National Security Policy Adviser

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

- 252179**Salary**:

- £28,070 - £35,557- National: £28,070 - £31,824; London: £31,804 - £35,557**Job grade**:

- Higher Executive Officer**Contract type**:

- Permanent**Business area**:

- DIT - SI: International Strategy and National Security**Type of role**:

- International Trade
- Policy**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
- Darlington, LondonAbout the job

**Job summary**:
DIT has a growing role in the UK’s national security, ensuring that trade, prosperity, and the economy are given due weight in geostrategic decision-making. The Integrated Review highlighted the increasing importance of the synergies between prosperity and security, of economic security, and of understanding the technologies that will build our future - all areas where DIT has a key part to play.

We are therefore looking for a talented and motivated HEO to join the National Security Team. This is a high-profile policy area which attracts Ministerial and senior interest, and provides significant scope for leading DIT’s input into important questions.

The postholder will need to grip numerous competing strands of work, confidently advise on complex decisions, build expertise and relationships with stakeholders across the department, and represent DIT in cross-government meetings.

Prior experience in security is desirable, however - more important is the ability to quickly pick up new areas, work creatively and constructively, and build relationships with a range of colleagues.

**Job description**:
The role sits within International Strategy and Engagement Directorate’s National Security Team, at the heart of DIT. You will be joining a diverse team that attracts significant senior interest from DGs and the Permanent Secretary. There will be regular opportunities to brief senior stakeholders and to be involved in wider national security policy.

The team works to balance the UK’s national security and prosperity objectives, understanding a range of points of view on complicated topics and offering impactful views across the department and the government to achieve DIT’s goals. The UK rightly prides itself on economic openness, but an open approach to international trade and investment must include appropriate safeguards to protect our national security - particularly in a world where the threats faced by global economies are evolving.

These are complex, challenging and highly stretching policy areas - but they are also rewarding and have far-reaching real-world impact, with the issues often covered in headline news. You will gain exposure to teams and seniors across the department and across the government - from Ministers to sector teams, UK regions, and key Posts in DIT’s extensive overseas network.

**Key responsibilities include**:

- Decision-making and risk management. You will manage a portfolio of multiple live policy areas and/or cases, bringing together the views of stakeholders across different teams to come to a decision. You will need to be able to prioritise effectively, identify DIT’s key interests, advocate for your point of view, sight seniors where appropriate, and recognise when situations need wider input.
- Policy development: Beyond your core portfolio, you will also have the opportunity to input to longer-term strategic policy making - from new and emerging sectors/technologies to UK’s wider economic security policy - to help Government develop an understanding of the opportunities and risks from a trade and investment perspective. As a small team we have some flexibility to craft this according to changing demand.
- Responding to ad hoc and urgent needs. You will pick up and drive new and emerging cases, policy areas and issues or discrete projects as they arise, rapidly building a knowledge base, making judgement calls, and advising seniors on how to proceed. You will work with your team and related teams to understand the full range of DIT’s interests and support a unified approach on new areas, identifying practical solutions to complex problems.

**Hybrid working**

Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas.

Informal hybrid working arrangements will be available as agreed with the vacancy manager and in line with the requirements of the role.

Most DIT employees will be working a hybrid pattern, spending 2-3 days a week (pro rata) in an office, on average. If your office location is London, you will be eligible to receive London weighting.

**Person specification**:
**Essential Criteria**
- Excellent judgement, and the ability to analyse complex cases and situations strategically, spot synergies and identify concerns of relevance.
- Experience of building relationships, working with a range of stakeholders, and influencing, particularly across govern