Director, Trade Defence and FTA Utilisation

Location

Darlington, London

About the job

Summary

Here in the Trading Systems group, we work to reduce market access barriers, champion the rules-based international trading system, and operate the UK’s new trading system. We do this by:

– Advancing the UK’s interests in multilateral forums,
– Opening new markets for UK businesses,
– Defending UK businesses and protecting our security, and
– Shaping and strengthening the rules-based systems and ensure compliance.

It is a brilliant team doing interesting, challenging and important work that really matters to the UK. We are committed to making DIT and TSG a fantastic place to be and join up as One DIT by connecting and collaborating, expert by striving for excellence, and engaged and inclusive by celebrating differences.

As part of the TSG Senior Leadership team, you will be supporting the group in achieving its goals, as well as helping make TSG a great place full of positive people, delivering excellent work.

Job description

The Director will be responsible for some of our high priority policy and strategy development and implementation, including:

• Trade remedies – Continuous improvement of our trade remedies framework, sponsorship of the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) and improving awareness of the TRA and the UK’s remedies framework within industry. Defending businesses from across the UK from unfair trading practices such as dumping and subsidies through a modern and fit for purpose trade remedies system.

• Sanctions and export controls – Provide additional resilience to export controls policy to keep pace with emerging threats, working closely with the main policy area on Export Controls through matrix management.

• Market Distorting Practices and economic coercion – Working with relevant policy teams within DIT, across Whitehall and at Post, establish a new permanent policy, strategy and coordination function to tackle Market Distorting Practices and economic coercion to ensure UK companies are not disadvantaged.

• FTA Utilisation – Bringing together work ongoing across our Overseas network, export promotion, investment, communications and trade policy teams to facilitate a department-wide approach to FTA utilisation to help businesses realise the benefits of the FTAs we negotiate.

This post will line manage at least 3 Deputy Directors with a span of around 55 FTE, with the potential to change as the team is set up.

Responsibilities

• A proven track record of leadership in a complex and dynamic environment, with an engaging, adaptable and inclusive leadership style;
• Flexibility to respond to emerging challenges, take decisions in an ambiguous environment and effectively prioritise the work of the team;
• Excellent strategic thinking with high intellectual energy and demonstrable evidence-based policy and operational delivery;
• Outstanding communication and influencing skills, with the ability to manage a wide range of senior stakeholders from within DIT, across Government and externally, and construct effective relationships to
deliver;
• First-class judgement and political nous, including the personal credibility to be a trusted advisor to Ministers and senior officials, or equivalent experience with senior stakeholders.
• Proven success of working in an environment that has required an understanding and awareness of the issues and challenges faced by businesses.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension

Things you need to know

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 developed vetting.

See our vetting charter.

People working with government assets must complete basic personnel security standard checks.

Selection process details

To apply for this post, you will need to complete the online application process accessed via the advertisement listed for this role. This should be completed no later than 23:55 Sunday 3rd July 2022 and will involve uploading the two documents outlined below:

1. A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.

2. A Supporting Statement of around two pages of A4 explaining how you meet the requirements of the person specification as far as you are able to.

Failure to submit both documents will mean the panel only have limited information on which to assess your application against the criteria in the person specification. Please ensure that both documents contain your full name. As part of the online application process, you will be asked a number of diversity-related questions. If you do not wish to provide a declaration on any of the particular characteristics, you will have the option to select ‘prefer not to say’. The information you provide when submitting your application will help us monitor our progress towards the Civil Service becoming the most inclusive employer.

If you are unable to apply online please contact [email protected]

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK nationals only.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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.

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.