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Exports Strategy Policy Advisor

On-site in London·Added today (last checked 16 Oct)

Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

21 open roles

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Overview

Salary: £37,666 - £40,347 a year
About £2,550 - £2,710 a month after tax.
Closing date: Apply by Sunday 25 October
Pension: 28.97% employer pension

The role

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 25th October 2026

Details

Reference number

485830

Salary

£37,666 - £44,347

London - £41,666 - £44, 347
National - £37,666 - £40,347

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Higher Executive Officer

Contract type

Permanent

Business area

DBT - DIME - UK Export Strategy

Type of role

International Trade
Policy
Strategy

Working pattern

Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time

Number of jobs available

Location

Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford

About the job

Job summary

The Domestic and International Markets and Export (DIME) Group plays a vital role in advising, supporting, and promoting UK businesses to grow and export, delivering economic growth through our services and policy interventions across the UK and overseas.

The Exports Directorate leads on supporting business growth though exporting, delivering against our Industrial Strategy, Trade Strategy and the SME Plan for Growth.

The Exports Strategy team, within Exports, sets the strategic direction for the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade's (BIST) export ambition, ensuring alignment with wider Departmental and cross Government priorities. It develops and coordinates policy and delivery across BIST, wider government and industry, ensuring a coherent and impactful support offer for businesses.

It is a new team, created at an exciting time as we transform BIST's export support to meet the needs of business, and respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by the global trade system and disruptive digital technologies.

Job description

As Exports Strategy Policy Advisor, you will contribute to strategic alignment and policy development across BIST's export support system, handling a wide range of data, stakeholders' insights and wider cross-departmental and government priorities. You will operate in a dynamic and often ambiguous environment and be required to handle uncertainties and multiple priorities effectively.

Responsibilities include:

Policy and Analytical Support - Contribute to the development and delivery of exports strategy's projects by gathering evidence, undertaking analysis, and supporting preparation of high-quality papers, briefings, submissions, and presentations.
Research and Insight - Undertake economic, sectoral or geographic research to inform policy design and assess trends affecting UK exports, and the implications for export support. Present findings clearly to inform decision-making at senior levels.
Horizon Scanning - Monitor geopolitical, economic and technological trends and provide concise updates to the team, contributing to a shared understanding of the global trade context.
Project Delivery - Support the planning and coordination of strategy projects, tracking progress, risks and outcomes to ensure high-quality and timely delivery.
Stakeholder Coordination - Support engagement with BIST, other government departments, and external stakeholders, helping to capture insights and align activity across the export support system.
Additional duties may also be required in line with business need, these can include but are not restricted to assisting with local or national events, and attending events as BIST ambassadors, upholding professional standards and embodying a positive experience of the department internally and externally.

Person specification

We are looking for an individual with research and analytical skills, who is confident with handling different types of evidence to produce clear insights. You will be confident in balancing different priorities and delivering high-quality outputs.

You will have strong engagement and communications skills and able to build and maintain relationships with a wide range of stakeholders both within and outside government.

Essential criteria

The below criteria are essential and will be assessed at application stage:

Research and analytical skills evidenced though applying data and evidence to develop clear policy and strategic insights.
Excellent drafting and communication skills, evidenced by producing concise, high-quality and engaging material for wide range of audiences and stakeholders.
Proven ability to take ownership of work, organising and delivering high-quality outputs within tight deadlines.
Collaborative working style, evidenced through building of effective working relationships to progress shared strategic objectives.
Understanding of trade policy or economics

Desirable criteria

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates:

Experience working in or with central government on economic or strategic policy.
Knowledge of UK export systems, services or related policy areas.

Behaviours

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

Working Together
Delivering at Pace
Seeing the Big Picture
Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,666, Department for Business and Trade contributes £10,911 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

Learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

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 ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted on MS Teams.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:

A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
A Personal Statement of up to 500 words, explaining how your experience and skills provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

Your application will be sifted against the Experience criteria of the Civil Service Success Profiles.

We aim to sift both the CV and the Personal Statement but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on the CV only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the CV will either be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Candidates who pass the sift will be invited to interview, where we will assess you on the Success Profiles elements of Behaviours and Strengths.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

Please note, following a recent change to the Machinery of Government, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will be renamed to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) as of 20th July 2026. BIST will connect the UK's world-class science and technology base directly to the businesses, places and workers that will drive good growth across the country. Such changes will not affect the selection process for this campaign; however, we wanted to take this opportunity to advise you of the recent changes to our department.

You can find further information here regarding recent governmental changes Machinery of Government changes: Fact Sheet - GOV.UK.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. To request an adjustment:

Complete the 'Assistance required' section on the 'Additional requirements' page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

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

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.
Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty. Any applicant who has details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
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.
Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Please note - the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
Candidates that do not quite meet the standard for this role may be offered a position at a lower grade.

To process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland/Access NI on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Vetting

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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

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. .

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 : Valeria Vigilante
Email : Valeria.Vigilante@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

Email : dbtrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners' Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email at Resourcing@trade.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Civil Service Commission Complaints