International Policy and Project Support Officer

Do you care about the safety of products and want to protect people and places? Can we use your skills, knowledge and experience to enable UK business to thrive? If the answer is yes, then we would like to hear from you!

We are the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS), part of the Department for Business & Trade. We are here for the purpose of making regulation work to deliver real world impact. Regulation is a powerful Government tool to address market failures, influence behaviour and promote positive action. Crafted and delivered well, regulation can be an enabler of growth, innovation and efficiency.

Since early 2018 we have been building a positive and creative team that enjoys a position of influence and respect within an organisation that continues to grow.

Our primary purpose is to protect people and places from product-related harm, ensuring consumers and businesses can buy and sell products with confidence

Further information can be found on our website here.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles. We embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (DCS) for people with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

We are Inclusive

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 recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Are you interested in international affairs? Would you like to work on projects that further the UK Government's trade and development objectives? Would you like to learn more about new cultures and gain experience of working with international stakeholders?

If the answer is yes, then OPSS International Delivery has an opportunity for an enthusiastic and committed individual to join our team to support the design, scoping and delivery of a new international programme.

OPSS International Delivery provides technical assistance and capacity building support to overseas governments to promote good regulatory practices and support the design of new regulatory frameworks to help shape progressive, international regulatory environments. Working in partnership with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, our programmes help to deliver the Government's trade and development agenda, by supporting the development of regulatory environments which support economic growth, reduce poverty and increase opportunities for global trade and investment.

The new regulatory reform programme will provide technical assistance in three areas: better regulation, National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) and standards, and product safety and e-commerce. It will operate across the Association South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, working at a country-level in seven ASEAN Member States (AMS) and with ASEAN institutions., The focus of this role is split between policy and project delivery. You will support the set-up of the new Programme Management Office and policy development for the new ASEAN programme. Your responsibilities will include:

• Undertaking research into specific policy issues and coordinating UK and overseas events relating to the programme


• Monitoring policy developments across the His Majesty's Government overseas network and cascading to wider team


• Helping to set up and run the Programme Management Office, which will include support on developing project plans and other project documentation, and maintaining dashboards and reporting mechanisms


• Supporting the development of the Monitoring, Reporting, Evaluation and Learning (MREL) framework


• Acting as the Risk Coordinator for the team


This is a fast-paced, stretching and rewarding role, offering an exciting opportunity to work on a new international programme that directly supports the UK Government's development and trade priorities.