Are you passionate about environment, social and corporate governance (ESG) policy issues like tackling climate change, promoting human rights and ending modern slavery?
Do you want to make a meaningful difference working with multinational companies and civil society on how they can contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals?
Do you enjoy working with international partners to deliver HMG’s priorities on globally significant issues?
Then we’d love to hear from you!
The Responsible Business Conduct team leads policy development on a range of high-profile ESG and corporate sustainability issues. We adjudicate on business compliance with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) standards on Responsible Business Conduct, working closely with businesses, civil society, and other governments around the world. We promote understanding of responsible business and support UK businesses in making improvements to their operations, products, and services to achieve outcomes across the ESG agenda. This includes tackling climate change, ending human rights abuses, and promoting labour rights.
As part of this, the team runs the UK’s internationally renowned National Contact Point (NCP), which promotes the Guidelines to a wide range of business, trade union and civil society stakeholders and handles complaints where enterprises are accused of breaching the Guidelines. Leading this process is challenging but highly rewarding, often resulting in real, positive change from businesses. This office sits within DBT but is operationally independent. The issues in scope can be high-profile and receive significant Parliamentary, media and stakeholder attention.
More information is available online at:
These roles sit in a friendly, supportive team. Our Directorate has a fantastic corporate side, with a comprehensive L&D offer, and a strong commitment to wellbeing and Diversity & Inclusion, with regular training and events put on by the Directorate.
Should more candidates pass the interview process than the number of current posts available, we will create and hold a reserve list. This will be kept for 12 months. It is possible that candidates on the reserve list or who narrowly fail to meet pass the interview will be offered a role at HEO grade.
Vacancy 1: EU and strategy
* Monitoring key EU policy developments in the RBC space, providing analysis and insights on these developments in a timely way.
* Understanding businesses’ views on EU RBC developments and articulating these clearly, to the right people at the right time
* Representing DBT in cross-Government discussions on EU RBC developments and convening and leading these discussions where appropriate.
* Shaping lobbying strategies with relevant policy leads. Delivering these strategies, where appropriate.
* Shaping DBT’s overarching approach to EU issues in line around the policy priorities in the RBC space
* Leading the development and delivery of a strategy for UK-EU responsible business, to inform the UK’s broader strategy for managing its relationship with the EU.
* Coordinating the RBC team’s input to the development of a Trade Strategy and an Industrial Strategy. Where needed, input into RBC elements of bilateral trade negotiations.
* Developing and implementing an appropriately robust approach to programme and project management for the RBC team – across casework, policy development and strategy.
* Leading on coordination of analytical work to support the team’s policy development activities.
Vacancy 2: Comms and engagement
* Developing and implementing an impactful stakeholder engagement strategy for the RBC team, bringing others in the team – as well as other teams – along with us.
* Leading on external Ministerial engagement for the team as well as other set-piece engagements including conferences, visits and speeches.
* Leading any work required to develop and deliver a consultation on responsible business, as well as work to encourage businesses, civil society stakeholders and others to respond.
* Setting up an SCS level Cross-Government Board on Responsible Business, establishing clear terms of reference, membership and strategic priorities.
* Setting the strategic direction for the Cross-Government Boards on Responsible Business (at both working level and senior level), managing logistics and choreography with the Chairs to ensure they deliver their objectives.
* Acting as the team’s focal point for cross-Government coordination on responsible business issues, ensuring that there is a clear understanding across the team of Departments’ workstreams and delivering a coherent set of messages to OGD partners on the team’s work.
Vacancy 3: UK National Contact Point (NCP) Secretariat
* Managing the Steering Board for the National Contact Point, leading the process of setting the Board’s agenda, conducting effective follow-up on discussions, organising logistics and sharing relevant information in a timely manner.
* Building and effectively managing relationships with Steering Board members, providing sound advice on statutory, legislative and procedural matters.
* Overseeing public appointments and induction processes for new Board members.
* Ensuring the Steering Board functions within the scope and purpose of its mandate.
* Coordinating Procedural Reviews of NCP decisions, ensuring these are conducted in line with the UK NCP Guidelines.
* Leading and preparing reports to the Steering Board on inquiries into any breaches of confidentiality that take place.
* Developing and leading effective governance including risk, conflict of interest, commercial and financial management for the Steering Board.
* Leading on Freedom of Information requests for the NCP, including coordinating DBT replies with the DBT Freedom of Information Team and DBT Legal Office.