About the job

Job summary

The Media and Creative Industries Directorate (MCI) covers broad and exciting areas of work. If you join our team you will work across government and industry to drive forward policy in a range of dynamic sectors, including TV, radio, film, music, press, fashion, gaming and advertising. 

It is a fascinating area of work at a time of great change in society, linking to cross-department themes such as digital transformation and ‘levelling up’ across the whole of the United Kingdom and beyond. 

Our work has included: 

• Working to agree the BBC’s licence fee until 2027
• Supporting the creative sector in international trade negotiations
• Publishing a Film Skills Review with the British Film Institute to identify skills gaps and shortages in this high-growth sector
• Leading a new committee to protect the safety of journalists
• Providing support for film production during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Supporting the radio industry’s transition to digital
• Piloting innovative Flexi-Job Apprenticeship Pilots with Netflix and Warner Media to support a more inclusive workforce

We pride ourselves on our inclusive and respectful team environment, with ample opportunities to get involved in corporate work such as our social committee or staff networks. Our staff survey scores show positive engagement in all areas, with a high level of interest in our work. 

We are recruiting for a highly interesting and stretching role as a Senior Policy Advisor in the video games and esports team. 

The team works across the fast-growing, creative and innovative video games and esports sectors, developing policies on important issues relating to the growth and competitiveness of the UK industry, and on the impact of games on society. The role will allow the successful candidate to develop different policy skills, and undertake wide-ranging internal and external stakeholder engagement.

Job description

Responsibilities of the role will include: 

• Developing expert knowledge of the UK games and esports sectors and building productive relationships with relevant organisations and companies operating in the UK.
• Briefing for ministers and senior officials, drafting answers to PQs and dealing with correspondence cases.
• Supporting or leading the effective management and ongoing delivery of a range of projects. The team’s activity includes:
  • Working with the games industry and within DCMS to improve player protections with regards to loot boxes in video games; 
  • Oversight of the UK Games Fund - a £13.4 million spending programme to support early-stage games studios and development of UK talent. 
  • Supporting the Games Rating Authority - the Government’s designated body to provide age ratings in video games. 
  • Working with the BFI, HMT and HMRC on administration of video games tax relief. 
  • Collaborating with academics to support high-quality research into video games. 
  • Working with esports stakeholders on growth opportunities.
  • Assisting with a range of topical and reactive issues across the creative industries team. 

Person specification

The ideal candidate would have the following key skills and experience:

Essential Requirements:

• Strong written and oral communication skills, including the ability to succinctly explain complex and/or technical issues to diverse stakeholders. 
• A proven ability to identify, analyse and assess a range of evidence to inform effective decisions, and to understand how individual policy priorities fit into wider policy and organisational benefits. 
• A team player, able to build strong relationships with colleagues and stakeholders from different backgrounds and disciplines to deliver common goals. 
• Highly organised and able to deliver across multiple priorities in a time-pressured environment. 

Desirable Skills:

• Experience of, or interest in, the video games sector and / or creative industries.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £33,095, Department for Culture, Media and Sport contributes £8,935 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.

To apply for this post, please send us the following documents no later than 9:00 AM Monday 8th January via the CS Jobs portal:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you provide employment history that relates to the essential and desirable criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 3 x A4 pages and you should insert your CV into the "Job History" section on Civil Service Jobs on the Civil Service Jobs application form.
• A Statement of Suitability (max 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 requirements highlighted. You may also choose to reference the desirable skills listed.

For the shortlist, we will assess your experience and select applicants demonstrating the best fit for the role by considering the evidence provided in your application.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial sift will be conducted on the statement of suitability. Those who are successful in the initial sift will then be scored on all elements of the application.

Should you encounter any issues with your online application please get in touch with: dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

The interview process will assess behaviours and strengths and potentially include a presentation.

The behaviours to be tested at interview are:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Bigger Picture

You will not be made aware of the strengths being assessed prior to your interview. 

As part of your interview, you may be asked to deliver a short oral presentation. Full details of this, including the topic, and whether or not you will need to use visual aids, will be sent to you prior to your interview. 

Your interview will take place remotely via GoogleMeets.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to DCMS from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out. 

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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. 

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 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.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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

DCMS has a London and a National pay scale. For more information on this, including the circumstances in which each pay scale will apply, please see the ‘Information for Applicants’ document.

Reasonable Adjustment

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, please:

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. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or a verbal test rather than a written one. 

Alternatively, contact the Government Recruitment Service via dcmsrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility difficulties with any of the attachments, please contact us. Contact details can be found in the 'contact point for applicants' section of the job advert.

If the vacancy is offered as FTA/Loan, existing Civil Servants must join on a Loan basis only., Prior agreement to be released on loan must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

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 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.