About the job

Job summary

You will be leading the team that delivers the government procurement chapter in new trade deals, manages the implementation of existing deals, and leads the UK’s international policy making on government procurement at the WTO. 

The Department for Business and Trade champions open and fair global trading that supports UK economic growth. Our programme is continuing to expand in 2024, including the launch of new trade negotiations with Turkey and the Republic of Korea. Last year we agreed in principle the terms of the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive & Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, and we are now delivering legislation to implement the agreement.  

You will be leading the team responsible for our trade policy, negotiations and implementation on government procurement. Our team’s objective is to create a trading system that supports UK businesses fairly competing for public contract opportunities in overseas markets.  

As a Grade 6 Team Leader, you will lead a busy team delivering across numerous live international negotiations with high priority trading partners for the UK, covering the agreement of new FTAs, the implementation of existing deals, and advancing the UK’s interests at the WTO. Your team will also actively engage in domestic policy development where it relates to the UK’s international obligations.  

You will have line management responsibility for six Grade 7 members of staff leading a full team of approximately 20 members of staff.  

Your role will include wider corporate responsibilities for the team and directorate, including capability building and the development of our people and culture.   

Our team works in close collaboration with Cabinet Office commercial procurement policy, alongside other government departments and the devolved administrations. You will have responsibility for working with a wide range of stakeholders to deliver our team’s goals.  

Job description

• Provide strategic and tactical leadership to the team responsible for negotiating the government procurement chapter in DBT’s programme of trade negotiations, implementing existing deals and advancing the UK’s interests at the WTO. 
   
• Develop and keep up to date the strategy and policy positions for the government procurement trade policy, based on evidence, analysis and policy perspectives from across government.  

• Lead your team’s engagement and relationship with international counterparts in trade negotiations. You will support them to find solutions and ways to reach agreed outcomes with international counterparts.  
    
• Lead the team’s input into legislation required to implement new trade deals. You will work closely with legal, Cabinet Office and the Bill manager to navigate legislation through Parliament and with Ministers. 
   
• Line management responsibility for six G7s, and overall responsibility for a full team of approximately twenty members of staff.  
   
• Build and sustain a positive and inclusive team culture and a high performing team. 

• Effectively prioritise work across your team in response to changing departmental objectives and opportunities and support your staff to manage change as necessary.

Person specification

Essential Criteria 

• Experience of managing and leading a team to deliver quality results at pace. 
• Strong collaboration skills and experience of working with a range of different stakeholders inside or outside government.  
• Experience of policy development and negotiation, in an international or domestic context.

Desirable Criteria  

• Experience or knowledge of international trade negotiations or international trade policy.
• Experience or knowledge of government procurement policy.

Personal Attributes & Skills 

The ideal candidate will be an experienced and confident leader, capable of managing and supporting a large team delivering across a range of different objectives simultaneously. They will be able to set a clear strategic direction for their team and support their staff to ensure they have the skills they need to deliver. They will play an active role in nurturing and sustaining an inclusive and supportive team culture in which diversity and collaboration is celebrated. 

The ideal candidate will have a background in public policy and/or international affairs. You will need to be capable of developing deep expertise and credibility in a technical policy area. At the same time, you will need to factor in wider negotiation and bigger picture policy considerations. 

The ideal candidate will be great with people. You will need to lead and inspire a team to deliver and find ways to develop your team’s capability and performance. You will need to be able to form robust and productive relationships and communicate effectively with your international counterparts and with your colleagues and stakeholders.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £64,432, Department for Business and Trade contributes £17,397 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:    

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

Location and working arrangements 

This role is available in seven UK locations and can only be worked from within the UK, not overseas. Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DBT, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.   

 

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.