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Deputy Head of External Affairs

Employer
Department for International Trade
Location
London (Greater)
Salary
Competitive
Closing date
10 Aug 2018

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Job description

The Department is offering the right candidate a chance to make their mark and help continue to build the best external affairs function in government. The successful candidate will play a leading role in the Department’s priority campaigns, including promoting free trade, creating a culture of exporting and attracting inward investment at a significant point in the nation’s history. Partnership and advocacy with our stakeholders is core to developing and delivering our policies and building trust in our work. DIT stakeholders include influential business organisations, sector specific bodies, exporters and investors, Parliamentarians and City Mayors, think tanks, academics and NGOs and a range of regional and international opinion-formers. We work across the UK and internationally through our networks and overseas posts.

The role provides professional external affairs advice working confidently with a broad range of people within the Department and across and beyond Whitehall. The team leader will understand the Department’s business objectives and define external affairs priorities to meet them. They will build relationships, influence and collaborate with stakeholders to further communications objectives and lead a team that builds advocacy for our vision, policy direction and promotional campaigns.

Key Accountabilities 

  • Create and lead integrated advocacy and engagement campaigns to support the Department’s reputation and business objectives
  • Build effective and proactive relationships with influential opinion formers and business leaders to achieve collaboration and common purpose
  • Provide strategic advice to the Ministerial Team and Permanent Secretaries on communication and engagement plans and handle key issues
  • Produce briefings and engaging content for key audiences to promote better understanding and wide dissemination of messages
  • Gather intelligence and analyse the effectiveness of external engagement to help inform current and future engagement strategies
  • Champion the establishment of common engagement principles and best practice to improve the quality of stakeholder engagement across the department and its agencies
  • Represent the Department across government deputising for the Head of External Affairs The Deputy Head will have line management responsibility for an External Affairs team with 4 – 5 reports. Mandatory Skill/ experience
  • A strong track record in external/public affairs, government relations and/or communications

Personal Attributes & Skills:

  • Motivational leader who brings others alongside to deliver shared objectives
  • Excellent influencer and networker
  • Enthusiastic agenda setter
  • Strategic and creative mindset
  • Politically savvy with a clear understanding of risks and opportunities
  • Delivers the highest quality work
  • Excellent grasp of the evolving communications and political landscapes

Qualifications:

  • Degree level or equivalent

Benefits:

  • Pensions Civil Service pension schemes may be available for successful candidates.

Things you need to know

  • ​​Security Successful candidates must pass basic security checks.

Selection process details

Sift will be by review of submitted CV/skills and Personal Statement. The Personal Statement should outline why the candidate is applying for the position and demonstrate evidence of suitability against the job description requirements

The interview format will involve a mixture of competency and strength-based questions. The competencies in question are the 4 Government Communications Service competencies - Insight, Ideas,Impact, implementation.

Nationality requirements

Open to UK, Commonwealth and European Economic Area (EEA) and certain non EEA nationals.

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a guaranteed interview scheme (GIS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Contact point for applicants Alison Culshaw who can be contacted on 07471 025906 Sift/interview dates and location Sift will complete by 31 July. Interviews will be held in the week commencing 6 August.

Click Here for external link to job application.

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