We are recruiting an HEO Policy Adviser in DBT’s Consumer Policy team to support the delivery of a legislative programme to update consumer rights for the digital age, and support work on a new strategic agenda.
You will be responsible for managing the Directorate briefing and correspondence hub. Your responsibilities will include coordinating and managing briefing requests and ensuring PQs, ministerial and other correspondence is correctly allocated within the Directorate and returned to central teams to Departmental deadline. You will lead drafting of replies to consumer correspondence, seeking relevant contributions from policy teams where necessary. You will track and report performance to senior leaders and be the point of contact for Directorate colleagues, providing advice and support on drafting and Departmental correspondence processes.
You will also support the team’s legislative reform programme. This includes implementation of the recently passed Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, and the updating of retained consumer EU. You will have the opportunity to work closely with regulators and law enforcers to ensure they are ready to use their new powers and with businesses and consumer groups to ensure they understand their obligations and rights.
This includes opportunities to contribute to or lead development of new policies e.g. to help empower consumers by expanding options for dispute resolution outside the court system, to facilitate sustainable consumption, or to strengthen local enforcement of consumer law.
This is an exciting opportunity to work in a high profile, high performing team, trusted to deliver the levels of quality and timeliness in correspondence expected by Ministers. You will be working on policies that directly impact everyone and is often in the public eye, whether that be responding helpfully to Ministerial correspondence or working towards developing and implementing innovative solutions to stop harmful business practices and help consumers understand and enforce their rights.
The consumer policy team sits within the Consumer and Competition Policy (CCP) Directorate in DBT. We develop policies that promote competitive, effective markets that lead to positive outcomes for businesses and consumers. We are influential across DBT, Whitehall and with our partner organisations. We are committed to making CCP a great place to work, where everyone is valued for the skills and experience they bring, and has the support and opportunity to reach their goals. We have a wide range of work that provides variety for all and promotes a friendly, supportive and encouraging culture.
The key accountabilities include:
* Manage and develop CCP’s busy and fast paced briefing correspondence and Parliamentary function, including liaising with DBT central correspondence and Parliamentary teams, drafting responses, managing caseloads and act as point of contact for correspondence queries from Directorate colleagues.
* Build and maintain constructive relationships with a range of stakeholders, senior leaders and other government departments to achieve progress on shared objectives.
* Synthesise and communicate detailed and technical policies and information clearly and succinctly to senior officials, ministers and external parties.
* Identify connections and interdependencies between workstreams, and work across boundaries to align priorities and activities and resolve tensions.
* Grasp complex information and issues and use analysis, strategic thinking and creativity to solve problems.
* Develop in-depth knowledge of the consumer enforcement landscape and understand DBT’s role within it.