Policy Advisor

Job summary

As a Policy Advisor, you will be a vital member of the Policy Team. Your mission is to support the development and maintenance of policy frameworks and operational procedures that enable the TRA to conduct trade remedy investigations. You will contribute to ensuring our work effectively defends UK economic interests against unfair trade practices while remaining fair, transparent, and legally compliant.

Key Responsibilities:

• Policy translation: Support the translation of complex legal provisions and high-level policy decisions into clear, actionable guidance and streamlined operational processes for investigation teams.
• Expert advice: Provide high-quality, practical advice on policy issues arising during the lifecycle of an investigation, escalating novel or contentious matters where appropriate, and helping teams apply policy consistently.
• Knowledge management: Help maintain and update a comprehensive body of policy knowledge, integrating lessons learned from casework and global best practices to drive continuous organisational improvement.
• Regulatory horizon scanning: Monitor domestic and international legislative developments, including jurisprudence relating to World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements, to ensure the TRA's practices remain compliant with international trade law.
• Stakeholder engagement: Collaborate with stakeholders across the organisation (including in the legal, analyst, and investigations teams) and stakeholders in other government departments, to contribute to a consistent evidence-based approach to trade defence.

Job description

As a Policy Advisor, your work will be centred on three core pillars: expert advice, operational policy, and collaborative engagement.

Expert advice & capability building

• Subject matter expertise: Develop and maintain deep technical knowledge of UK trade remedy legislation and WTO agreements to support colleagues effectively.
• Knowledge transfer: Support the design and delivery of high-impact, practical training to case teams, ensuring investigative staff are equipped with the knowledge and tools to conduct complex trade remedies investigations and reviews.
• Live case support: Provide advice to investigation teams on applying policy in time-sensitive situations, escalating complex or ambiguous issues to senior colleagues.
• Briefing & governance: Draft clear and accurate briefings and contribute to advice provided to Senior Leadership and the Board.

Operational policy

• Guidance development: Support the translation of complex legislative requirements into intuitive operational guidance, providing case teams with the practical tools and frameworks needed for robust investigations.
• Continuous improvement: Assist in identifying gaps in current process models and/or operational guidance and contribute to their improvement.

Strategic consultation & engagement

• Policy evolution: Assist with internal and external consultations on proposed policy changes, analysing stakeholder feedback to refine processes that reflect best practices in trade remedies.
• External representation: Support engagement with other government departments (such as DBT), UK businesses, and peer investigating authorities from around the world.

The TRA is a dynamic, evolving organisation. Your portfolio will naturally shift as the global trade landscape changes. We value agility and a proactive mindset. You should be comfortable pivoting between long-term policy development and urgent, case-specific problem-solving. Your flexibility and agility will be of great importance.

Person specification

Personal Attributes & Skills

We are seeking someone who can think analytically and help connect complex legal frameworks with their practical application. You will thrive if you possess the following:

Core competencies

• Collaborative influence: A proven ability to build trust-based relationships across multidisciplinary teams and with external partners, ensuring policy goals are met through partnership.
• Analytical excellence: Exceptional writing skills with the ability to analyse issues, synthesise large amounts of information, and present well-reasoned, defensible conclusions.
• Articulate communicator: Confidence in presenting complex policy proposals to Senior Leadership and a talent for delivering engaging training sessions that make dense policy topics accessible to non-experts.

Personal attributes

• Proactive self-starter: An enthusiastic professional who takes ownership of their portfolio and proactively seeks to deepen their expertise in international trade remedies policy.
• Resilient & agile: The ability to remain composed and effective in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment, maintaining momentum even when faced with ambiguity or shifting priorities.
• Curious & growth-oriented: A genuine desire to learn and contribute to the TRA's mission of defending fair trade in the UK.

We will assess the following essential and desirable criteria throughout the selection process. Please ensure your application provides clear evidence for each criterion.

Essential Criteria

• Regulatory interpretation: Proven experience of interpreting complex legislation or policy frameworks and successfully translating them into clear, actionable guidance or operational processes.
• Analytical problem solving: A track record of analysing complex, ambiguous, and/or incomplete information to make evidence-based recommendations or decisions.
• Delivery under pressure: Experience managing a diverse portfolio of work, demonstrating the ability to prioritise effectively and maintain high standards while meeting challenging deadlines.
• Stakeholder management: Experience building and sustaining collaborative relationships with a variety of internal and external stakeholders to achieve shared objectives.

Desirable Criteria (preferable)

• International trade expertise: A foundational understanding of international trade principles, with specific knowledge of trade remedies (anti-dumping, subsidies, or safeguards) being highly advantageous.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Working Together
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

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

• Technical presentation (to be prepared in advance). Further details will be shared with those successful at sift.
• Technical written exercise. Further details will be shared with those successful at sift.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,780, Trade Remedies Authority contributes £12,683 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Please refer to the candidate pack attached for further information.

Useful Information for Existing Civil Servants:

Existing Civil Servants should note that working for the TRA, you will be employed as a public servant. This means:

This vacancy is for a position in the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). TRA employees are not Civil Servants. Individuals applying for this role from the Civil Service are advised to review terms prior to accepting the offer. Key terms are outlined in the benefits section of this advert (these are not exhaustive). Individuals can also discuss with hiring managers and the TRA People Team on resourcing.enquiries@traderemedies.gov.uk.

Your continuity of service for employment protection will start on the day you join us. We are not an employer of the Crown and therefore cannot recognise previous employment with the Civil Service for the purpose of qualifying for Employment Rights. An employee must have 2 years’ length of service with TRA before Employment Rights are recognised.

If you are a member of the Civil Service Pension scheme, your membership and reckonable service will continue with us, providing there is no break between your Civil Service employment and your employment as a public servant with TRA.

We will recognise the annual leave you have built up, up to a maximum of 30 days, and the sick pay entitlement taking account of your length of service in the Civil Service.

If you choose to re-join the Civil Service at any point in the future, this will be according to the policies of the department you are joining following your resignation from TRA. You may also wish to be aware that under Exception 5 of the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles, the re-employment of a former Civil Servant is possible within a maximum of five years of leaving the Civil Service, subject to qualifying criteria being met and depending on the policies of the department you are joining.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

To Apply:

Please submit a CV and a personal statement of no more than 750 words. Your CV should set out your education, professional qualifications and employment history to demonstrate how you meet the requirements for the role. Your personal statement should provide evidence to demonstrate how your experience, skills and attributes make you suitable for the role.

If we receive more than 20 applications, we will conduct an initial sift based solely on the personal statement. At this stage, we will assess applicants against the lead essential criteria: regulatory interpretation and analytical problem solving. Applicants who pass the initial sift will then undergo a full sift.

Interview:

The interview assessment will consist of a technical presentation and written exercise followed by a behaviour-based interview. Further details will be shared with candidates successful at sift.

The successful candidate will be the candidate who obtains the highest score at interview. In some cases whereby a permanent position cannot be offered you may be offered a fixed term appointment.

Timeline:

Advert closes: 22nd March 2026.

Shortlist: From 23rd March 2026.

Interviews: From 14th April 2026.

Your interview will be conducted face to face. You will be notified of the location if you are selected for interview.

Further Information

We are Inclusive

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 recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request adjustments.

Near Miss

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be offered a post at the grade below the one advertised.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to TRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via TRArecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

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

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service 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.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

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

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 : Anika Kersten
• Email : anika.kersten@traderemedies.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

The law requires that selection for appointment is on merit based on fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles, which can be found at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/20…. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, please contact: resourcing.enquiries@traderemedies.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission (at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilserv…).

Attachments

Candidate Pack - Interim (6) (1) (1) Opens in new window (pdf, 368kB)