JOB SUMMARY
Thank you for your interest in this role in the Employment Rights Directorate (ERD), part of the Competition, Markets and Regulatory Reform (CMRR) Group in the Department for Business and Trade.
Leading delivery of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay, ERD is at the heart of the work to drive economic growth and create a fairer, more flexible labour market in a way that benefits businesses, workers, and communities across the country. The plan will help millions of people to stay in work, improve job security and boost living standards and represents the biggest upgrade of workers’ rights in a generation.
We are around 250 people, with the majority based in London and a growing number of colleagues based around the country. We are a friendly, collaborative and inclusive directorate. We strive to deliver high-quality and evidence driven policy and operations and we value and invest in the expertise of our staff and our relationships with partner organisations, business, trade unions and other key stakeholders.
JOB DESCRIPTION
You will be joining ERD at a pivotal time for delivery of this high-profile agenda as the Employment Rights Bill continues its passage through Parliament and as we look ahead to an ambitious programme of reform and implementation.
You will lead a Branch of over 40 people, consisting of four Grade 6 lead teams based in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Darlington, and Salford. Responsibilities are wide-ranging and include:
- Labour Market Strategy – Leading and influencing policy and analytical teams within ERD, across DBT and Whitehall on a wide range of high profile, cross-cutting labour market issues, including demographics, AI and technology and skills and migration to position UK as a forward-thinking leader in global workforce transformation.
- Whistleblowing, NDAs and AI – Leading two high-impact policy teams, one focused on strengthening legislation on whistleblowing protections and restricting the use of non-disclosure agreement (NDAs) in cases of harassment and discrimination, and the other shaping the UK’s strategic approach to AI in the workplace. This includes working on emerging technologies such as workplace monitoring tools and algorithmic decision-making to ensure that UK stays a global leader in safeguarding worker rights while embracing technological change.
- Trade and international – Leading work to enhance the UK’s influence, visibility, and leadership of employment rights internationally. This involves close work with DBT colleagues (LACE and the country negotiating teams) on the labour market chapters of trade agreements as well as representing labour market interests in international forums like the ILO, and with bilateral partners.
- People and Change – Continuing a major transformation programme to enable the Directorate to deliver its high profile and challenging agenda, particularly as we pivot to implementation. This role will offer the postholder a chance to shape our distinctive organisational culture while building a well skilled and supported workforce in line with the Future DBT Vision, including through strategic ownership of the Directorate’s spending review, business planning process. The role will also include ensuring we have the basics right and includes overseeing the directorate briefing hub.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
The successful postholder will be able to bring together strategic thinking, influencing, policy and analytical skills and strong corporate leadership. You will need to have a track record of working with ministers or other very senior leaders on complex and changing policies and issues and be able to evidence experience of collaborating across teams and/or departments. This portfolio is broad and fast-moving - an ability to balance priorities to ensure the team can deliver a quality service is essential.
In particular, we are looking for:
- A strong track record as a confident, collaborative, empowering and inclusive leader, able to set direction for a team, support high performance and lead through change and periods of high pressure;
- Strong influencing skills, including the ability to nurture and maintain relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience of developing and leading on strategy to support organisational objectives, able to see the big picture and draw on a range of sources to inform strategic direction.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, including the ability to confidently brief Ministers and senior officials (or equivalent) on complex and technical policy or strategy issues and represent the UK’s agenda internationally.
- Experience of working on labour market policy and with trade unions
- Experience of working with international partners.
NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements
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