About the job Summary

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 Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) people, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Are you a natural leader who can build positive relationships with a range of senior partners and stakeholders?

Can you develop and lead a proactive programme of strategic engagement?

Would you like the opportunity to help level up the economy, enhance connectivity and deliver improved transport outcomes in Scotland?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to develop and lead a proactive programme of strategic engagement to underpin and promote DfT’s work in Scotland.

The Head of Engagement – Scotland post is a combination of a strategic leadership and a hands-on delivery role. You will collaborate with a talented and passionate group of colleagues to support the UK Government as it works to level up the economy, enhance connectivity and deliver improved transport outcomes in all four UK nations.

Whilst DfT has had engagement leads for the English regions for many years, we have not had one in Scotland before. You will have the opportunity to draw the best ways of working from the English engagement teams in DfT, as well as learning from several other government departments that are setting up similar teams, ultimately finding the right approach for us.

You will also play an active role in the Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland Division’s management team and will regularly deputise for the Head of Strategic Engagement and Partnerships – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Responsibilities

Key accountabilities of the role include:

• Co-leading on the planning and implementation of an evolving programme of strategic engagement in Scotland with measurable outputs and outcomes

• Developing an extensive and useful network across Scotland, including with the Scottish Government, local authorities and a range of other stakeholders to gather intel, influence delivery and promote the aims of the UK Government

• Building and maintaining good networks with devolution policy and communications teams in Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, (MHCLG), Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), HM Treasury (HMT), Cabinet Office, Scotland Office and departmental modal leads

• Gathering data and information, analysing this for key trends, insights and issues, and presenting this to Ministers and officials in an impactful way

• Leading support to Ministers on Parliamentary business linked to Scotland, including parliamentary questions, debates and correspondence

For an in-depth insight into the role please refer to the Role Profile.

About You

• Self-starter, capable of working independently as well as within a small team

• Confident and strong communicator able to represent the Department in meetings with senior partners and stakeholders

• Ability to explain complex issues clearly and concisely, verbally and in writing

• Ability to identify risks, issues and opportunities; the initiative to act on these and the judgement to decide when to escalate

• Strong problem-solving skills; able to help broker solutions

• Strong organisational skills; able to not only plan but also reassess workloads and discuss priorities if situations change or you face conflicting demands

• An understanding of the bigger picture and sensitivity to local and national politics

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Pillar 1 - Strategy 1.3. Participation and Engagement

Benefits

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.

Things you need to know Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

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

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

We are closely monitoring the situation regarding the coronavirus, and will be following central Government advice as it is issued. There is therefore a risk that recruitment to this post may be subject to change at short notice. In addition, where appropriate, you may be invited to attend a video interview.

Please continue to follow the application process as normal and ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

How to Apply

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

For your CV and personal statement, please provide detailed evidence (maximum 1000 words) of your experience of the following:

• Building and maintaining productive working relationships with key organisations and external senior stakeholders

• Working collaboratively and creatively to influence project

• Being a trusted advisor to senior officials/executives

• Developing and managing ways of measuring the quality and impact of your engagement

The sift is due to take place from w/c 16th May 2022, once applications have closed.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 30th May 2022.

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

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile and the Policy Profession Framework, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

Policy Profession Framework 

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.

Please see attached candidate notes for further information about our recruitment process.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website.

Before submitting your application, we encourage you to visit our Recruitment in Detail page of the DfT Careers website. You will find detailed information about the entire recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role in the Civil Service.

Throughout this job advert there are links to the DfT Careers website, which provides you further information to support your application. Should you be unable to access the information on our website, please email [email protected] for assistance.

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

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Further information on nationality requirements

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.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants Job contact :

• Name :Blair Heary
• Email :[email protected]
• Recruitment team :
• Email :[email protected]
• Further information

  If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: [email protected] If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here