About the job

Job summary

Are you interested in the Government’s financial and economic relationship with a regulated industry? 

Could you use financial and contractual analysis to drive and influence policy development and decision making? 

If so, we are looking for a Senior Policy Advisor to join our Finance Policy Team, and we would love to hear from you.

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.

Job description

As Senior Policy Advisor you will advise on and develop policy for the Government’s finance and commercial relationship with Train Operating Companies.

In this role you will scope, plan and deliver high-quality advice to senior officials and ministers on both longer-term strategic matters in this relationship and shorter-term tactical decisions. To achieve this, you will conduct financial and contractual analysis to build an evidence base, resolve novel and contentious finance and commercial issues, and manage risks and opportunities for the Department for Transport (DfT) and the taxpayer. 

You will proactively lead and contribute to defining key elements of the Government’s finance and commercial relationship with Train Operating Companies. As part of this, you will review contracts and financial information, develop robust evidence, draft clear and actionable advice for senior leaders and seeking views from other partners where necessary, both within and beyond the Department.

This high-profile role provides a fantastic opportunity to work with technical advisers, industry representatives, and external lawyers to drive and influence policy thinking.

If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here.

Your key responsibilities in this role will include:

• Proactively leading and contributing to defining important parts of the Government’s finance and commercial relationship with Train Operating Companies on both longer term strategic issues and shorter term tactical issues.
• Scoping, planning and delivering short-term pieces of work to resolve finance and commercial issues that arise from in life contractual management of the Train Operating Companies.
• Setting the financial and commercial requirements and conditions for the Department’s approval of policy and operational proposals.
• Defining, developing, and agreeing with key partners the key components of good finance and commercial management/oversight of Train Operating Companies and proactively promoting these across Passenger Services.
• Effectively using consultants and external lawyers to strengthen and support expert advice to senior leaders on finance and commercial relationships with Train Operating Companies.
• Actively building knowledge and understanding of Passenger Services Rail and, the rail industry more generally, and developing a solid foundation that supports effective working.
• Possibility of line management responsibilities with this role.

Person specification

About you

You will have worked in or, close to, a financial, economic or regulated environment where the Government has an interest. 

As a result, you will be familiar with the type of financial and contractual analysis that is required to support rapid policy development and decision making, including effective framing of issues, topics and decisions.  

You will be expected to be able to take end-to-end responsibility of long term and short-term projects, including presentation to senior decision makers.

Additional Information

This role is available to individuals who wish to be spending their office time in London, Leeds or Birmingham, and we would also expect the individual to be willing to travel to visit alternative office locations, predominantly London, to attend key meetings or team events. 

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. 

Candidate Drop-In Session

We will be running a virtual drop-in session to give you greater insight into this role, as well as the chance to learn more about the team and the Department for Transport. 

If you would like to join us, then click the link below to reserve you spot on the call:

Wednesday 10th April

We look forward to seeing you there!

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 and Experience.

When considering your experience, please tailor your CV and Personal Statement (maximum 750 words) to provide detailed evidence of the following:

• An awareness of financial, economic or regulated industries and the Government’s interests in these environments.
• Familiarity with financial and contractual analysis to support rapid policy development and decision making, including effective framing of issues, topics and decisions. 
• Experience of end-to-end responsibility of long term and short-term projects, including presentation to senior decision makers.

The sift is due to take place from the 22nd of April 2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held from the 8th of May 2024 till the 10th of May 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.

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. 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.

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.