Senior Policy Advisor

Job summary

The Policy Team leads on reform to strengthen the SFO’s ability to tackle serious and complex economic crime. The team also contributes significantly to cross-Government initiatives on economic crime and criminal justice. This role is part of the Policy and Engagement team which sits within the SFO’s Strategy Group. The Senior Policy Advisor will report to the G7 Deputy Head of Policy.

We invite applications from candidates with previous experience in policy roles gained in government, law enforcement, multilateral organisations, civil society, think tanks, regulatory bodies, or the private sector. While this is not an entry-level policy position, we also welcome applications from candidates with operational experience in economic crime, investigations, compliance, regulation, or criminal justice who have had some previous engagement with policy development.

The SFO investigates and prosecutes the most serious and complex cases of fraud, bribery and corruption. The Policy Team works closely with the SFO’s senior leaders (SCS2 and SCS3) to develop evidence-based policy positions which support the department’s ambitions. The team supports the work of the SFO’s operational teams, including the Intelligence, Investigation, and Proceeds of Crime teams. We work closely with operational colleagues to understand the challenges they are facing, gaps in current legislation and opportunities to develop proposals to improve the SFO’s ability to tackle economic crime.

The SFO is a non-ministerial department, superintended by the Attorney General’s Office. The Policy Team has a significant level of autonomy in its work and team members have the freedom to pitch and develop new ideas, alongside supporting wider Government priorities. The role holder will be responsible for leading specific policy areas and will act as the main point of contact with operational colleagues, the senior leadership team and other Government departments.

A recent example of our work is the SFO’s proposals to financially incentivise whistleblowers. As a result of the Policy Team’s work, the Government has committed to explore financially rewarding whistleblowers of economic crime. This is an exciting time to join the Policy Team. Not only is the SFO leading the development of a range of new proposals, the Government is also undertaking significant reform to the criminal justice system as a whole.

Job description

As a Senior Policy Advisor you will be responsible for:

• Leading and developing the SFO’s policies on specific economic crime issues, and seeking to drive the Government agenda on these issues.
• Shaping engagement in a way that delivers the objectives of the Policy Team, including drafting high quality briefings for senior civil servants.
• Keeping abreast of policy developments that affect the SFO (including through Parliamentary monitoring, reviewing Government strategies and maintaining strong relationships with counterparts across Government), using this deep understanding to link SFO work to Government priorities.
• Supporting wider Strategy Group and SFO work as required.

The work of the team is often challenging and high profile so the role holder will be required to grasp complex concepts in a short period of time.

The Senior Policy Advisor will have a high level of autonomy, being empowered to identify new priority policy areas as they come to better understand the SFO’s work and the economic crime landscape. There will also be a requirement for the role holder to remain flexible, and to tackle urgent policy priorities as they arise.

For more information about the role and for a full list of key responsibilities, please see attached Job Pack.

Person specification

See above and attached Job Pack

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £41,484, Serious Fraud Office contributes £12,017 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).

Option to join the Civil Service pension scheme. For further details, click here http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/pensions

Generous annual leave provision of 25 days which increases to 30 days after five years’ service plus an additional day in recognition of the King’s Birthday and the option to buy or sell up to five days’ leave per year. Different terms may apply if you are already a Civil Servant.

Discretionary performance-related bonus scheme.

Interest-free season travel ticket, bicycle loan and cycle to work scheme.

Access to the Rental Deposit Salary Advance Scheme which assists employees in meeting the costs of deposits for privately rented homes.

Opportunities for learning and development.

Flexible working arrangements and family-friendly policies.

Voucher for eye care and discounted spectacles.

Access to a range of discounts through membership of the Civil Service Sports and Social Club, CSSC Sports and Leisure. http://www.cssc.co.uk/

Maternity and paternity leave provision over and above the statutory entitlements.

Access to My CPS Rewards Gateway. My CPS Rewards offers staff a range of rewards and savings including:

• Discounts with high street retailers
• Savings on grocery shopping at a range of supermarkets
• Special salary sacrifice and recognition schemes
• Reloadable gift cards and e-cards
• Instant vouchers

Any move to the Serious Fraud Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/

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.

Application stage

As part of the application process you will be required to provide:

• A personal statement of no more than 500 words that explains how your skills and experience meet each of the essential experience criteria as listed in the job pack.

Please note, the criteria "Experience in drafting policy papers/Ministerial submissions/briefings.” will be the lead criteria. If there is a large volume of applications, this criteria will be assessed first and candidates who do no