G7 Policy Advisors

Job summary

Defra is the UK government department responsible for safeguarding our natural environment, supporting our world-leading food and farming industry, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our broad remit means we play a major role in people's day-to-day life, from the food we eat, and the air we breathe, to the water we drink. In terms of programme and project delivery, Defra has one of the largest and most complicated portfolios in Government.

Water is vital for life - clean, freshwater for drinking and sanitation, providing for farms and industry, creating and sustaining the ecosystems on which all life depends. Yet water is a finite natural resource, facing increasing pressures from climate change and population growth. Never before has political, media and public attention been focused on water as it is now. This brings a great opportunity, and we have been given a mandate to make some once in a generation changes to the UK’s relationship with water.

Water is a top priority for the Secretary of State. The Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, is preparing recommendations to government for fundamental reform of the water industry model. The government will respond to the recommendations through a White Paper and is expected to bring forward legislation to implement the reform programme. You can help us lead on high profile issues from improving the performance and regulation of the water industry, to addressing sources of pollution and ensuring there is sufficient water supply. This work is crucial to improving water for the benefit of people and the environment.

Job description

We are seeking capable people to contribute to our policy and strategy work in Water. Whilst core policy skills are essential, we do not expect applicants to have specialist knowledge of the area. These roles are a great opportunity to acquire experience in developing new policies to reform and transform a sector, support the development of primary and secondary legislation, work with a wide range of stakeholders, and develop extensive opportunities to brief seniors and ministers on high profile policy areas.

Floods & Water work in a programmatic way, prioritising work to ensure we’re focusing on the right things at the right time. This means that our teams can pivot onto new workstreams once projects and programmes are concluded, or if circumstances change and they are reprioritised. Our roles therefore offer a wealth of development opportunities and experiences, and we expect a degree of flexibility and mental agility from our staff to support this.

Whichever part of Water you’re in, you will play an active role in shaping and delivering the Floods & Water priorities, working creatively and collaboratively with others to deliver excellent outcomes. You will need to build excellent relationships across Floods & Water Directorate, with wider Defra colleagues, other government departments and arm’s length bodies (such as the Environment Agency), and with external stakeholders, inspiring confidence and trust. You can expect frequent interaction with Ministers, Special Advisers and senior officials, including in other government departments. It’s a very exciting time to join the team and be part of supporting important policy areas.

We are working to deliver the largest programme ever, making this a really exciting time to join, leading in a policy area that will have a real and lasting impact on our environment. This is an area of significant public interest and you will need to be comfortable working at pace on a high-profile public policy area.

As a team leader you will have responsibility for leading a team to deliver high priority policy interventions and changes in Water.

The successful candidates will:

• Lead a team of policy officials to drive progress, find solutions to unblock issues, and deliver important changes to policy and legislation relating to water.
• Ensure alignment and join-up to wider policy teams across Defra, the regulators, ALBs, stakeholder and other government departments.
• Balance competing priorities and respond to new developments to ensure delivery across their team’s work
• Lead and support the development of your team
• Brief ministers and senior officials, orally and in writing
• Manage relationships with stakeholders and experts to support the design of new policy interventions

Person specification

We are looking for proactive and enthusiastic people who are used to working autonomously, are confident at communicating and assimilating information, and are exciting by the opportunity to contribute to once in a generation changes to a sector.

Essential Skills for our roles:

• Experience leading on high-profile and complex policy issues
• Ability to work at pace and manage competing priorities for your team
• Strong relationship/stakeholder management skills and ability to build positive working relationships with stakeholders inside and outside of government
• Strong written and oral communication skills, and comfortable briefing ministers and senior leaders, sometimes at short notice
• Strong organisational skills
• Excellent leadership skills and a strong track record in team management, motivating and empowering team members while retaining team and individual wellbeing and resilience.
• Excellent leadership skills and ability to support development of team Experience of using data and analysis to make evidence-based decisions and recommendations/proposals based off these.
• Ability to understand and respond to the wider policy landscape

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Leadership
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,375, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £16,331 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).

A career in the Civil Service is like no other. If you’re looking to join a world class team and develop your career with us, then the Civil Service is the place for you! You might be wondering, “what’s in it for me”? Take a look below at some of the benefits available to you as a civil servant in Defra.

Learning and Development

Everyone in Defra is supported to develop their skills and capabilities. When you join the Directorate, you will be welcomed into your new team through an induction programme that will provide you with helpful information on the civil service, Defra, our work and our policies. Your line manager will also work with you to establish your priorities for the year, developing a performance, learning and development plan tailored to you and your role, while also working with you to connect you with a civil service mentor to help empower you in your new role with the opportunity to benefit from paid for coaching.

Most importantly, we’re keen to invest in you! As a civil servant, you will also have access to Civil Service Learning where you can participate in professional development programmes across a wide spectrum of subjects and professions.

Department Benefits

Technology

We’re a firm believer in agile and flexible working. When you join Defra, we’ll kit you out with a new Windows 10 Laptop, smartphone and