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.

Have you got experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders with the ability to challenge and influence when required?

Do you have exceptional written and verbal communication skills?

Can you manage multiple projects and competing demands effectively?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Job description

We have an exciting and unique opportunity to join the Climate Adaptation Strategy team to support the transport sector to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Our aim is to reduce the impact that our transport system has on the environment, a Departmental priority.

The role sits within the Environment, Adaptation and Strategy Team (EAST) in the Department for Transport (DfT). We are a motivated, friendly and high performing team with big ambitions in this exciting and growing priority area for the department, with huge scope for you to make your mark. The team are in the Future Transport Systems and Environment (FTSE) directorate, whose mission is to build a sustainable transport future by considering the system, driving innovation and building incentives, regulations and choices that work for the user.

You will work closely with the transport sector to shape policies and plans, drive action, and identify ways to measure success. You will represent the Department with crucial stakeholders as you build relationships with industry, across government and within DfT.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Co-ordinating and developing policies and plans to fulfil the Departmental environmental regulatory requirements on adaptation set out in the 2008 Climate Change Act and delivering on our commitments in the third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3).
• Playing a leading role in delivering the Department’s first Transport Adaptation Strategy by preparing government’s response to the upcoming consultation, drafting of the final strategy, and implementing the Department’s commitments in the strategy.
• Collaborating with National Highways and Network Rail, alongside external stakeholders including airports and ports operators to take meaningful action with regards to adaptation.
• Leading engagement with key cross-government stakeholders, gaining support and buy-in, building a strong stakeholder network and participating in cross-Whitehall governance in collaboration with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs and Cabinet Office.
• Driving awareness of the team’s work across DfT, the sector, and internationally, establishing and utilising stakeholder networks to influence priority workstreams and raise ambition.

For further information, please see the attached Role Profile.

Person specification

About you

This role requires excellent communication skills as regular engagement with Ministers, senior officials and external stakeholders is essential. The post holder will need the ability to confidently lead areas of work, contribute as part of a team, and work across team and departmental boundaries to deliver ambitious outcomes collaboratively and inclusively. Post holders may have line management responsibilities.

Additional Information

A minimum 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. 

Part of the role will be to help build the team’s international engagement and there may be occasions to travel internationally as well as attending meetings and visits to other DfT offices around the UK.

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.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your CV and Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following: 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to plan and manage multiple pieces of work and competing demands effectively.
• Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders with the ability to challenge and influence when required.

Please fully utilise the 750-word count when completing your personal statement.

Sift

The sift is due to take place from 19th March 2024.

Interview

Interviews are likely to be held from week commencing 8th April 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:

• An Interview.
• Written policy exercise.

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

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.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.

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 counter-terrorist 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.