Compliance Inspectors Midlands, Hampshire and South East

Job summary

The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) is part of the Economic Security and Trade Relations (ESTR) Directorate in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The Unit brings together operational and policy expertise from DBT with advisory teams from the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Its mission is to promote global security through strategic export controls and facilitate responsible exports.

ECJU is an integral part of the export control system, with its core function of considering applications for export licences. This work includes a range of issues including National Security, International Humanitarian Law and Counter-Proliferation. Stakeholders across Whitehall and beyond are interested in our work including Other Government Department partners, parliamentarians, Non-Government Organisations and industry and academia. Outreach and active engagement with interested parties is an essential part of ECJU’s remit.

DBT is transforming its export control regime to establish a system that builds on previous success to deliver a “best in class”, expert and efficient licensing function which is agile and can respond to evolving external factors. One of the key areas in this transformation is the UK Engagement Team; encompassing the Compliance Inspectorate, Stakeholder Engagement and the Licensing Intelligence Team.

Compliance Inspectors play a central role in ensuring businesses are aware and comply with the terms of the export and trade licences that are issued to them. The role you are applying for involves directly engaging with businesses at their places of work to facilitate responsible exports and reviewing export paperwork to ensure compliance with export control law in line with our national and international obligations.

Job description

Your main duties will be to:

• Undertake site visits to regionally based businesses
• Inspect business records in accordance with the provisions of the Export Control Order 2008 (as amended)
• Ensure businesses comply with the terms of the licences issued to them
• Check exporter knowledge of export controls, educate and advise on further training as required.
• Write up the findings of your inspections in accordance with the team’s best practice and report any export control breaches to HMRC.
• When legal proceedings are instituted by HMRC and the Crown Prosecution Service, you may be asked to provide evidence, written and/or orally, possibly in court. For which legal training and support will be provided.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in the Engagement Team on outreach activities, including providing presentations to stakeholders.
• Work closely with others within ECJU, DBT and Other Government Departments.
• Contribute to the Corporate Objectives of the Department.

Additional Information

• Due to the nature of this role and complex training requirements this is suited to a full-time position of 36/37 hours per week. However, applicants who need to work a more flexible arrangement are welcome to apply. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly as any agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate. Any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.
• The first three months training will require the successful candidate to spend some of their working week at the London Office in Old Admiralty Building. Standard DBT Travel and Subsistence rates will apply.
• The successful candidate will be required to pass internal inspectorate training and exams before being permitted to undertake solo inspections.
• Additional travel outside the allocated region will be expected during the training period.
• This post often requires the post holder to spend nights away from their usual residence.

Person specification

Essential criteria

The below criteria are essential and will be assessed at application stage.

• Excellent communication skills (both written and spoken).
• Confidently engage with a variety of stakeholders at all levels.
• Organise your own work effectively.
• Analyse a range of information and use evidence to reach conclusions and make recommendations.
• Be able and willing to travel including overnight stays as part of the role. although the aim is to focus on the regions specified in the advert, additional travel outside the allocated region will be expected during the training period and as required by the Unit. This post therefore often requires the post holder to spend nights away from their usual residence, and in accordance with DBT Travel and Expenses policy.

Desirable criteria

The below criteria are desirable only. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but will be used in the event of tied scores between candidates.

• Experience in an investigation and/or auditing role.
• Knowledge of strategic export controls.
• Experience of engaging with businesses.
• Hold Full UK Driving Licence.

Personal Attributes & Skills

The below is a list of characteristics which may be helpful in this role. These will not be assessed throughout the recruitment process, but are laid out to help candidates understand more about the role.

• Assertive and ability to justify your conclusions that includes the ability to take and hold a firm line when in discussions with businesses.
• Display confidence when making difficult decisions, even if they prove to be unpopular.
• Enthusiastic and able to work in a flexible, high achieving and friendly team.
• Comfortable working with a variety of existing and new IT systems.
• Communicate in a straightforward, honest and engaging manner, choosing appropriate styles to maximise understanding and impact.
• Ability to quickly and succinctly identify complex information provided by businesses, challenging where appropriate.
• Able to effectively manage the delivery of own work within the prescribed time frames.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,367, Department for Business and Trade contributes £10,245 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).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

We recognise the challenges that people with (multiple) protected characteristics may experience on the job market and in their career progression. We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including ethnic minorities, people with a disability, and people with gender diverse identities.

Things you need to know

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.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.
• A Personal Statement of up to 500 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

In the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift will be conducted on the Personal Statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Candidates who pass the sift will be invited to interview, where we will assess you on the Success Profiles elements of Behaviours, Experience and Strengths.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

Location and working arrangements

There are 3 roles available.

One role will be Midlands, covering West Midlands, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, one role will be Hampshire, covering Hampshire and Berkshire, one role will be based in South-East covering Kent, Surrey, Sussex.

This will be a homeworking role.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to supporting candidates so they can perform at their best throughout the recruitment process. This includes making reasonable adjustments to our process. In order to request an adjustment:

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section on the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process.

Alternatively contact the Government Recruitment Service at DBTrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Candidate Support

You may want to join a virtual Candidate Support Session. These sessions include helpful tips and advice on the recruitment process, from application to interview.

Please see attached Candidate Pack for further information on: Diversity and Inclusion; Benefits; Learning and Development; Working Patterns and what we deliver as a department.

Further Information:

• A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.
• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
• Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty. Any applicant who has details held on the IFD will be refused employment.
• A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.
• Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland/Access NI on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk

For further information on the Access NI confidential checking service telephone: the Access NI Helpline on 0300 200 7888 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email accessni@ani.x.gsi.gov.uk

Vetting

The requirement for SC clearance is to have been present in the UK for at least 3 of the last 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements will result in your security clearance application being rejected.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Simon Groffman
• Email : Simon.Groffman@businessandtrade.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dbtrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact DBT by email at Resourcing@trade.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Civil Service Commission Complaints