Head of External Engagement

Job summary

This is a genuinely unique and high-profile position in which the post holder will play a direct role in shaping and delivering a No.10 and Prime Ministerial priority in some of the most innovative regions in the world.

The Global Talent Taskforce (GTT) sits in the Office for Investment and reports directly to No.10 and HM Treasury. It has been established to support the Government’s growth mission by ensuring that the world’s most exceptional entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, technical leaders see the UK as the best place to live, work, innovate, invest and build long-term roots.

The GTT provides targeted, concierge-style support to a small number of globally mobile individuals who have the potential to drive significant economic growth, strengthen priority sectors and enhance the UK’s innovation ecosystem. Its work spans pipeline development, pitch and proposition, bespoke account management, policy intelligence gathering and unblocking.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape one of the Government’s most high-profile growth priorities from the centre, in a strategic, fast-paced and delivery-focused role.

The position centres on developing an external engagement approach that ensures we can develop and sustain a strategic network of the most influential thinkers, founders, leaders and innovators. You will contribute directly to increased investment, business growth, and the UK’s wider economic competitiveness.

Job description

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic Grade 7 to join the Global Talent Taskforce as Head of External Engagement. The postholder will lead the coordination of GTT’s external engagement, designing and delivering a strategic programme of domestic and international stakeholder engagement that supports lead generation, strengthens the UK’s proposition to exceptional global talent, and helps convert priority relationships into tangible UK outcomes.

This is a high-profile, fast-paced delivery-focused role at the centre of government. The postholder will work closely with the G6 Deputy Heads of the GTT, G7 Account Managers, the Deputy Director, the Global Talent Hub (the policy arm of the GTT), International Talent Leads and communications teams across government. They will be responsible for ensuring external engagement generates high-quality referrals, informs policy and proposition development, supports senior engagement, and strengthens the UK’s reputation as a destination for world-leading talent.

Person specification

Essential criteria

The below criteria are essential and will be assessed at application stage.

• A strong motivation to deliver HMG’s Growth Priority and the objectives of the Global Talent Taskforce.
• Experience designing and delivering external engagement, stakeholder engagement or partnership strategies in a complex organisation.
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and external partners, including industry leaders, investors, founders, universities, professional services firms or other influential networks.
• Experience using networks to influence outcomes, generate opportunities, build referral routes or support pipeline development.
• The ability to confidently and credibly represent the UK’s brand, values and economic ambition in high-profile external settings.
• Experience working in or alongside startups, scale-ups, investors, universities or the wider innovation ecosystem, with an understanding of what high-growth businesses and influential individuals seek from government engagement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear, concise material and present confidently to senior audiences.
• A friendly, open-minded and proactive approach to networking, with the ability to build trust quickly with influential stakeholders.
• Evidence of successfully working in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities, including setting direction, maintaining grip on delivery and producing high-quality outputs for senior stakeholders.

Desirable criteria

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates.

• Understanding of the UK’s innovation, investment, science, technology, higher education or entrepreneurial ecosystem.
• Experience working on economic growth, inward investment, global talent, immigration, industrial strategy and / or related policy areas.
• Experience planning or delivering senior events, roundtables, delegations, stakeholder missions or high-profile engagement programmes.
• Experience developing external-facing communications, pitch materials, briefing products or stakeholder messaging for senior audiences.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Delivering at Pace
• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £57,511, Department for Business and Trade contributes £16,660 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• 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 employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

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 that relate to the essential criteria