Senior Policy Adviser
Department for Science, Innovation & Technology
Apply before 11:55 pm on Tuesday 26th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.
We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.
We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.
We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.
We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.
Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.
Our Inclusive Environment
We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.
Find Out More
We regularly run events where you can find out more about the department and tips for the application and interview process. You can sign up for upcoming events here: https://forms.office.com/e/Jae3B4w7xm |
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You can also follow our LinkedIn Page: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/dsitcareers/
Job description
The role is within the Broadband Strategy & Regulation Team (SRT), which is responsible for fixed telecoms strategy and policy. SRT is a high-profile, well-respected team of six that owns a range of discreet policy areas. The team is also sometimes responsible for coordinating policy work across other fixed telecoms teams and DSIT as a whole.
SRT is responsible for delivering (through the regulatory regime) the Government’s target to rollout gigabit broadband nationwide by 2030.
While SRT is a high-performing team that often needs to work at pace, it is also a friendly and collaborative team. We support each other and try to have a bit of fun when we can!
Person specification
The successful candidate will likely be responsible for:
- Designing (with legal support) and delivering primary legislation. This legislation would involve the individual regularly briefing seniors and ministers as the legislation moves from inception to passage through Parliament. The post holder will project manage this legislative work and oversee the small project team.
- Separately, considering policy options to increase the levels of infrastructure sharing in the UK. This may involve advising ministers on what actions they should take to support infrastructure sharing (which should help hasten the rollout of telecoms infrastructure and reduce the proliferation of duplicative infrastructure).
- Reviewing the existing regulatory regime to understand what opportunities there are for reform (in order to support growth, competition, and investment in the sector and broader economy).
- Monitoring the financial health of telecoms firms and leading a policy response in the potential event of a critical firm ending up in severe financial distress (with support from the candidate’s line manager).
- Working across the directorate, department and Whitehall to ensure the delivery of the Government's gigabit strategy, including preparing and overseeing meetings, briefings and submissions for ministers and senior officials.
- Line managing a well-motivated and capable Senior Executive Officer (and likely matrix managing other staff).
As a strategy team SRT works flexibly and often has to respond to new work demands (as just one example, the team had to quickly advise ministers on whether to agree to proposals to place tariffs on fibre optic cables imported from a large oversees country). Due to the dynamic nature of the team, the successful candidate will need to be comfortable in picking up and dropping new workstreams regularly.
This is an exciting role and team to work in. If you’d like to find out more, feel free to email the head of the team and hiring manager: Bradley Carter-Roberts (Bradley.carterroberts@dsit.gov.uk).
Skills and Experience
We would love to hear from you if:
• You’re driven and comfortable working at pace;
• You’re someone who is a ‘self-starter’ who can drive forward work independently (with an appropriate degree of support from their line manager);
• You proactively identify things that should be investigated further and/or improved;
• You’re comfortable balancing short-term and long-term priorities;
• You are good at building effective working relationships and collaborating with colleagues;
• You’re a clear communicator (both verbally and in writing);
• You’re somebody who sees the value in giving and receiving feedback to support collective development;
• You’re a strategic and analytical thinker who can use logic and available qualitative and quantitative evidence to identify the best recommendations to provide to ministers. You think about the ‘big picture’ but are also comfortable sometimes examining detailed and technical issues.
Desirable experience:
• Policy development experience, particularly in ambiguous or fast-moving policy areas;
• Providing advice to senior figures (such as ministers or C-suite executives);
• External stakeholder engagement.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Changing and Improving
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Changing and Improving
Benefits
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
- A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
- Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
- An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
- Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
Office attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV, behavioural statements and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 750 words) to set out how you meet the skills and experience requirements for the role. Please give examples to support your statements. Please also briefly include in your answer the reason(s) you're applying for this role.
Applications will be sifted on behavioural statements, CV, and personal statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the CV.
Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The interview will consist of behaviour and strength based questions.
Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.
Sift and interview dates
Expected Timeline subject to change
Sift dates: w/c 27/11/24
Interview dates: w/c 8/12/24
Interview Location: MS Teams.
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.
Further Information
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance. A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
DSIT does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
DSIT cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. DSIT holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland 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
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
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Bradley Carter-Roberts
- Email : bradley.carterroberts@dsit.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dsitresourcing.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
