Job Description
This is a great opportunity to work at the heart of one of the 9 DIT geographical regions and to experience trade and investment work with an overseas network. The South Asia Region includes 6 countries (India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal) which are diverse, dynamic and important for DIT.
The Government’s Integrated review sets out its shift towards the Indo Pacific Tilt and underlines the strategic importance of South Asia and the wider Indo Pacific region, as a region that is critical to our economic growth and our national security.
The ISED South Asia team focuses on co-ordinating across DIT and Whitehall to drive trade and investment priorities across the South Asia HMTC region, as well as supporting DIT’s role in delivery of the Indo-Pacific elements of the Government’s Integrated Review. This role offers the successful candidate a great opportunity to develop skills and expertise working in a strategic role across a priority geographical region, bringing together the fusion of trade, investment, economics, and foreign policy.
For this role, the Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. Please note we are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
Job description
This is an exciting and varied role, which will give you unprecedented access to the DIT senior leadership across the South Asia region, as well as gain exposure to operational, policy and commercial outcomes that are shaped by the Regional Trade Plan for South Asia. The South Asia region is economically dominated by India and as such, the role has a predominant focus on the needs of India.
You will be expected to provide strategic oversight and support maintenance of governance structures for the South Asia Network, including the India Seniors Group and Quarterly Performance Reviews, as well as championing DIT priorities for South Asia across Whitehall, on policy priorities such as: Integrated Review and the India 2030 Strategic Roadmap.
You will be required to support on the coordination of Ministerial and senior official briefing requests and correspondence on the region. Additionally, liaising with the visits and protocol team on inbound and outbound visits is a key part of the role. This includes coordinating DIT’s input to VVIP visits as well as preparing high-quality advice and briefings for Ministers and the Permanent Secretary for a range of internal and external meetings.
You should establish and maintain productive working relationships with internal stakeholders within the department, including with Post, Free Trade Agreement negotiation colleagues, Bilateral Trade Relations and sector colleagues to ensure a one DIT approach towards trade and investment in the region.
The role will be based in either Darlington or London. You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process.
Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas.
Informal hybrid working arrangements will be available as agreed with the vacancy manager and in line with the requirements of the role.
Most DIT employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in an office, on average. If your office location is London, you will be eligible to receive London salary.
DIT will cover travel costs/expenses to any office which is not your usual office location in line with departmental expenses policy. DIT will not cover commuting costs to your agreed office location.
Appointments will be made to candidates in merit order based on location preferences.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Ability to work flexibly with others to the changing demands of a team.
- Proactive, dynamic approach to work.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience of stakeholder management.
- International experience.
- Some knowledge or experience of trade and investment or foreign policy.
Personal Attributes & Skills
- Ability to pick up new areas at pace, work creatively and constructively with others.
- Ability to build trusted and productive working relationships with colleagues across DIT and external stakeholders.
- An interest in international issues, particularly in relation to trade and investment, plus an awareness of the UK political direction of travel.
- The ability to prioritise and remain calm, working in a fast-paced operating environment with good organisational skills and management of competing priorities.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills to communicate effectively with customers, senior stakeholders and ministers.
- Ability to work flexibly with others and adapt to the changing demands of a team.
- Inclusive and respectful team-working, consistently seeking to share best practice ways of working with wider colleagues in the directorate.
Support in applying for our vacancies is available by joining a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Leadership
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pensionwith an average employer contribution of 27%
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.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.After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.Please complete the online test and written application as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 06/02/2023 at 23:55. If you fail to complete the online test and written application before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.Sift will take place week commencing 06/02/2023.Interviews will take place week commencing 20/02/2023.As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statementPlease align your CV with previous skills and experience. Maximum of 2 A4 pages. Maximum word count of 1000 words.The Personal Statement should concisely explain, in no more than 500 words, your motivation for applying to this role, and evidencing how you meet the essential and desirable criteria listed on the Person Specification.In the event that there is a high volume of applications, a short sift will be conducted based on: Personal statementIf successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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 (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs) stating the job reference number in the subject heading.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 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.Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.The Department for International Trade embraces and values diversity in all forms. We welcome and pride ourselves on the positive impact diversity has on the work we do, and we promote equality of opportunity throughout the organisation.Please note – harmonised terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.Further InformationA reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.Any move to the Department for International Trade 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 at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:Contact Government Recruitment Service via (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs) as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Vetting Requirements
All security clearances require you to provide evidence of your UK footprint where you have been physically present in the UK.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.If you require SC clearance you will need to provide evidence of the below requirements.Checks will be made against:Departmental or company records (personnel files, staff reports, sick leave reports and security records)
UK criminal records covering both spent and unspent criminal records
Your credit and financial history with a credit reference agency
Security Services records
Security
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.
See our vetting charter.
People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standardchecks.
Nationality requirements
Further information on nationality requirementsThis job is broadly open to the following groups:UK nationals
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Codesets 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.
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.
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veteransinitiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name :(See complete description on Civil Service Jobs)
- Email :(See complete description on Civil Service Jobs)
Recruitment team :
- Email :(See complete description on Civil Service Jobs)
Further information
Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.
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 DIT by email: (See complete description on Civil Service Jobs).
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 hereto visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints
DIT Candidate Pack Opens in new window(pdf, 608kB)DIT Terms Conditions - New Opens in new window(doc, 44kB)Attachments
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent
Part-time hours: 15 -37 per week
Salary: £31,443.00-£33,097.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Flexitime
- Life insurance
- Sick pay
- Work from home
Schedule:
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Darlington, DL1 5AD
Reference ID: 263682
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