Head of Investment West Midlands

The role of Head of Investment West Midlands is responsible for leading a small team with the aim of joining up towns, cities, and counties to tackle major barriers to productivity and unleash the full economic potential of the West Midlands area.
We are looking for someone who is a self-starter with excellent organisational and management skills, and who can work with and influence a wide range of stakeholders to work collaboratively to meet our business objectives.
The role will be front and centre of key initiatives and policies to support Government’s ambitions, as well as attracting and retaining foreign investment., This role requires you to be a highly flexible team player, resilient and versatile in order to respond to changing circumstances and tight timetables. This is a challenging but rewarding role, operating in a dynamic team, which requires good relationship management and communication skills and an ability to troubleshoot and problem solve to successful conclusion. To work with local government and pan-economic bodies to deliver investment across the West Midlands and the prime point of contact for local partner/DBT network engagement on effective delivery of inward investment services.
The role also carries a remit to lead on pipeline (overseeing co-ordination and alignment of pipelines between DBT and regions across the whole Midlands region) for the team in the Midlands.
You will be required to work closely with other delivery teams in Investment Directorate and the wider department in support of some of DBTs key initiatives and programmes. This could include leading on other activities such as product opportunities and development, and inputting to policy and strategy.
You will be responsible for local partner and DBT network engagement in the West Midlands. The ability to lead and influence a variety of stakeholders, will be required, to drive effective delivery of inward investment services including enquiry/project handling and surfacing/promotion of local and national inward investment opportunities. You will need to draw on knowledge of the local landscape to brief Ministers and Officials on investment related issues.
Develop and deliver the business plan for your geographic area covering relationship management, investment delivery and placed based promotion of investable opportunities.
Lead and direct the team on leveraging local networks to support the attraction and growth of foreign investment into the UK and specifically the West Midlands. This can involve a wide variety of activities – including hosting inward investor visits, undertaking existing investor visits where appropriate, and developing both operational and strategic relationships with pan regional economic development bodies, assets such as universities and multipliers.
Actively support the delivery of locally managed Investment projects in accordance with DBT’s guidelines.
Work across the directorate with internal stakeholders, to provide local partners with a seamless service to maximise Investment.
Providing accurate investment performance reports and local intelligence for the West Midlands on a monthly basis.
Work with your team and colleagues from within DBT to support the West Midlands in developing credible investable opportunities, for capital investment in major commercial sites and for foreign investment by overseas companies into local clusters and value chains.
Line manage a small team of Investment Leads within your geographic area ensuring delivery of the business plan and engagement goals.
Coach and mentor team members to achieve individual success in their own portfolios and achieve their own goals., 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.
The full sift will be conducted on the CV and Personal Statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement.
Candidates who pass the initial sift will progress straight to the interview.
At interview you will be assessed against the behaviours and strengths. You will also be required to provide a short presentation. Details of the presentation will be made available when selected for interview.
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
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 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.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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.

Diversity and Inclusion
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

+ Experienced people manager with the ability to inspire and motivate teams.
+ Experience of building effective working relationships with both internal and external stakeholders at a senior level.
+ Strong written, verbal and interpersonal skills to communicate with at all levels.
+ Prior experience of the foreign investment agenda and the workings of the geographical West Midlands landscape.
+ Be able to operate in a fast-paced environment under tight time constraints, remaining flexible and adaptable to the role and requirements.
+ Ability to work independently, analysing information and making decisions.
+ Experience of account management or developing business networks
Desirable criteria
+ Experience of working with Ministers and strong drafting skills.
+ Able to work as part of the whole DBT network, including with colleagues in overseas markets.
+ The ability to think strategically and work to realise the big picture items.
+ Ability to work as part of a team and on own initiative., + Communicating and Influencing
+ Leadership
+ Making Effective Decisions

Alongside your salary of £53,560, Department for Business and Trade contributes £15,516 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ 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