About the job

Job summary

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible for promoting British trade across the world. This is an exciting time to join DBT’s Trade Policy, Implementation & Negotiations Group within the Intellectual Property (IP)  team, where you will have the opportunity to shape the UK’s international trade agenda for years to come.  

The IP team has responsibility for developing and delivering IP trade policy; using bilateral and multilateral forums to promote UK interests, and negotiating and implementing the IP chapters of international trade agreements. The team’s objective is to promote balanced and effective protection of UK IP overseas to encourage innovation, trade and growth.  

As part of the IP implementation sub-team, the post-holder will liaise with HMG colleagues in the UK and those posted around the world to utilise and develop our trade agreements, supporting engagements and working directly with partner countries. 

To make it easier for rights holders to protect their IP rights abroad, you will work closely with regional specialists and embassy staff, developing and providing sound policy advice regarding the UK’s IP goals globally, and easing access for UK rights holders to IP protections abroad. You will develop expertise across rights areas (including geographical indications, copyright, patents, trade marks, designs, and enforcement) and cross-cutting policies (like new technology, the Windsor Framework and Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories), and will develop relationships with UK regional specialists and partner countries, likely assuming portfolio responsibility for a geographic region, aiming to enhance UK trade through increased confidence in IP protections in your specific territories. 

To succeed in the role, the post-holder will be an effective and clear communicator with strong interpersonal skills, able to summarise and explain complex issues in easily understandable ways and identify the key strategic drivers behind important decisions. Policy-making skills including analysis of evidence, sound judgement and political understanding will also be essential, along with collaboration across government and elsewhere in DBT to access skills and expertise in support of the implementation across our signed agreements. 

As IP is relevant to most sectors there are plenty of opportunities to learn more about other areas of trade as we liaise with colleagues especially on life sciences, the creative industries and agri-food. The portfolio may evolve with changing priorities. 

Job description

• Developing and maintaining collaborative relationships with teams across DBT, other departments and Posts abroad relating to trade agreement implementation and ease of registering and enforcing IP rights in foreign markets. 
• Delivering a range of key international bilateral engagements, including IP Committees and working groups, to fulfil the UK’s cooperation commitments. 
• Intelligence gathering by maintaining strong relationships with a portfolio of UK and overseas government networks, to maintain an up-to-date understanding of the trade and political contexts of partner countries. This will be facilitated by leading quarterly discussions with DBTs Bilateral Trade Relations (BTR) country leads to ensure delivery of sub-committees, reviews (as required) and ad hoc engagement. 
• Contributing to creating new opportunities for businesses within trade agreements, e.g. through amending the agreements or their review. Developing strategic approach to these amendments/reviews where applicable. 
• The role comes with line management responsibilities of 1 HEO, and may come with task management responsibilities across matrix working in the wider IP team.   

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Experience of leading policy development in a complex area 
• Experience working and managing relationships with other government departments 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills  
• Ability to see the big picture and think strategically 

Desirable Criteria  

• Experience or knowledge of Intellectual Property  
• Experience or knowledge of trade policy, EU Exit, or international work 
• Experience of negotiations 

Personal Attributes & Skills 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to persuade and influence others 
• Ability to see the big picture and think strategically to support setting overarching strategy 
• Ability to establish and maintain good collaborative relationships with a wide range of stakeholders   
• Ability to analyse complex issues and lead work across Whitehall to ensure aligned policy approach 
• The ability to compile, assimilate, distil, interpret and present evidence and options in a clear manner whilst drawing upon experts as appropriate.  
• Ability to deliver effectively, often to tight deadlines across a vast portfolio of work.   

The IP team is close-knit and friendly, and you will find yourself well supported by your management chain, your colleagues, and the wider department.  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,384, Department for Business and Trade contributes £10,634 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, Strengths 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. 

After the closing date 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. 

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:    

1. A Personal Statement of up to 750 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.   

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.  

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.