Petition and Engagement Adviser

We recognise the challenges that people with 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.
Would you embrace the opportunity to be involved in important legislation impacting travel in the North of England?
Do you enjoy collaborating and developing positive working relationships with a wide range of diverse stakeholders?
If so, we have a unique opportunity available for an Engagement and Petition Adviser to join our team and would love to hear from you!, The Government is committed to investing in the country’s infrastructure and is developing plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), a multi-billion rail investment programme that, once completed, will significantly improve east-west connectivity and provide an improved transport offering for the North of England.
You will join the Major Rail Projects Group at a crucial juncture for the NPR new railway scheme, as the team supports the delivery of the repurposed High Speed Rail bill, providing you with an exciting opportunity to support the delivery of this legislation.
As Engagement and Petition Adviser you will work with legal and technical experts to understand why individuals and organisations along the route are petitioning against the bill, enabling you to assess the merits of their case, and to suggest solutions. This will include ensuring government policy is considered throughout, guiding decisions through appropriate governance procedures, and briefing Senior leaders where appropriate.
Within this role you will have the unique opportunity to attend committee sessions in Parliament, which can sometimes run into the evening, and may also be required to attend Parliament or ministerial meetings at short notice. Although managing a Bill can be demanding, the team has a strong culture of flexible working and inclusion and will work hard to support each other.
If you would like to find out more about what it's like to work at DfT Rail, please click here.
Your key responsibilities will include:
+ Acting as Petition Policy Adviser on a group of petitions, representing DfT in discussions with technical experts and legal counsel.
+ Managing the Departments’ input into engagement materials for stakeholders and communities along the route. Ensuring that teams across the department have been consulted and that all messaging is accurate and up to date.
+ Leading on the development of aspects of engagement around the deposit of any additional provisions and bill’s Lords stages, including preparing communications and ministerial briefings.
For further information, please see the attached Role Profile., This role is available to individuals who wish to be spending their office time in London, and we would also expect the individual to be willing to occasionally travel to meet with stakeholders or attend away days/conferences.
A minimum 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.
The role requires CTC clearance however candidates can onboard with BPSS Clearance and undergo CTC whilst in post. Should the successful candidate not obtain CTC then there will be a requirement to be re-deployed to an alternative post should a position be available.
If you would like to find out more about what it’s like to work within the DfT Policy Profession, please click here - https://careers.dft.gov.uk/policy/
You will be assessed against the Technical element of the Success Profile Framework. Two Policy Profession Standards are being assessed: Policy profession standards - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Working Together
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Delivering at Pace
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Delivering at Pace

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, When considering applying please provide three Behaviour Statements (max 250 words each) providing evidence for Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace and Seeing the Big Picture.
Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour, Communicating and Influencing. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The sift is due to take place from 05/11/2024
Written policy exercises are due to be held from 20/11/2024
Interviews are likely to be held from 26/11/2024
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
+ A written policy exercise
This interview will be conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.
You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, 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, DfT is 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.
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., 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.
Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter.
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.

You will be a highly organised individual, who is comfortable handling a number of conflicting demands and can effectively adapt to changing priorities as required. You will have excellent attention to detail, ensuring that all material and guidance is accurate and up to date.
You will be an excellent communicator who is comfortable conversing with stakeholders at all levels, and have the confidence to question and challenge when appropriate. You will utilise your interpersonal skills to develop and maintain positive, trusted relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders.

Alongside your salary of £36,466, Department for Transport contributes £10,564 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Please note, the above example is based on the London minimum salary. The employer pension contribution will be 28.97% of your specific salary.
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.