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.

Do you enjoy collaborating and building meaningful relationships with a range of stakeholders working beyond departmental boundaries? 

Would you relish the chance to be involved in decision making on how transport is planned and delivered across England? 

If so, we have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Policy Advisor to join our English Devolution Division, and we would love to hear from you.

Job description

The Regions, Cities and Devolution Directorate (RCD) is the cross-cutting team leading the Department for Transport’s (DfT) relationships with places – local authorities, Combined Authorities and Sub National Transport Bodies – right across England. Stakeholder engagement is a vital part of what we do, but our work is so much broader and deeper than that: we support DfT in taking a place-based approach to better transport, local and regional economic growth and productivity. The directorate provides local insight on a whole range of transport issues related to specific localities, unblocks issues affecting scheme development or delivery, ensures policies impacting a particular place are aligned and works with teams across DfT and Government to support the best outcomes for places and government.

Within RCD, the English Devolution Division leads for DfT on English devolution. Our work involves the nexus of policy, legislation and funding, and cuts across all main areas of DfT.

This role will support workstreams which will shape the future of local transport investment, with a particular focus on the implementation of any future funding reforms and associated accountability frameworks in relation to English devolution deals and devolved institutions.

You will need to work collaboratively with a range of colleagues in the Department to deliver on our commitments, quickly understanding and working with a range of complex policy issues across the transport modes; deploy negotiating and influencing skills within government and with local places. 

The role offers a fantastic, challenging and rewarding opportunity to be involved in high-profile policy work for the Department and can make a real difference to communities.

Responsibilities

Will include but not limited to:

• Leading the development of elements of any new funding offers and associated accountability frameworks for devolved institutions, ensuring these are coherent with any broader local transport funding reforms as part of the next Spending Review and beyond, broader local transport policy and the devolution agenda.
• Working with other government departments – primarily the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and HM Treasury – on policy development.
• Contributing to the Directorate’s work to prepare for the next Spending Review.
• Implementing elements of any new funding offers and associated accountability frameworks for devolved institutions.
• Engaging with Combined Authorities and Local Authorities on devolution deals and to support policy development and operational excellence.
• Providing advice to Ministers as appropriate, ensuring they have the information they need to make timely decisions.

Please see role profile for full details.

Further information on policy roles in the Department can be found here https://careers.dft.gov.uk/policy/”

Person specification

About you

We are looking for an organised, motivated, team player who is flexible, and able to  prioritise your workload to adapt to changing demands.  

You will be someone who champions engagement and gains rapport quickly with others to build positive working relationships with internal and external key stakeholders at all levels. 

You will have excellent interpersonal skills, be a confident communicator and trusted adviser, with effective decision-making skills and are able to proactively take the initiative to find solutions to problems.

Further information:

You will have the option to be based in our Leeds or Birmingham office attracting the National salary.

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. Occasional travel to other DfT offices will be required.

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  

When considering applying please look at how your experience relates to the role. Please tailor your Personal Statement to provide detailed evidence of the following:

• Effectively engaged with internal and external stakeholders including those at senior levels.
• Experience of making effective decisions by using a range of relevant and credible information to present strong recommendations.

The sift is due to take place from 02 July 2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held from week commencing 15 July 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
• A written exercise

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.

If you are shortlisted, you will first be invited to complete a written policy exercise which will take approximately 75 minutes, details will be sent to you beforehand. The written exercise will be conducted online and will be used to assess your ability as noted on the Role Profile against level 1 of the Policy Profession Standards

Policy Profession Descriptors

Interview/exercise may/may not be held on the same day (Individual invites will be sent).

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.