About the job

Job summary

We are recruiting for a Senior Policy Adviser in the North America team in the Bilateral Trade Relations directorate.  This role contributes to the Secretary of State’s priority to remove trade barriers. 
 
The primary focus of the North America team is the delivery of state-level trade objectives in the United States – a high-profile ministerial priority. This is an exciting time for you to join the team – which is managing delivery of signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with seven US states, developing several further such arrangements, and driving progress on a wider state-level market access agenda.  
 
You will join the part of the team responsible for market access.  You should expect to lead work on government procurement as one of your core responsibilities, to deliver ambitious commercial goals through our signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).  If you are a driven and experienced Senior Executive Officer (SEO) or equivalent who is seeking tangible leadership experience with a view to stepping up to Grade 7, this role would suit you.   

To succeed in the role, you will need to excel in:  

• Planning and navigating critical paths to achieve tangible outcomes (e.g. supporting UK firms to succeed in state procurement markets), notwithstanding uncertainty and external factors beyond your control. 
• Building effective working relationships with partners including businesses, diplomatic colleagues, and officials in state governments.  
• Grasping the politics of trade in the US. 
• Analysing complex US policy and regulation to understand trade barriers, prioritise issues to address, and construct strategies for resolution. 
• Communicating proficiently – to explain our state-level work to business, advise ministers, and build partnerships with stakeholders. 
• Contributing to a positive team dynamic in an environment requiring the delivery of high-quality work to tight deadlines. 
• Anticipating risks and issues and mitigating them proactively. 
• Above all, innovating – to maximise the benefits of a new and creative means of facilitating cooperation with US states.

Job description

Responsibilities likely to include a combination of the following – depending on the needs of the wider team and the profile of the successful candidate:  

• Leadership of the state-level government procurement workstream – to identify and propose solutions to market access barriers, and supporting potential UK suppliers to realise procurement opportunities. 
• Supporting resolution of priority barriers on recognition of professional qualifications. 
• Identifying, evaluating, and planning resolution of other market access barriers. 
• Contributing to the development of N America market access strategy (i.e. prioritised targets and delivery plan). 
• Deputising for the Grade 7 (G7) market access team lead as necessary. 
• Developing effective working relationships with the Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies. 
• Planning and managing Senior Civil Service (SCS) governance and engagement with partner departments across the UK Government. 
• Potential line management of one or more Higher Executive Officers (HEOs).
• Other duties to support the wider work of the N America team as required – including MoU development and delivery, visit planning, and briefings. 

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

• Demonstrated ability to plan and deliver critical paths to meet targets. 
• Demonstrated ability to research and understand complex policy, regulation, and legislation and to develop informed and relevant policy options. 
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and harness them to realise the objectives of your team and your organisation – influencing stakeholders as necessary. 
• Demonstrated ability to communicate proficiently – both orally and in writing. 
• Experience working internationally or on international policy. 
• Experience working on trade or trade policy. 

Desirable Criteria  

• Familiarity with the United States, its federal system of government, and its politics. 

Personal Attributes & Skills

• Adaptable 
• Analytical 
• Explainer 
• Improver 
• Problem solver 
• Relationship builder 
• Strategic  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,384, Department for Business and Trade contributes £10,633 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 only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.   

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your 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.

Location

This role is available in seven UK locations and can only be worked from within the UK, not overseas. Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DBT, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.   

If you are based outside of London, some travel to London will be required. Additionally, some out-of-hours (i.e. evening) work will be required, given time difference with the United States.

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.