Senior Policy Advisor for Trade Relations

Senior Trade Policy Advisor

SEO

Judicial and Legal Services Policy

The Legal Services Trade division is seeking to appoint a permanent SEO Senior Trade Policy Advisor. This recruitment initiative is open to all qualified individuals who meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the broader advertisement within Civil Service Jobs.

Work Location:

Successful candidates will have the flexibility to work from one of the designated locations.

Regular travel between these locations may be necessary.

To adapt to the evolving requirements of the Policy Group, all staff are expected to attend their designated work location at least two days a week. This hybrid working model is not contractual, and staff may be requested to attend their base location more frequently.

Working Arrangements

At the Ministry of Justice, we advocate for diverse working arrangements, including:

• Full-time, part-time, or job-sharing options
• Flexible working hours
• Adaptable working arrangements between designated locations and remote work.

In the event that we receive applications from more candidates than available positions, we may maintain a reserve list for 12 months, offering future vacancies to candidates on this list without requiring a new competition.

We encourage applications from all individuals, particularly those from underrepresented groups in our workforce, and we take pride in being an employer of choice. For more information on our commitment to diversity and inclusion, please visit our Diversity and Inclusion page.

Compensation

New hires in the Civil Service will typically start at the minimum of the salary range.

Existing civil servants who successfully transition to this role will receive the better of:

• Promotion or transfer terms, as applicable; or
• Pay on appointment arrangements (minimum of pay range).

About the Ministry of Justice (MoJ)

The MoJ is the largest government department, employing over 90,000 individuals with a budget of approximately £10 billion. Each year, millions of individuals utilize our services across the UK, including at numerous courts, tribunals, and correctional facilities.

Additional information can be found on the Ministry of Justice website.

Role of the Legal Services Trade Team

Legal services significantly contribute to the economy and have a robust growth record, playing a crucial role in facilitating global trade and investment. The UK's esteemed legal services sector benefits from the international reputation of English common law and the prominence of London as a global dispute resolution hub. Legal services contributed £34 billion to the UK economy in 2022, representing 1.6% of the UK's GDP. The MoJ is tasked with ensuring the UK legal services sector thrives both domestically and internationally.

The Legal Services Trade team at the MoJ is pivotal in the Government's efforts to maintain the UK's legal services, courts, and legal framework as world-leading. Our team represents the interests of UK legal services in international trade negotiations and promotes these services globally. We are organized into four sub-teams, each focusing on a specific geographical region: Europe; Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia; the Americas; Asia and Australasia. Each geographical team also addresses cross-cutting policy areas such as mobility and recognition of professional qualifications.

Responsibilities of the Senior Trade Policy Advisor

This position will be situated within the Europe team. You will be tasked with developing and implementing the MoJ's legal services trade objectives, aligned with the government's trade strategy. Collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders, both within the department and externally, will be essential to achieve these complex policy goals.

Your primary responsibilities may include:

• Leading policy initiatives to overcome market access challenges in legal services and enhancing our trading relationship with Europe.
• Engaging with key stakeholders, including foreign governments, ministers, and leading legal professionals through various communication channels.
• Drafting briefings, submissions, and speeches to support senior officials and ministers.
• Overseeing a promotional program for legal services trade in your designated region.
• Participating in the formulation and negotiation of legally binding international agreements and relevant non-legally binding agreements.

Required Skills and Experience

Essential:

• Exceptional stakeholder engagement abilities and the capacity to quickly establish relationships across government and external entities.
• Proven strategic thinking and policy development skills, with the ability to make informed judgments.
• Proficiency in providing clear, evidence-based briefings in both written and oral formats on complex policy matters to senior stakeholders and ministers.
• Strong prioritization skills and the capability to make effective decisions to manage time-sensitive tasks for both short and long-term outcomes.

Desirable:

• Familiarity with the justice system and legal services sector.
• Previous experience in the legal services sector or similar professional services.
• A strong interest in international policy areas supporting the government's trade agenda.
• An enthusiasm for policy development.

Candidates from HMPPS should be aware that the Ministry of Justice operates under different employment conditions. It is the candidate's responsibility to understand the terms and conditions applicable upon successful appointment.

The MoJ is proud to be Level 3 Disability Confident, offering guaranteed interviews for all candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role.

Application Process

Candidates will be evaluated against the Civil Service success profiles framework.

It is imperative that all evidence submitted as part of your application, including your CV and statements of suitability, is truthful and accurate. Please be aware that plagiarism can involve presenting the ideas and experiences of others as your own.

Experience

During the application process, you will be required to provide a Work History to assess relevant experience and achievements pertinent to the role.

Behaviours

You will also be asked to provide examples demonstrating how you have exhibited the following behaviours:

• Communicating and influencing (lead behaviour)
• Making effective decisions
• Seeing the big picture
• Delivering at pace

Please refer to the CS Behaviours framework for further details at this grade.

Should we receive a high volume of applications, we will prioritize candidates based on the lead behaviour of communicating and influencing .

Interview Process

Interviews will be conducted remotely, focusing on behaviour-based questions to assess your capabilities and strengths relevant to the role.

Candidates invited for an interview will also complete a brief written exercise prior to the interview.

Contact Information

For further inquiries about the role or the team, please reach out to the designated contact person.

Annex A - The STAR Method

Utilizing the STAR method can assist you in providing relevant examples of your experience. This method allows you to set the context, describe your actions, and explain the outcomes.

Situation - Describe the specific situation you encountered, providing sufficient detail for understanding.

Task - Clarify the task you aimed to accomplish and its significance.

Actions - Detail the specific actions you took, focusing on your contributions and the behaviours you employed.

Results - Highlight the outcomes of your actions, including any measurable achievements.

Concentrate on your strengths and the impact of your contributions.