Senior Counter-State Threats Policy 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.
Do you have experience of working on policy or strategy development?
Would you like on a high profile policy area with the opportunity to work with the most senior officials in DfT?
If so, then we would love for you to apply!, A safe and secure transport system connects people and places and is vital to our prosperity and quality of life. DfT ensures that the UK transport system is protected against a wide range of national security threats while still allowing for the free flow of people and goods.
This is an exciting and stretching opportunity to lead on the department’s response to a high profile and evolving area of policy. The post holder will be the central point of contact for the His Majesty's Government counter-state threats community, working with partners across DfT and government to drive forward policy solutions to a range of state threats, including emerging tech and cyber. The post holder will be experienced and confident at developing policy and collaborating with stakeholders on complex policy and security issues.
Moreover, given the high-profile nature of this work, this work has strong ministerial attention and there are regular opportunities to work with the most senior officials in DfT., + Coordinating the department’s response on State Threats, working with teams across DfT and its agencies to respond to a range of state-backed threats.
+ Leading on briefing for senior meetings, including DfT attendance at relevant National Security Councils and subcommittees.
+ Working with partners across government to shape wider national security strategies and articulate DfT equities on state threats.
+ Management of one other team member.
+ Playing a full role in the running of the directorate and providing leadership to various corporate work strands.
For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.
Find out more about the policy profession, 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.
Given the security nature of the work there may be less flexibility on when you are required to be in the office than some other roles would allow.
Occasional travel to other DfT offices will be required.
The role requires DV clearance however candidates can onboard 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.

Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Seeing the Big Picture
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ 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 look at how your experience relates to the role, and within your CV and Personal Statement please provide detailed evidence of your experience of the following:
+ Working on policy and/ or strategy development.
+ Stakeholder engagement working with a diverse range of stakeholders with the ability to influence.
+ Strong written and verbal communication and analytical skills.
Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 750 words.
The sift is due to take place from the 17th of September 2024.
Interviews/assessments are likely to be held from the 30th of September 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 and a 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 the Policy Profession Standards Framework, 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.

To be successful in this role you will have excellent communication and analytical skills and will use this to bring different perspectives together to find innovative solutions to real-time problems.
You will have a strong grasp of the big picture, and ability to react at pace when required will be key, as well as the ability to make effective decisions both on stakeholder engagement and policy development.
You exercise a degree of autonomy and proactivity to drive forward policy development and can engage the wide range of stakeholders required to deliver the team’s objectives.
Engagement will be a key part of the role, and confidence to give presentations to a range of audiences, to whom the subject matter may be novel, will be an important attribute of the successful candidate., This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

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, 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.

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements
Open to UK nationals only.

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.