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SEO – Smart Data Policy Advisors

On-site in London·Added today (last checked 23 Oct)

Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

17 open roles

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Our summary

Salary: £48,913 - £53,230 a year
About £3,230 - £3,450 a month after tax.
Work mode: On-site, London
Closing date: Apply by Sunday 15 November
Pension: 28.97% employer pension

Skills

The role

Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 15th November 2026

Details

Reference number

486611

Salary

£44,913 - £53,230

National: £44,913 - £49,230 London: £48,913 - £53,230

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Senior Executive Officer

Contract type

Fixed term
Loan
Secondment

Length of employment

18 months

Business area

DBT - CMRR - Consumer and Competition Policy - These posts are in the Smart Data Team in Consumer and Competition Policy

Type of role

Policy

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

We have exciting opportunities available for SEO Policy Advisors in the Smart Data team. These roles will support delivery of the government's Smart Data Strategy and contribute to a major programme of work to create an interoperable Smart Data economy across multiple sectors. Smart Data enables consumers and businesses to securely share their data with authorised third parties, with their consent, so that innovative services can help them save time, reduce costs, improve productivity and make better-informed decisions. Open Banking is the UK's most mature example of Smart Data and demonstrates the potential for secure, standardised data sharing to support competition, innovation and investment. The government has committed £36 million over four years to deliver Smart Data, with an ambition to support 5+ schemes by 2030 and 20+ schemes by 2035. DBT works in partnership with other government departments, regulators, industry and consumer groups to develop sector-specific Smart Data schemes and ensure they are designed in a coherent, trusted and interoperable way.

Successful candidates may work in one of a range of SEO policy roles. Some roles will focus on sector-specific delivery, working with other government departments and regulators to design and develop Smart Data schemes in priority sectors such as banking, finance, energy, property, digital markets, transport, retail, trade, telecoms or agrifood. Other roles will focus on cross-cutting policy work, including the development of overarching governance arrangements, cross-economy standards and technical architecture, and legislative frameworks needed to underpin a joined-up Smart Data economy. Across all roles, post-holders will help turn strategy into practical delivery, supporting policy development, stakeholder engagement, evidence gathering, options analysis, governance, risk management and delivery planning. This is a high-priority and fast-moving area of work, with strong ministerial and cross-government interest, and offers the opportunity to shape a major programme of economic reform.

Job description

Successful candidates will support high-priority Smart Data policy work across either sector delivery or cross-cutting programme activity. The exact role will depend on team need and candidate fit, but all roles will contribute to the development and delivery of Smart Data schemes and the wider foundations needed for a trusted, interoperable Smart Data economy.

Depending on the post, responsibilities may include:

Supporting the development of Smart Data policy for one or more priority sectors, working with other government departments, regulators and wider stakeholders to identify use cases, develop delivery plans and progress scheme design.
Helping to design regulatory regimes for sector-specific Smart Data schemes, including supporting calls for evidence, consultations, impact assessments, policy instructions, briefing and advice.
Supporting policy development relating to the overall legislative framework for smart data including further primary legislation
Developing cross-sectoral policy thinking for our longer-term objectives
Gathering and analysing evidence from industry, regulators, consumer groups and technical experts to inform policy options, identify risks and develop clear recommendations.
Coordinating legal, analytical, technical and policy inputs so that scheme design choices are robust, deliverable and aligned with wider Smart Data objectives.
Supporting cross-cutting work on Smart Data governance, standards, interoperability, technical architecture, assurance, accreditation, trust, consent, redress and customer protection.
Working with colleagues across DBT and other departments to ensure sector-specific delivery aligns with the wider Smart Data Strategy, programme governance and cross-economy objectives.
Preparing high-quality written products, including submissions, briefings, policy papers, stakeholder notes, consultation materials and ministerial advice.
Supporting stakeholder engagement across government, regulators, industry, consumer organisations and technical experts.
Tracking milestones, dependencies, risks and issues, and supporting effective reporting and governance across the Smart Data programme.
Helping the team identify opportunities for cross-sector use cases, shared infrastructure, common standards and reusable approaches that reduce duplication and support interoperability.
Contributing to a collaborative, supportive and inclusive team culture, working flexibly across priorities as the Smart Data programme develops.

Person specification

The below is a list of characteristics which may be helpful in this role. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but are laid out to help candidates understand more about the role.

These roles would suit motivated policy professionals who are comfortable working in a fast-moving and technical policy environment, and who can help turn complex policy, regulatory and technical issues into clear advice and practical delivery plans. The roles may be particularly suitable for candidates who enjoy working collaboratively across organisational boundaries, building relationships with other departments, regulators and external stakeholders, and bringing structure to complex or ambiguous policy problems. Candidates do not need to be technical specialists but should be willing to build confidence in areas such as data sharing, regulatory design, governance, standards, interoperability and digital markets. We welcome candidates with a range of policy, delivery, regulatory, analytical or stakeholder engagement backgrounds. This is a high-profile area of work with significant interest from Ministers, No. 10, other government departments and external stakeholders. It offers an opportunity to contribute to a major programme of economic reform, support delivery across priority sectors, and help shape the governance and technical foundations of a future Smart Data economy.

Essential Criteria

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

Ability to analyse complex policy, regulatory or delivery issues and turn them into clear advice, options and recommendations.

Ability to work collaboratively across teams, departments and organisations, building effective relationships with policy, legal, analytical, technical and stakeholder colleagues.
Ability to deliver at pace in a changing or ambiguous environment, managing competing priorities and maintaining momentum.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex issues clearly to non-specialist audiences.
Ability to gather, assess and use evidence to support policy development, risk management and decision-making.
Interest in Smart Data, data sharing, digital policy, economic regulation, consumer policy or innovation-led growth.

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 or knowledge of data sharing policy, digital regulation, technical standards, interoperability, governance or regulatory design.

Experience working with other government departments, regulators or external stakeholders to develop policy or deliver complex programmes.
Experience supporting consultations, impact assessments, legislation, delivery planning, programme governance or stakeholder engagement.
Sector knowledge relevant to Smart Data priority areas, such as financial services, energy, property, digital markets, transport, retail, trade, telecoms, agrifood or supply chains.

Behaviours

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

Communicating and Influencing
Making Effective Decisions
Delivering at Pace
Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,913, Department for Business and Trade contributes £13,011 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 and Experience.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

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 750 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience 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 Personal Statement only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the Personal Statement will either progressed to a full sift where the CV is then assessed, or progressed straight to further assessment/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.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

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. In order 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.

In order 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

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) 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.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

Name : Smart Data Team
Email : Smartdata@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: Resourcing@businessandtrade.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: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints.