Space Strategy Adviser London, England
Job description
Details
Reference number
Salary
Job grade
Contract type
Business area
Type of role
Policy
Working pattern
Number of jobs available
Contents
Location
About the job
Benefits
Things you need to know
Apply and further information
Location
About the job
Job summary
DSIT
The responsibilities for the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology for 2023 are as follows:
- Positioning the UK at the forefront of global scientific and technological advancement
- Driving innovations that change lives and sustain economic growth
- Delivering talent programmes, physical and digital infrastructure and regulation to support our economy, security and public services
- R&D funding
For 2023, our priorities are:
- Optimise public R&D investment to support areas of relative UK strength and increase the level of private R&D to make our economy the most innovative in the world.
- Promote a diverse research and innovation system that connects discovery to new companies, growth and jobs – including by delivering world-class physical and digital infrastructure (such as gigabit broadband), making the UK the best place to start and grow a technology business and developing and attracting top talent.
- Put our public services – including the NHS and schools – at the forefront of innovation, championing new ways of working and the development of in-house STEM capability to improve outcomes for people.
- Strengthen international collaboration on science and technology in line with the Integrated Review, and ensure our researchers are able to continue to work with leading scientists in Europe and around the world.
- Deliver key legislative and regulatory reforms to drive competition and promote innovation, including the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill and our pro-innovation approach to regulating AI.
- Pass the remaining stages of the reformed Online Safety Bill to keep British people, especially children, safe online.
Our Inclusive Environment
We are building an inclusive culture to make the Department a brilliant place to work where our people feel valued, have a voice and can be their authentic selves. We value difference and diversity, not only because we believe it is the right thing to do, but because it will help us be more innovative and make better decisions.
We offer first-class flexible working benefits, excellent employee well-being support and a great pension. We are fortunate to have a range of excellent staff networks and are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We will support talented people from all backgrounds to build a career and thrive.
We actively welcome applications from anyone who shares our commitment to inclusion. We will fully support candidates with a disability or long-term condition who require adjustments in our recruitment process.
Job description
Space is a core part of everyday life. It touches nearly everything we do in society from phones, banking, aviation, and travel. It is important for defence purposes, provides critical data to respond to global challenges such as climate change, and it is an economic and diplomatic lever for the Government to use. The prominence of Space, and the Government’s high ambition for the sector, means there is an immense and rapidly growing interest across just about every Government department in Space.
In 2021, we hit an enormous milestone, publishing the UK’s first National Space Strategy. The strategy sets out the government’s ambitions for the UK in space, bringing together civil and defence policy for the first time. This is an exciting time for you to join the Space Directorate. You will help design the future of space policy and strategy and build a diverse and inclusive culture in the Directorate.
The joint DSIT/MOD Space Strategy Implementation team is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the National Space Strategy across government and developing a plan for action. The team also supports the National Space Board by oversee delivery of priority policy and programme commitments across government, proactively identifying policy gaps, risks and opportunities across the wider space portfolio.
The National Space Strategy (NSS) highlights the importance of upskilling and inspiring the space workforce, a point reiterated in the supporting Defence Space Strategy (DSS). Without a suitably skilled and experienced workforce, the sector will not be able to reach its full potential and other ambitions for economic growth and scientific leadership, as set out in the NSS, cannot be achieved.
Addressing this challenge requires both government and sector action. Government must provide the overall certainty, structure and vision for sector organisations to confidently invest in upskilling, retraining and competitive pay/working condition offers, ensuring long-term self-sustainability of the sector.
The successful candidate will report into the G7 – Strategic Policy Lead. They will support a programme of work to develop a strategic action plan to tackle the workforce challenges, working closely with space teams across government to identify key challenges and potential policy solutions for future years. This post-holder will crucially lead on engagement with broader Science and Technology (S&T) sectors, seeking opportunities to coordinate or collaborate on initiatives. They will also be the key space link into cross-cutting S&T policy on skills, feeding into and feeding back as necessary.
You will also:
- Support six monthly implementation deep dives of the space programmes being delivered;
- Work closely with analysts to ensure evidence sits at the heart of decision making;
- Work flexibly where required to support emerging Ministerial priorities on space;
- Lead the Secretariat function for cross-government senior space meetings.
This is an exciting opportunity to operate at the heart of the government’s space agenda.
Person specification
1) Support and lead on elements of a space workforce strategy, which will be co-developed with the sector. The post-holder will work closely with industry and academic stakeholders on defining the problems they face, the potential solutions, and defining DSIT’s role in solving these;
2) Lead on cross-sectoral engagement on space skills, building strong relationships with other DSIT/government teams to find current opportunities to simplify the existing landscape, and further opportunities to collaborate in future;
3) Lead end-to-end secretariat and strategic responsibility for very senior cross-government meetings on broader space policy (likely once per quarter). This will include leading on the development of agendas, providing recommendations on matters that may require the Board’s attention, commissioning papers and ensuring submissions are in on time.
4) Coordinate the space inputs into DSIT and wider government’s skills agenda. The post-holder will need to build a clear picture of where space sits in the broader innovation landscape, and ensure that sector-specific work is aligned to the broader national landscape.
Skills and Experience
- Promote an inclusive culture, creating an environment where all staff can achieve their best;
- Navigate a complex and shifting policy environment;
- Work effectively with cross-government and external stakeholders;
- Demonstrate good understanding and knowledge of policy development cycle;
- Build strong relationships and demonstrate influencing skills;
- Design policy and steer policy implementation;
- Think strategically and see the big picture.
Desirable
- Experience of other science & technology-led sectors;
- Experience of skills or skills-related policy work;
- Experience working in a strategy role.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Leadership
Benefits
BEIS offers a competitive mix of benefits including:
A culture of flexible working, such as job sharing, homeworking and compressed hours.
Automatic enrolment into the Civil Service Pension Scheme.
A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by 1 day per year up to a maximum of 30.
An extensive range of learning & professional development opportunities, which all staff are actively encouraged to pursue.
Access to a range of retail, travel and lifestyle employee discounts.
A hybrid office/home based working model where staff will spend a norm of 40-60% of their time in the office (minimum of 40%) over a month with flex dependent on balancing business and individual need (from September 2021, depending on how the public health guidance evolves).
Things you need to know
Selection process details
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please note - the CV incorporated into the application form is for information purposes only and will not be scored.
Applications will be sifted on behavioural statements.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the lead behaviour statement (Seeing the Big Picture). Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift, or progressed straight to assessment/interview.
The interview will consist of behaviour questions.
Expected Timeline subject to change
Sift dates: from 4th April 2023
Interview dates: w/c 17th April 2023
Interview Location: MS Teams.
Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.
Further Information
Existing BEIS recruitment campaigns are continuing as usual, but candidates should be aware that following the Government’s announcement on the changes to some civil service departments, roles may be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be located in one of the new departments. We will provide more information if you are selected for a role. This work remains of high importance to the civil service, and we thank you for your continued interest.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a disabled person is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
- Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
- Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
We are proud to be a disability confident leader, more information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that BEIS offers to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our candidate guidance document. A plain text version of the guidance is also available.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
A location based reserve list of successful candidates will be kept for 12 months. Should another role become available within that period you may be offered this position.
Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
Any move to Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy 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 https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk
BEIS does not normally offer full home working (i.e. working at home); but we do offer a variety of flexible working options (including occasionally working from home).
BEIS cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. BEIS holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service / Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email [email protected]
Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
Nationality requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
- relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
- certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals
Working for the Civil Service
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
Recruitment team :
Further information
