About the job

Job summary

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is responsible for shaping British Trade interests globally. Both these roles sit within DBT’s Bilateral Trade Relations Directorate, which is responsible for progressing country-specific trade policy/strategy outside of formal FTAs. This includes implementing FTAs, addressing market access barriers, and designing new trade frameworks to deepen economic and trade relationships.

Australia and New Zealand Policy Lead (1 year temporary mat leave cover) 

Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) are the UK’s first from-scratch comprehensive FTAs, are significant markets for UK businesses, expected to grow as a result of the FTAs. This role leads the bilateral trade relationship with both countries and will oversee the implementation of both FTAs. This involves delivering a comprehensive programme of sub-committees and the annual Ministerially led Joint Committee.  It will require engagement with DBT and OGD policy teams, with the FTA Utilisation team, and increasingly with business as we seek to shape what we want from the policy relationship building on the FTAs. The FTAs did not solve all market access barriers, and we are taking an ambitious approach to ensure that barriers to trade are addressed using all available levers. The post holder will also engage with broader strategic interests towards ANZ within DBT and across-Whitehall.

Taiwan and South Korea Policy Lead (permanent)  

This role leads the bilateral trade relationship with Taiwan and South Korea. The role holder will develop the UK’s trade policy and strategy for Taiwan, focusing on the UK-Taiwan Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP), a new initiative that aims to deepen UK-Taiwan trade policy cooperation. This will involve working closely with policy teams, and engaging in negotiations with Taiwan over the content. For South Korea, where the UK has an ongoing FTA negotiation (led by another team), the post holder will input into country strategy and monitor FTA progress in advance of implementation (which the post holder will lead). For both markets, the post holder will identify opportunities to remove trade barriers and shape regulation. 

Both Roles: Strategy and Leadership

As well as bilateral work, both roles will input into the Department’s broader regional strategy, including future engagement in CPTPP. Both these roles are key leadership roles in the APAC team, and you will develop team members, set direction and play an active corporate role.

Please indicate in your application if you do not wish to be considered for one of the above roles.

Job description

For both roles, the successful candidates will have the following accountabilities: 

• Country/Market Strategy: play a leadership role in developing and articulating the priorities and objectives for their markets/countries, and design clear strategies to achieve them. Lead on the planning, negotiation, and delivery of ambitious future trading arrangements.  
   
• Trade Policy Development: develop an in-depth understanding of the trade policy issues for these markets and bespoke trade policy for use with these partners (in committees, dialogues, ETPs, and for multilateral engagement etc). Provide updates on trade policy in the region, including advice on what this means for the UK and future trading relationship with the region.  

• Market Access Barriers: Delivery of strategies to identify and reduce market access barriers, including by developing deep expertise on the issues, working with analysts to prioritise and quantify barriers, and identifying opportunities and strategies to influence partners regulatory reform, and remove or circumvent barriers to support UK businesses.  

• External and OGD Engagement: develop and cultivate a strong network of relevant contacts in London embassies, overseas governments, and amongst UK business and trade associations. Close working with Posts in the overseas network. Build close relationships with ministerial offices and with colleagues working on similar issues in OGDs to ensure the UK approach is aligned with wider Whitehall strategies, as well as to harness skills and expertise from across OGDs.  

• Leadership and Line Management: play an important leadership role across the Asia-Pacific and Indo-Pacific teams, including through active corporate contributions to support the teams growth and betterment. Both roles will include direct line management responsibilities, and the opportunity to task manage across the wider team. 
   
• Delivery and Project Management: manage a significant programme of activities and events, including Ministerial level JETCOs, trade committees and sub-committees, business engagement events, etc. Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities is required.  

• Flexibility and Prioritisation: demonstrate resilience and flexibility in your approach to work, setting examples to the team to deliver against high priority objectives, revising remits and objectives when necessary, and being comfortable with uncertainty. 

The above is indicative of the role’s likely remit, but candidates will be expected to be flexible depending on the business need of the team which is continually evolving.

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

The candidate will need to demonstrate that they exhibit the following behaviours in their work: 

• Leadership. The job holder will be responsible for setting direction and objectives for themselves and task manage others in relation to their work. 
• Seeing the big picture. The job holder will need to understand Ministerial, XWH and partner country priorities in order to evolve objectives and deliver the policy programme, as well as working closely across a number of DBT policy and utilisation teams. They will also need to be able to respond to geo-political and economic shifts, as well as Whitehall and DBT prioritisation.  
• Delivering at Pace.  The job holder will need to respond quickly in what is often a fast moving and high profile area, and will need to be able to manage a programme of work and juggle competing projects, amongst shifting priorities. 
• Making effective decisions. The job holder will have responsibility for key workstreams and will need to progress the work decisively based on evidence and knowledge. 
• Trade Policy Experience. The job holder will ideally need to have a strong existing understanding of trade policy, ideally with experience of developing trade policy on specific trade policy areas. 

Desirable Criteria  

• Experience of working internationally, including with the APAC region.
• Experience of working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including external and cross-Whitehall collaboration.
• Experience of project management or managing complex projects.  

Personal Attributes & Skills 

Information about what the ideal candidate would be like in their character and what they would bring to your team. 

We are looking for motivated self-starters who can set direction and grip an important and relatively new and evolving portfolio of work.  You will be joining a friendly team who will work closely with you, so you will be a strong team player, able to task manage effectively.  You will represent the team across DBT and with external stakeholders, so will be able to build and maintain relationships with a diverse range of OGDs and external organisations. You will be interested in trade policy, want to build further expertise on this area, and are keen to develop bespoke trade policy solutions in relation to these markets.  

Given the timezones, both roles will involve early starts a few times a month, and occasional evening meetings (particularly with New Zealand). We encourage flexible working and use of TOIL to ensure a good work-life balance.   

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 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:    

1. 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.
2. 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.  

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

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis 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.

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 

Vetting

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.

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.