Strategy Advisor
Department for Business and Trade
Apply before 11:55 pm on Wednesday 2nd October 2024
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Policy
Strategy
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About the job
Job summary
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) oversees the domestic business environment, breaks down international barriers to trade and investment, and helps boost economic growth by ensuring the UK is a country where businesses can thrive.
Climate change is driving the biggest and fastest global industrial transformation in a generation - a change that will impact the business environment and international trade for decades. We need to help ensure UK businesses are well-placed to take advantage of the commercial opportunities from the global green transition and that DBT’s wider work is aligned with the Government’s climate and environment policy ambitions.
At the centre of the department sits the Global Futures Directorate – an internal strategy team and thinktank focused on driving positive change on long-term issues affecting the UK and global economy. We are recruiting a Green Strategy Advisor to join the Green Strategy Team, to support our work aligning the Department’s business and trade policy with the Government’s climate and environment goals.
Job description
You will play a multi-functional role in the Green Strategy Team, including:
- Horizon scanning and strategy development – You will have a keen interest in climate and economic policy and pro-actively track the frontiers of thinking to help spot opportunities and risks to the UK, applying that to your work.
- Collaborating and influencing with internal and external stakeholders – You will help develop and maintain the team’s network of contacts across the department, Whitehall and with experts outside government to shape the department’s thinking and identify issues and opportunities to deliver our objectives.
- Supporting the delivery of DBT’s green objectives - day to day work with policy teams to monitor and report delivery against the Department’s objectives, identifying opportunities and risks for discussion at key governance Boards.
- Developing strategic communication on climate issues across Whitehall and externally - drafting and advising on briefings for Ministers and senior officials, preparing, checking and advising on correspondence, PQs, Freedom of Information requests, and responses to other ad-hoc requests to help deliver Ministerial communications and ensure DBT has a strong external narrative.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Interest in climate and economic policy making.
- Stakeholder engagement – ability to build strong professional relationships with a range of different stakeholders.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Flexibility and the ability to deliver at pace in a fast-moving environment.
- Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple workstreams.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience in climate policy.
- Experience in trade policy, business policy or international macroeconomic policy.
- Experience in supporting or conducting research projects.
Person Specification
- We are looking for an individual with the drive to innovate and take initiative. You will be keen to upskill yourself on new policy areas, look for gaps or flaws in existing policy, and be eager to come up with innovative solutions to help solve them.
- You will be able to develop strong working relationships to facilitate effective cross-cutting communication and policy input across multiple teams, and be able to deliver in a challenging, high-impact environment.
- You will be able to coordinate and produce high quality cross cutting briefing material for senior officials and Ministers, working to tight deadlines and high standards
- You will be comfortable using analysis to make compelling evidence-based arguments.
- As a team player, you will be ready to adapt and support your team, and equally draw on your team’s support when producing joint outputs.
- You will support a positive team culture, treating others on the team with kindness and respect.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Working Together
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) 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.
Please refer to the attached candidate pack for further information on our benefits.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
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 CV. 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.
- This role may be considered as a secondment opportunity. Please reach out to the hiring manager listed at the bottom of this advert to discuss.
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
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 : Laura Deslandes
- Email : laura.deslandes@businessandtrade.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : dbtrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email: Resourcing@businessandtrade.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.
For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints
