Deputy Director for Trade Analysis, Project Delivery and Support

Job summary

These are key leadership roles within the EU and International Trade Directorate. You will be working closely with your co-Deputy Director to lead the Trade Analysis, Project Delivery and Support team (TAPS). TAPS is a multi-disciplinary team covering the analytical, project management, business management and SCS private office diary support functions. We are looking for an experience analyst and highly visible leader, capable of leading and developing a high performing team as well as providing expert analytical advice on trade issues to Ministers and senior officials.

Job description

EUIT works to ensure that the UK’s trade policy, trade agreements and international and multilateral relationships deliver Defra’s environmental, climate change, food, farming, fisheries and biosecurity objectives. We do this in a range of ways, including representing Defra’s interests in UK trade negotiations and leading multilateral engagement at the World Trade Organization. We also lead work on exports to ensure UK producers and businesses can get the most out of these deals. This our key priorities include negotiations with the EU to secure a Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement, to enable agri-food products to move more easily between the UK and EU.

Within EUIT, the TAPS team has a multi-faceted role with responsibilities spanning the provision of high-quality advice and analysis on trade policy, providing project management expertise and support across all policy areas of the directorate and ensuring the smooth running of the directorate through its business management function. The overarching aim is to ensure that policy development is made in a structured and well evidenced manner.

You will be expected to:

• Co-lead the team with your co-DD by developing a strong vision for the team which has the capabilities and skills to deliver current and future objectives.
• Confidently provide expert analytical advice on Defra’s trade interests to Ministers and senior officials.
• Proactively shape the ways of working across the team, Defra and across Government to ensure that policy development is made in a structured and well evidenced manner.
• Directly line manage 2-3 grade 6s and provide support to all five G6s as and when needed (e.g. on occasions when your co-DD isn’t working)
• Provide leadership across the whole team, but with particular focus on trade policy analysis in support of bilateral and multilateral negotiations (tariffs, rules of origin provisions), the impact of international events on global and UK commodity markets, trade modelling and trade statistics, and standards in trade.
• Actively contribute to the Cross-Government trade analyst community, helping to continually improve the capability and professionalism of the UKs trade analysis profession and helping strengthen collaborative working between departments.
• Be an active member of the EUIT Leadership Group, proactively contributing to the leadership of the wider directorate.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

As part of the application process, candidates are asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement (no more than 1200 words) on how your relevant skills and experience meet the essential criteria.

• Inspiring leadership, with the ability to articulate a compelling long-term vision for a multidisciplinary team, providing a clear sense of direction in times of uncertainty, anticipating strategic changes and adapting to new priorities, and developing the team capability and capacity needed to deliver both current analytical demands and anticipated future evidence needs.
• Strong technical analytical skills, with substantial experience of setting and leading the strategic direction for complex analytical programmes, clearly linked to policy or delivery outcomes, whilst maintaining clear long-term strategies in delivering cross-Government objectives.
• The ability to persuade and influence others, whilst creating and maintaining strong relationships with colleagues across as well as the wider Civil Service and with external stakeholders, even when goals or views may diverge.
• The ability to communicate complex evidence issues clearly, succinctly, and with credibility to a non-technical audience including ministers, senior officials and external stakeholders to provide clear policy recommendations, taking into account the caveats and degree of confidence in the analysis.

* It would be helpful to have knowledge of trade issues – but not essential.

Membership

The postholder needs to be a member of (or have the relevant eligibility requirements and be prepared to join) one of the analytical professions below: please indicate in your personal statement, which analytical profession you belong to / would look to join:

• The Government Statistical Service (GSS),
• The Government Economics Service (GES),
• Government Operational Research Service (GORS),
• Government Social Research (GSR),
• Government Geography Profession (GGP)
• The Government Data and Digital (GDaD) profession – data scientist.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £86,000, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs contributes £24,914 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%

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

Application Process

As part of the application process, candidates are asked to complete a CV and Personal Statement (no more than 1000 words) on how your relevant skills and experience meet the essential criteria. Completed applications must be submitted no later than the closing date of 23:55pm, Sunday 20th September 2026.

Informal conversations with hiring manager

Prior to the closing date informal conversations (not assessed) can be arranged with the vacancy holder, Sophie Brice, Director EU and International Trade. If you would like to arrange to speak with Sophie please contact David Lancaster via email [email removed]

Sift

A sift will be conducted against the key criteria in the person specification. Applications will be assessed by the selection panel and shortlisted.

Staff Engagement Exercise (SEE)