other departments to understand market demand, failures, barriers, and opportunities across critical supply chains, applying an investor-focused lens to spot gaps and, where needed, challenge the direction of HMG’s approach. ​

Investor Relations. You will nurture and manage relationships with senior decision-makers in the world’s leading companies. You will provide trusted advice, make introductions to No10 and Ministers, and help them navigate the complexities of the UK system. You will also set direction within HMG, providing leadership to teams brought together from relevant departments and delivery partners to unblock barriers.  

Person specification

Essential Criteria​

​It is important through your CV and Statement of Suitability that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the following essential selection criteria.

• Experience working with investors, demonstrating commercial acumen and an expert understanding of how investors make decisions​
• Skilled relationship-builder, with the confidence and entrepreneurialism to create networks and partnerships with a wide range of key stakeholders across the public and private sector​
• Excellent written and oral communication skills with an ability to influence and persuade different audiences, including senior leaders​
• Experience of shaping or developing strategy, making effective use of commercial, economic, and political data and evidence to deliver outcomes​
• Effective and inspirational leader with a track record of building and motivating high-performing teams, and engaging and developing staff

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, Department for Business and Trade contributes £20,250 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

How to apply​

Please follow the online instructions on the Civil Service Jobs website to apply for this role.  Applications must be submitted no later than 23:55 on 28/04/2024. You will be asked to upload the two documents outlined below. It is essential you add your full name to both documents:​

1. A CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role.  Please provide reasons for any gaps within the last two years.​
2. A Supporting Statement of around two pages of A4, providing examples of how your experience meets the essential criteria.​

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. ​

If you encounter any issues or are unable to apply online please contact SCSRecruitment@businessandtrade.gov.uk  in the first instance​.

Please note:​

Once you have submitted your application online it cannot be amended, only submit your application when it is complete.

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.