About the job

Job summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and high-performing individual to join DBT’s Ministerial Strategy Directorate. The successful candidate will work at the centre of a high-profile programme developing long-term strategic thinking on key issues facing UK growth and productivity. They will be required to think strategically and work across DBT and other government departments, to coordinate and drive forward the programme of work. The successful candidate will work in a fast paced-environment and regularly engage with the Permanent Secretary and DBT’s Executive Committee.  

The team 

Ministerial Strategy Directorate’s policy and strategy teams address emerging and cross-cutting issues and help DBT take a rigorous, responsive, and coherent approach to strategic decisions. MSD teams are working together on this programme on economic growth.  

This is a leadership role in the Strategic Oversight Team (SOT) which is part of the Future Trade Policy team in MSD. The SOT coordinates and oversees the programme of work on economic growth, working closely with Analysis Group, and across DBT. Working in tandem with the other G7 in the oversight team, you will drive forward the programme, set and oversee the timeline, forward look, and key milestones, deliver programme wide strategies, communications, and engagement, work to resolve issues escalated and run the strategic hub for the programme. 

The role may adapt based on evolving departmental and ministerial priorities. 

Job description

• This role sits at the centre of the department’s programme of work on growth and productivity and provides strategic development, oversight, coordination, and assurance across the programme.  
• As the owner of the programme’s strategy and timelines, you will plan, regularly review, and drive forward progress across the programme to ensure benefit realisation in 2024/5.
• You will oversee the programme’s governance and manage the relationship with the Permanent Secretary and DBT’s Executive Committee.
• You will oversee engagement plans and communications across the programme, including with other government departments.
• Working with the other G7 in the strategic oversight team you will help to manage the synergies, dependencies, and implications of policy solutions, help to support the decision-making process, and bring together final products from the programme.  

Task management of one HEO including supervising and task-managing their work, providing steers and guidance, and helping to unblock issues as they occur.

Person specification

Essential Criteria  

• Excellent leadership and organisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and competing priorities often to tight deadlines.  
• Strategic thinker who understands the big picture. 
• Problem solver who can drive forward work across multiple stakeholders and deliver through others.  
• Strong communication and influencing skills.  
• Experience of working collaboratively and effectively across departmental or organisational boundaries.  
• Political awareness and judgement and an understanding and appreciation of the requirement to provide timely, honest, objective, and impartial advice in the Civil Service. 

Desirable Criteria  

• Experience or knowledge of economic policy.  
• Experience of working on large programmes.  
• Experience or knowledge working in policy or strategy roles.

Personal Attributes & Skills  

• We are looking for a self-starter, who can work autonomously and is able to drive things forward.
• They should be comfortable working with multiple stakeholders in a fast-paced environment on a high-profile area that attracts lots of attention from the Permanent Secretary and Director Generals.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £53,560, Department for Business and Trade contributes £14,461 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 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 criteria.

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 Only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/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 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.