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.

Can you analyse complex information and present to a wide range of stakeholders?

Have you got experience in trade and / or international work?

Do you have exceptional communication skills with ability to build strong relationships?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to work on transport trade policy and trade agreement negotiations. We are looking to recruit a Senior Executive Officer (SEO) role in the Europe, Middle East and Africa team.

The role offers the opportunity to play a strategic role to deliver trade policy across the Department, influence across Government, and engage internationally to deliver successful outcomes for the transport sector.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Leading the development of the Department for Transport objectives and policy positions as HMG (His Majesty’s Government) progresses Free Trade Agreements (FTA) negotiations.
• Supporting UK FTA negotiations, including preparations for each negotiating round.
• Project management within the team where required and act as the IT focal point for the Directorate.
• Developing relationships with a range of different colleagues across the Department for Transport, government departments, and international partners, to influence decision making and successful trade policy outcomes that align with DfT’s domestic objectives.
• Analyse and present a strong evidence base drawing from a wide range of sources and opinions to develop policy.

For further information, please see the attached Role Profile.

Person specification

About you:

The successful candidate will have:

• Awareness and/or experience of trade policy and/or international policy and demonstrate how you can apply your skill set.
• Demonstrate strong communication and influencing skills, and the ability to brief senior leaders on complex trade issues is key.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work confidently with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Able to analyse complex information and present a strong evidence base.

Additional Information:

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. 

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.

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.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide:

1. A written behavioural example in 250 words that provides evidence of you having demonstrated the following:

• Communicating and Influencing

2. A tailored CV that demonstrates suitability to the role and the essential criteria.

3. A Personal statement in 750 words providing detailed evidence of the following:

• Demonstrate your experience of trade policy and/or international policy and how you can apply your skill set.
• Experience of analysing complex information and outline how you presented your findings to a wide range of stakeholders.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using your behavioural example of Working Together. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

The sift is due to take place from 3rd January 2024.

Interviews are likely to be held from week commencing 15th January 2025.

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

This interview will be conducted online via MS Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

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.

 

Further Information 

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. 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.