Ministerial Briefing Account Manager

Job summary

The Department for Business and Trade works to grow the UK economy, supporting businesses to invest, export and innovate. The Business Strategy and Briefing team helps drive this mission. We work across 30 sector teams to shape delivery, support senior decision‑making, and ensure stakeholders are well informed.

The team’s work includes building trusted relationships with colleagues across DBT to coordinate the effective delivery of projects, briefing and correspondence. We help bring clarity, pace and consistency to fast‑moving and high‑profile work.

We are a warm, supportive and high‑performing team that takes pride in delivering high‑quality work at pace. We collaborate closely and value the variety that comes with visible, cross‑cutting work. We are a newly merged team, using this opportunity to refresh how we work, build strong relationships and create inclusive, supportive ways of working. We come together regularly for socials and team‑building events.

Job description

This is an engaging and fast-moving role. You will support delivery of multiple commissions, using judgement to manage priorities and meet deadlines. Your role is likely to span a range of responsibilities, including:

• Partnering with sector colleagues to deliver drafting and briefing. You will build subject‑matter knowledge over time, enabling you to respond quickly and confidently to correspondence and briefing requests. Alongside drafting, you will manage case records carefully, ensuring the status of each request is clear from receipt through to completion.
• Providing flexible surge support across the team, building effective working relationships quickly to provide high-quality drafting and briefing where it is most needed.
• Taking a central coordination role, managing a high‑volume shared inbox that receives dozens of queries each day. This includes reviewing and prioritising incoming requests, logging them accurately on a live tracking Excel spreadsheet, identifying the most appropriate colleague or team to handle each query, and ensuring information and materials are passed on promptly. You will keep records up to date as work progresses so the team has a clear, real‑time view of what is in train and what has been completed.
• Building relationships with colleagues in other hubs across the department, to ensure incoming requests are directed to the correct teams.
• Rapidly responding to fast-moving commissions, such as providing inputs into briefings, dashboards and data-driven projects.

Your focus will shift in line with team priorities. You should expect to move between different sectors and types of work, responding to emerging pressures and opportunities.

Person specification

This is a role for someone who thrives on coordination, drafting, and teamwork. You should enjoy variety, and be able to quickly get up to speed in new areas.

Essential criteria

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

You should be:

1. Experienced at drafting high quality briefings and letters.
2. Able to work at pace to deliver multiple commissions to tight deadlines. Organised and structured, with strong attention to detail.
3. Good at building relationships with working level and senior colleagues to rapidly deliver commissions.
4. Flexible and responsive, willing to step into different areas to support priority work as needs arise. Proactive and positive in the context of change.
5. Experience of managing a busy shared inbox, or enthusiasm to learn this skill.
6. Competent at using Microsoft 365 apps, especially Word, Excel and Copilot.Desirable criteria

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;

It is beneficial if you have the capabilities below. Training and support will be provided if you don’t yet have this experience:

• Experience working on sector‑specific or industry‑focused issues.

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• 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.

• 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 employer contribution of 28.97%

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.

If you are interested in applying, you are encouraged to attend a drop-in session at one of the following times:

• Tuesday 9th June 16:00 - 16:45
• Wednesday 10th June, 17:00 - 17:45

Use this link to register your attendance: Intro Session - HEO Ministerial Briefing Hub Manager – Fill in form

If you cannot make the sessions, you can also use the link to request a copy of the materials used.

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 that relate to the essential criteria listed in this advert. Any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years should be 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.

Your application will be sifted against the Experience criteria of the Civil Service Success Profiles.

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.

We aim to sift both the CV and the Personal Statement but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on the CV only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the CV will either progressed to a full sift where the Personal Statement is then assessed or progressed straight to further 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.

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your interview.

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.

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.
• Candidates that do not quite meet the standard for this role may be offered a position at a lower grade.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to (Select as applicable from: 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

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.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 : Haile Warner
• Email : haile.warner@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: Resourcing@businessandtrade.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: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints.

Attachments

DBT T&Cs 2025-08-18 Opens in new window (doc, 46kB)DBT candidate pack July 2024 (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 943kB)