SBG Briefing Officer

The Department for Business and Trade brings together the business focused functions of the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and the Department for International Trade (DIT) into a single department.
The new Department for Business and Trade brings business and trade together to create a department with all the levers to unleash the power of British businesses, reform regulation to reduce burdens and unlock Brexit freedoms.
The department brings together business expertise and world-class trade negotiators under the vision of making the UK the best place to start and grow a business - driving growth, increasing jobs, raising wages and living standards. It will amplify engagement between business and government and strengthen our offer to international investors. The department will support investment, unlock exports, and open up new markets through trade deals, with joined-up offers of support to UK businesses operating both at home and abroad., Working in the department's Small Business Growth Directorate, the successful applicant will join a friendly and high-performing team at the forefront of the Department’s policies to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
The Small Business Growth Directorate is a diverse, inclusive and friendly directorate that has a wide-ranging remit to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business. It leads on a range of high-profile policy areas including:
+ Business finance through British Business Bank initiatives including Start Up Loans, the Recovery Loan Scheme and Future Fund: Breakthrough
+ Boosting skills and productivity through Help to Grow
+ Championing small businesses through the King’s Awards for Enterprise
+ Ensuring small businesses get paid on time through our work on late payments with the Office of the Small Business Commissioner
The Briefing Hub plays a vital role in supporting the directorate's policy teams with ministerial briefing, responding to parliamentary questions, drafting ministerial correspondence and communicating new policy announcements to stakeholders. This is an exciting and varied role that provides the opportunity to work with senior colleagues and Ministers across the Department for Business and Trade and wider government.
The successful applicant will be part of a team of five which has responsibility for leading cross-directorate commissions and works with policy teams to respond to Parliamentary Questions, Oral Parliamentary Questions, Freedom of Information requests, public and parliamentary correspondence, briefings for ministerial engagements and provides ad hoc policy projects and communications support. This is a fast-paced role that requires working to meet challenging deadlines and managing multiple priorities at once.
The post holder will be required to build effective relationships with policy teams across the department, Ministers, private offices and other government departments, as well as maintain the Hub's positive reputation with our colleagues. The post holder will help ensure that the Hub maintains its high level of performance in hitting deadlines and continues to deliver high-quality outputs. They will also communicate with a wide range of stakeholders across government., + Developing a comprehensive knowledge of government policies supporting the growth of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
+ Providing the best service possible when supporting policy teams and monitoring new announcements and developments.
+ Working collaboratively with policy teams to ensure policy developments are reflected in key lines documents used for briefing, PQs and correspondence responses.
+ Overseeing drafting and policy team input to provide high quality responses to ministerial briefings, correspondence, PQs, OPQs and FOIs, working with colleagues to seek necessary clearances and ensuring these are returned by agreed deadlines.
+ Building effective relationships with policy teams, SCSs, Private Offices, Central Drafting Unit, the Ministerial Advice Team, other Hub leads and key contacts across government.
+ Working with wider policy teams on specific projects to develop and communicate key areas of work.
+ Undertaking ad-hoc research, engagement and policy development activity to support policy teams across the wider directorate, where capacity allows., 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 500 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.
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.
In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the CV Only. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
Location and working arrangements
This role is available in seven UK locations and can only be worked from within the UK, not overseas.
Travel to your primary office location will not be paid for by DBT, but costs for travel to an office which is not your main location will be covered.
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.
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.
Candidate Support
You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.
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., + 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.

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).
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Delivering at Pace – Managing multiple competing deadlines. Ensuring that urgent work is prioritised appropriately and progress is monitored, offering input and support to colleagues where needed. Communicating the urgency of deadlines to policy colleagues and importance of updating key documents and standard lines.
Working Together - Collaborating with policy teams to ensure we deliver high quality responses to commissions and communicate key messages effectively, therefore an ability to work jointly with others is important. We also work with Private Offices, Parliamentary Unit, other departmental directorates and other departments, so it is crucial that we build and nurture these relationships.
Managing a Quality Service – The Hub’s work predominantly supports ministerial engagement, briefings and correspondence. Therefore, delivering to a consistently high standard, requiring a keen eye for detail, strong communication skills and a high level of precision is essential., Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Working Together
+ Managing a Quality Service
+ Delivering at Pace, Alongside your salary of £32,858, Department for Business and Trade contributes £8,871 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
+ 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 average employer contribution of 27%
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
Please refer to the attached candidate pack for further information on our benefits.