About the job

Job summary

This role provides an exciting opportunity to join the Automotive Unit (AU) in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and work on prominent trade, policy and strategy issues facing the UK automotive sector in a fast-paced environment.  

You will be supporting the sector as it transitions to zero emission vehicles, develops new trading relationships, and builds a resilient electric supply chain. Working closely with industry and across government, you will be advocating strongly for the sector. This role is a fantastic opportunity to shape and influence policies, including free trade agreements, to ensure the UK remains an attractive location for electric vehicle manufacturing and investments into the supply chain.  

The automotive sector is currently undergoing an unprecedented level of global transformation as zero emission vehicles and autonomous technologies replace older technologies. You will help contribute towards meeting the UK’s Net Zero climate targets, enabling strategic investments, and supporting tens of thousands of jobs across the UK.  

You will work across a range of issues such as the competitiveness of the UK automotive sector, automotive manufacturing strategy, trading relationships, and deep dives into foreign direct investment. You will also manage the Automotive Council, a major government and industry forum. 

The AU is an enthusiastic, friendly, productive, and high-profile sector team with high exposure to Ministers and is highly regarded by Ministers across Whitehall. We work closely with No.10, HM Treasury, as well as other departments and government organisations including the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Cabinet Office, the Department for Transport, the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and the Centre for Connected Autonomous Vehicles.  

Alongside strategy, policy and trade, the AU is responsible for:  

• Leading Whitehall’s strategic engagements with high profile global automotive manufacturers such as JLR, Ford, BMW, Nissan and Toyota to secure investments, safeguarding and creating highly paid jobs in key levelling up regions in the UK. Recent high-profile successes include landing £billions of electrification investments including from Tata, BMW and Nissan.   
• Delivering the Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programmes and the Automotive Transformation Fund. These flagship funding initiatives are aimed at industrialising the electric vehicle supply chain, accelerating the move to Zero Emission Vehicles manufacturing and unlocking long-term investment in automotive innovation.

Job description

You will: 

• Lead on various automotive trade and policy priorities to maximise the UK opportunities of the sector’s shift to electrification. This includes developing an understanding of the automotive sector and undertaking research to identify policy options and make recommendations. 
• Provide detailed policy expertise and advice to senior leaders and ministers. This will include delivering high quality briefings, including handling parliamentary business, across a range of policy topics. 
• Build strong relationships with partners across wider DBT, OZEV (Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles), CCAV (Centre for Connected Autonomous Vehicles) and draw on key international posts (e.g. Embassies and High Commissions) and delivery partners such as the Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC). 
• Manage HMG relations with senior industry stakeholders, including at CEO level. This will include managing the Automotive Council – a collaborative forum jointly chaired by the minister responsible for the automotive sector and a leading industry representative (currently the CEO of Bentley Motors). 
• Line manage a policy officer and support their development. 

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

• Strong collaboration skills. 
• Experience in engaging with stakeholders inside and outside of government. 
• The capability to stay abreast of a rapidly changing policy environment and deliver high-quality responses to commissions and responses to briefing requests, often at short notice. 
• Adaptable and resilient, to remain motivated in periods of uncertainty. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. 
• A self-motivated approach but who can work well as part of a team. 

Desirable Criteria  

• Experienced in managing and influencing stakeholders, internal and external. 
• Skilled in briefing senior officials, advocating with conviction and using evidence. 
• The ability to carry out research and analysis of factors influencing business decisions, and to then develop and evaluate policy options. 

Personal Attributes & Skills 

You are an enthusiastic, ambitious, collaborative, and hard-working candidate. This is a high-profile job, working closely with Ministers and industry on a top policy priority. The team is highly collaborative, working together to develop policy thinking and meet objectives.  

Any prior knowledge of the automotive industry is not required, there are plenty of opportunities to learn on the job. 

This post is a great development opportunity for emerging leaders. The team will provide support and guidance for the post-holder to help continue their development.  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,384, Department for Business and Trade contributes £10,633 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. 

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

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages. 
• 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.   

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. 

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.   

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your interview.  

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.  

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk  

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk  

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.