This role sits within the National Security Division (NSD), part of the Transport Security Directorate (TSD). NSD works across Government and with industry partners to mitigate the current and emerging threats the transport sector faces domestically and internationally.
We are looking for a HEO Policy Advisor to work on the Department’s approach to state threats, and particularly on economic security. We will provide full training in casework under the National Security & Investments Act 2021 (NSIA), which allows Government to block or intervene in transactions which pose a national security risk. This work can have security, economic, and diplomatic sensitivities, and you will represent the Department’s interests across Whitehall, as well as contributing to briefings for ministers and senior officials.
TSD invests significantly in training and developing staff, to prepare you not just for an interesting and challenging job, but also for a rewarding career in national security.
As you will be part of a team that works on emerging threats and hazards, you will be expected to work flexibly and adapt rapidly to changing requirements and priorities across the team, wider Division and Directorate.
Responsibilities
- Oversee FDI casework and support coordination of DfT’s input, including representing DfT at cross-HMG working-level meetings; work with transport sector leads in DfT to gather information and provide responses on FDI cases.
- Become a “subject matter expert” on state-based economic threats, supporting the policy lead in drafting policy and briefings.
- Support implementation of DfT’s State Threats Strategy by tracking actions and progress against strategy deliverables.
- Build and maintain stakeholder engagement on state threats work across DfT, including briefing and liaison with sector experts across transport modes within DfT.
- Build and maintain relationships across HMG on relevant state threat strategies, ensuring alignment with DfT state threats work.
- Contribute to the team’s implementation of national security measures in the Procurement Act, mitigating supply chain and vendors of concern threat.
For more information, please see the attached Role Profile.
Person specification
About you
To thrive in this role you will have experience of policy and/or security, whether gained in the public or private sector. We will also need you to be able to understand and summarise complex information, and be able to highlight key points clearly, identifying risks to support mitigation activity; excellent written briefing skills and the ability to convey information in clear, concise language are key.
Additional information
The role requires DV clearance; however, candidates will be onboarded with SC Clearance and undergo DV whilst in post. Should the successful candidate not obtain DV then there will be a requirement to be re-deployed to an alternative post should a position be available.
A minimum of 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.
As you will be part of a team that works on emerging threats and hazards, you will be expected to work flexibly and adapt to rapidly changing requirements and priorities across the team, wider Division and Directorate. You will be required to participate in the Department’s response to a security or civil contingencies incident. This may include out of hours working on occasion, but we make every effort to allow for your personal circumstances.
Find out more about working within policy at the Department for Transport: https://careers.dft.gov.uk/policy/
Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Communicating and Influencing
Technical skills
We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- 1. Strategy 1.1. Policy Context and Purpose Level 1: Developing
- 2. Democracy 2.1. Working with Ministers Level 1: Developing
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £38,289, Department for Transport contributes £11,092 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
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.
Find out more about what it’s like working at the Department for Transport.
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, Experience and Technical skills.
How to apply
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:
- Experience of rapidly gaining an understanding of a complex field and applying this to your work.
- Experience of communicating effectively with a range of stakeholders.
- Excellent drafting skills – being able to draw out key information from multiple sources and using this to present clear observations, often for a senior audience.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using your behavioural example of Communicating and Influencing. 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 21st-24th January 2025.
Interviews/assessments are likely to be held 5th-7th February 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 and written policy exercise
This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile and Policy profession standards – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) 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.
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.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following page https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
More Information
- Address London
- Salary Offer £38,289
Department for Transport
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