Policy Adviser, Outward Direct Investment Security
Our work is increasing in importance as the UK addresses geopolitical challenges and adapts to achieve our Net Zero ambitions.
The government is currently assessing how the UK can best calibrate its actions to respond effectively to specific risks posed by certain types of economic activity. The Department plays a key role in that effort by leading policy development on key UK protective tools and being the voice of economic growth in national security, ensuring the whole UK economy benefits from growth that is secure and resilient.
The Outward Direct Investment (ODI) Security Unit has been established to assess the emerging national security risks of ODI, drawing on the insights from an initial phase of analytical work conducted across government.
The successful candidate will play a key role in the Market Monitoring function of the Unit. This team monitors, evaluates, and helps to produce balanced and informed policy responses to key national security risks related to UK ODI transactions.
This is an exciting opportunity to help shape a long-term outward direct investment market monitoring capability for HMG that can inform a proportionate policy response that supports UK prosperity while mitigating national security risks. You will work at the forefront of DBT’s work on investment security, which is a key part of DBT’s important and growing role in HMG’s overall economic security agenda.
This is an interesting, fast-paced and dynamic HEO role with three key components:
- Cross-government and external engagement
- Transaction assessment
- Policy development
You will build upon and deepen information available to the Unit to enhance collective understanding of national security risks.
You will play a key role in shaping the Unit’s engagement across Departments, external stakeholders and with international partners to allow robust decision-making on UK transactions. Ensuring that information gathered is assessed and used effectively in cross-government discussions and ensuring that outward messaging to business and international stakeholders is well-judged.In addition, you will lead on the Unit’s contributions to key governance forums including the cross-Whitehall Senior Official Policy Boards and the Economic Deterrence Initiative Programme Board.
You will work, with support of the Grade 7 and Senior Executive Officer, to help develop this complex and dynamic policy area. This will include work to provide advice to senior decision makers on potential actions and policy interventions, with consideration of the UK's wider protective toolkit.
You will need to be a high-performing Higher Executive Order, who is confident identifying and driving forward work-streams independently and often in policy ambiguity.
You will need to be a strong communicator, who is comfortable operating across government with policy officials, analysts, intelligence and enforcement partners to increase the Unit’s effectiveness and access to information tools.
No two days are the same, throughout all of this, you can count on the support of a highly-motivated and inclusive group of talented colleagues, in an environment where personal and professional development is prioritised, in a policy area that gets significant political attention, operating at the nexus of economic and security considerations – enabling ‘secure and resilient growth.’