Freeports Programme Officer

**Details**:
**Reference number**:

- 288031**Salary**:

- £37,064**Job grade**:

- Senior Executive Officer**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- Funding Delivery**Type of role**:

- Project Delivery**Working pattern**:

- Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time**Number of jobs available**:

- 1Contents

Location

About the job

**Benefits**:
Things you need to know

Location
- Belfast, Bristol, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, WolverhamptonAbout the job

**Job summary**:
Our role extends from the initial selection of Freeport locations through to delivery and the monitoring and evaluation of the real-world impact of Freeports. This wide remit brings with it a challenging and exceptionally varied workload The team’s work is collaborative in nature, leading work across both internal and external partners including Freeport consortia (Ports, Local Authorities, landowners and other business/education interests), Devolved Government’s, and across Whitehall departments with responsibility for relevant policy levers.

We have a cadre of eight operational English Freeports and earlier this year we announced a further two Scottish Green Freeports and two Freeports in Wales - which are now in the process of business case development. The benefits of this policy will spread to Northern Ireland and this role will be central in leading the design and delivery of the benefits of the Freeports programme in Northern Ireland.

This is both a fast-moving and a highly political work environment, but you will be joining an experienced, strong and supportive team.

**Job description**:
We are seeking a Programme Delivery Senior Executive Officer (SEO), who will work in our Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland sub-team, reporting to the relevant Delivery Lead leading on the development work of Freeports in Northern Ireland. This is an exciting and varied position and brings with it the opportunity to work closely with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders in government, local authority and business.

The team operate with flexibility and will support the delivery of Freeports across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whilst the primary focus will be on Northern Ireland the flexible team approach means there will likely be opportunity to undertake work in all 3 nations.
- The key activities will include the following:
- Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with colleagues from across government and external stakeholders, facilitating efficient working practises and collaborative working, providing direct support and advice where necessary.
- Once Freeports established acting as the key point of contact for Freeport’s in Northern Ireland. May also include deputising on other Freeports in Scotland, Wales, and England.
- Working closely with Ministers and Private Office in the development of advice, ensuring approvals and communications are both timely and accurate.
- Managing programme management processes and products including risks and issues, programme plans and supporting / facilitating programme governance.
- Managing rigorous monitoring and reporting regimes to ensure the department has clear oversight of where and how money is being spent, and its impact being able to communicate this to a variety of audiences.
- Supporting the Communications team in responding to requests for information and the development and maintenance of relevant products e.g.FAQs, Freedom of Information requests, Parliamentary Questions, press enquiries etc.
- Ensuring a high-quality service to Freeport stakeholders, including ensuring communications are clear and consistent and queries are dealt with in a timely manner.
- Contribute to developing the Freeports policy in Northern Ireland
- Supporting wider team and corporate priorities to make the team and department a thriving and welcoming place to work and build a career.

**Person specification**:
Given the high-profile nature of the work of the Unit this is an ideal opportunity for the right person to contribute to an exciting area of work delivering on a Governmental and Ministerial area of priority; shaping the landscape of our cities and towns by recognising and adapting to the changing needs of the communities we live in.- Ability to pick up new tasks and concepts quickly, and maintain an attention to detail whilst working at pace.
- Strong teamwork skills and the ability to establish trusted, productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, in a variety of forms including ministerial briefing, guidance, policy development.
- Ability to work independently and proactively to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
- Ability to adapt to changing circumstances and adverse situations whilst remaining calm, supporting others, and maintaining own performance.

The following characteristics are highly desirable, but not essential:
- Experie