Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Telecoms Economic Security Policy Adviser
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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
The UK’s economy and national security is highly dependent on secure telecommunications networks and services. Communications (including telecoms) is one of the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure sectors that are vital to maintaining our day-to-day life.
The role sits within the Telecoms Economic Security team in the Telecoms Security and Resilience unit which works to improve the security and resilience of telecoms critical national infrastructure. The team is responsible for ensuring that the sector is in the strongest position to provide safe and reliable telecoms services for the UK by mitigating and responding to the evolving threat landscape.
The Telecoms Economic Security team manages risk to UK telecoms through powers under the:
- Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021 that can limit the use of high-risk vendors in the supply chain, and the
- National Security and Investment Act 2021 that scrutinises investments to the sector that could pose national security risks.
The role is rewardingly varied, comprising a mix of strategic work, policy advice, and investigative casework. It involves understanding national security risks, working with the telecoms sector on mitigations, advising Ministers, and overseeing compliance and enforcement of specific cases. We work very closely with the UK intelligence community (UKIC) and with central Government departments to consider implications for trade, business and diplomatic relations related to casework decisions.
The work requires strategic thinking, organised delivery at pace, sound judgement in complex and ambiguous environments, and the ability to influence effectively across organisational boundaries. You will have strong communication skills, good ability to work with technical information, political awareness and be comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders. You will be confident working in fast-paced and evolving environments, managing challenging relationships, and driving progress through collaboration and persuasion.
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We prioritise ensuring that Telecoms Security and Resilience is an excellent and inclusive place to work. The team and wider unit are high-performing, friendly and welcoming, with a culture of supporting learning and development.
Person specification
The G7 Senior Telecoms Economic Security Policy Adviser will have responsibilities to:
- Develop our strategic approach to the management of high-risk vendors in the telecoms sector.
- Lead on the assessment of potential high-risk vendors in the telecoms sector under the powers in the Telecommunications (Security) Act 2021.
- Support investment security casework under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 powers, with mergers and acquisitions subject to scrutiny from a national security viewpoint.
- Work with legal, analysis and policy teams to advise Ministers on cases. You will regularly brief senior officials ahead of key decisions.
- Monitor compliance, including working with Ofcom and operators to understand implementation challenges, and lead on enforcement considerations in the case of non-compliance.
The role will combine policy development and analysis, engagement with the telecoms industry, engagement with UKIC and cross-government departments, and regular working with senior civil servants and Ministers.
Further role specifics and leadership opportunities across the team’s economic security remit will be based on the candidate’s skills and experience.
As a line manager, you will be responsible for working with your members of staff to define their objectives, as well as managing their development and performance.
Essential Criteria
- Seeing the bigger picture – the post holder must evaluate and understand how their work fits into wider national security, economic and digital priorities.
- Communicating and influencing skills – the post holder must have excellent verbal and written communication skills, be able to simplify and articulate complex, often technical or legislative, information to influence others and have an ability to adjust messaging to different audiences
- Problem solving and decision-making skills – ability to think creatively and use evidence effectively in developing policy and making decisions
- Organisational skills – the post holder must be able to plan and prioritise work effectively and adapt to competing agendas, with an ability to work under time pressure, for example in statutory, ministerial or casework contexts.
Desirable Criteria
- Understanding of, or ability to rapidly develop expertise in, the UK telecoms landscape and its associated economic security, regulatory and resilience challenges.
- Experience managing sensitive or high profile work, ideally involving national security, regulatory compliance, investment security or vendor risk management.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £61,620, Department for Science, Innovation & Technology contributes £17,851 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:
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- 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.
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.
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 1000 words) to set out your motivation for applying to this role and how you meet the essential and desirable criteria.
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.
Sift and interview dates
Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.
Further Information
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.
For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.
Reasonable Adjustment
We are proud to be a disability confident leader and we welcome applications from disabled candidates and candidates with long-term conditions.
Information about the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) and some examples of adjustments that we offer to disabled candidates and candidates with long-term health conditions during our recruitment process can be found in our DSIT Candidate Guidance. A DSIT Plain Text Version of the guidance is also available.
We encourage candidates to discuss their adjustment needs by emailing the job contact which can be found under the contact point for applicants section.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the
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