Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Senior Policy Advisor for Bilateral Engagement, Cyber Security and Digital Identity
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Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Darlington, Edinburgh, London, Salford
Job Summary
At DSIT we’re all about improving people’s lives by maximising the potential of science & technology.
We accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science, research and development.
We use technology for good by ensuring new and existing technologies are safely developed and deployed across the UK, with the benefits more widely shared.
We are driving forward a modern digital government which gives citizens a more satisfying experience and their time back.
We do all this to enable the Government’s 5 national missions: kickstarting economic growth, making Britain a clean energy superpower, taking back our streets, breaking down barriers to opportunity and building an NHS fit for the future.
Above all, we focus on improving people’s lives. Whether it’s researching new treatments for disease, developing better batteries, reducing burdens through better public services, keeping children safe online, and much more, outcomes for citizens are at the heart of what we do.
Our Inclusive Environment
We offer flexible working benefits, employee well-being support and a great pension. We are enormously proud to be a Disability Confident Leader employer. We support candidates with adjustments throughout our recruitment process. Information about disability confidence and just some examples of the adjustments that you can request can be found in the reasonable adjustment section below.
Please note
Former DSIT 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 will be subject to the machinery of government moves and will ultimately be 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.
Job Description
Job Summary
DCMS’ Cybersecurity and Digital Identity (CSDI) Directorate sits at the heart of the UK government's national security and economic growth agenda. As our reliance on digital systems grows and our lives move increasingly online, our exposure to cyber risks and threats is also expanding at a rapid pace.
Our mission is to strengthen the UK's cyber resilience and build the trusted digital identity systems that underpin a modern economy – and we recognise the urgency of this challenge. While the UK ranks as a world leading cyber power, cyber threats are evolving rapidly and all countries are exposed. The UK Government will shortly release its National Cyber Action Plan, which underlines the importance and urgency of this mission.
DCMS strives to strengthen UK cyber resilience through developing policy, standards and legislation that can enable our critical national infrastructure, businesses, third sector organisations and citizens realise the opportunities and address the security challenges of digital technologies. In this mission, we work hand-in-glove with Whitehall and international partners and with industry to turn policy into real-world action.
Role Description
In this role, you will manage CSDI’s relationships with key international bilateral partners, including the European Union, supporting dialogue and the pursuit of joint activities on high-profile cyber security policy issues. You will work with DCMS cyber policy teams and other partners to ensure that UK cyber policy initiatives are internationally informed and that collaboration opportunities with international bilateral partners are realised. If you want a job where you can take ownership of high-profile international relationships and develop expertise in a highly topical and fast-moving area, then this is an ideal role for you.
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Responsibilities
In This Role You Will Be:
- Establishing and maintaining relationships with key partners
- Establishing and maintaining strong working relationships with government officials and other stakeholders from priority countries.
- Establishing and maintaining strong working relationships within DCMS and across Whitehall.
- Establishing and maintaining strong working relationships with other stakeholders whose views are important for informing DCMS’ international engagement on cyber (including partners from industry and academia).
- Acting as a strategic partner and subject-matter expert
- Advising CSDI policy teams on cyber policy approaches in key partner countries, developments in that area, and positioning with key partners.
- Drafting and delivering high-quality briefings on complex topics, including for DCMS senior officials and Ministers.
- Representing the UK in meetings with international partners, as required.
- Identifying strategic opportunities and considerations for CSDI policy teams, CSDI’s Head of International, and CSDI senior officials.
- Supporting and leading delivery of international events and engagements
- Leading and supporting, including with other government departments and agencies, events, such as Cyber and/or Digital Dialogues.
- Supporting the delivery of CSDI senior official international engagements.
- Supporting CSDI policy teams with international-related communication and coordination
- Organising and hosting periodic CSDI coordination meetings.
- Participating in and hosting cross-Whitehall meetings to share international updates from CSDI.
- On a bimonthly basis, collecting information for and disseminating a cross-Whitehall CSDI international newsletter.
Essential Criteria
- Personable and culturally sensitive, with experience building strong working relationships with a diverse range of counterparts.
- Self-starter and proactive, with a proven ability to work autonomously, including on complex topics.
- Strong project management skills, with a proven track-record of managing competing priorities and shifting time frames, delivering at pace as required.
- Strong strategic thinking ability.
- Strong oral and written communication skills, including:
- Ability to draft effectively to a high standard and explain complex issues in readily understandable terms.
- Proven track record of building relationships with and influencing a range of partners with diverse perspectives.
Desirable Criteria
- Knowledge of cyber security and/or of the wider digital policy environment.
- Knowledge of other cultures and the wider international environment.
- A second language (particularly, European languages, Japanese or Korean).
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Managing a Quality Service
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £44,620, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £12,926 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology 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, with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
- 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.
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Office Attendance
The Department operates a discretionary hybrid working policy, which provides for a combination of working hours from your place of work and from your home in the UK. The current expectation for staff is to attend the office or non-home based location for 40-60% of the time over the accounting period.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection Process Details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.
After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 28/09/2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
You will be directed to the Talogy - True Talent – Scheduled Maintenance Window Webpage for online tests during an outage.
Our online test supplier will be performing scheduled maintenance between 4pm and Midnight on 27th September 2026. You will be unable to access tests during this period.
If you are in the middle of a test when the maintenance begins, your progress will be paused. You will be able to resume your test from where you left off via your application centre once the downtime has ended. Please note that you will not be able to launch any new tests while the system is offline.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Please use your personal statement (in no more than 500 words) to demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria for the job.
Applications will be sifted on CV and Personal Statement.
In the event of a large number of applicants, applications will be sifted on the CV only.
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 and strength-based questions.
Interviewees will be asked to deliver a presentation; further details will be provided nearer the time.
Further Information
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions
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