Senior Policy Advisor

Job summary

Can you build strong stakeholder relationships while developing and delivering complex transport security policy, legislation and sponsorship priorities in a fast-paced environment?

Do you have the analytical, organisational and communication skills to manage competing priorities, interpret detailed regulatory issues, and provide clear advice to Ministers and partners?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

This role offers the opportunity to shape and deliver transport security policy across rail sponsorship or road transport security. You will build strong stakeholder relationships, provide high-quality advice and briefings to Ministers and senior officials, and support the development and implementation of legislation and regulatory standards. Working collaboratively across government and industry, you will help strengthen national transport security and promote best practice. The role requires strong analytical and communication skills, sound judgement, and the ability to manage complex issues at pace while maintaining high standards and adapting to evolving priorities.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at Department for Transport Central - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

Core Responsibilities

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, fostering collaboration, information sharing, and the promotion of best practice across the division.
• Coordinate and contribute to policy advice, briefings, and correspondence for Ministers and senior officials, including regular engagement with key partners and
• Support the continuous improvement of national transport security by sharing knowledge and learning within the team and wider directorate.
• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in response to changing business needs, taking on new responsibilities as required.

Rail Sponsorship

• Ensure the sponsorship of BTPA meets high standards and complies with Department for Transport and wider Government requirements.
• Collaborate with Government Legal advisors and the Home Office to interpret and implement new policing legislation and regulations within BTPA and contribute to shaping legislation supporting BTP’s objectives.
• Champion the BTPA’s role in rail and police reform by attending key meetings, supporting regulatory and legislative developments, and ensuring effective representation and relationship management.
• Assist the Public Appointments Team in managing campaigns to recruit new non- executive members to the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA).

Road Transport Security

• Maintain, build, and enhance relationships with the bus, coach, commercial freight, and rental sectors, as well as other key industry stakeholders, to promote good security practice.
• Work with industry partners to embed Road Transport Security Standards (RTSS) and best practice guidance within the sector.
• Review and update industry-specific guidance to ensure relevance and
• Contribute to the development and implementation of relevant legislation (e.g., Martyn’s Law) and ensure its effective integration within the bus and coach
• Collaborate with the rest of the Road Transport Security Team and cyber security colleagues to ensure cyber threats are addressed as part of a holistic security strategy.
• Organise and lead meetings and workshops with industry and government partners to address evolving security risks.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

Sponsorship role

• Confident working with diverse colleagues and stakeholders to develop, interpret and clearly communicate complex policy positions, decisions, and regulatory issues.

• Able to work at pace, developing robust policy that supports Ministerial priorities and represents the Department’s interests effectively.

• Strong organisational skills, prioritising and delivering multiple objectives simultaneously while maintaining high standards and close attention to detail.

• Proactive problem-solver with experience of legislation and regulation, effectively managing complex issues within a rail policy and sponsorship environment.

Roads role

• Proactive and enthusiastic, demonstrating initiative and commitment to achieving objectives while adapting flexibly to changing priorities and business pressures.

• Confident collaborating with diverse stakeholders at all levels, building positive relationships and communicating complex policy positions clearly and persuasively.

• Strong organisational skills, prioritising and delivering multiple objectives concurrently while maintaining high standards of accuracy and professionalism.

• Skilled in analysing evidence to inform decisions, explaining technical information accessibly.

You will need to demonstrate the following experience:

• Demonstrated experience working collaboratively with individuals across multiple teams and diverse stakeholder groups, fostering effective relationships to support the achievement of business outcomes.
• Proven ability to think strategically, ensuring delivery of key objectives whilst fully considering wider impacts in decision-making processes.
• Track record of working independently, effectively prioritising tasks to meet tight deadlines and deliver quality results.
• Experience handling legislative and/or regulatory issues, with a sound understanding of legislative processes and the ability to manage complex
• Skilled in communicating succinctly and engagingly, employing a variety of methods, styles and digital channels to maximise understanding and impact, and confidently maintaining position when required.
• Competence in collecting, analysing and drawing well-supported conclusions from a wide range of evidence and materials to inform sound decision making.
• Excellent written communication skills, demonstrated through clear and accurate documentation.

Additional Information

Successful candidates must be eligible for SC clearance.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

If based in either the Birmingham or Leeds offices, occasional travel to London will be required.

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work 30 hours per week. We can accommodate part time through job share.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, and therefore a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements. Hybrid working is a non-contractual arrangement where employees have the flexibility to work remotely combined with a minimum of 60% of their working time a month at either their principal workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, visiting stakeholders and colleagues, or carrying out detached duty in another DfT workplace. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

If you have questions regarding how hybrid working is practiced within the business area, or any reasonable adjustments or flexible working arrangements you may currently have or need in place if successful in your application, please contact the Vacancy Holder (see advert for contact details).

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,241, Department for Transport contributes £12,816 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at DfT and its agencies

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.

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.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement.

Stage 2: Interview

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (1000-word count). Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• Experience handling legislative and/or regulatory issues, with a sound understanding of legislative processes and the ability to manage complex
• Skilled in communicating succinctly and engagingly, employing a variety of methods, styles and digital channels to maximise understanding and impact, and confidently maintaining position when required.
• Competence in collecting, analysing and drawing well-supported conclusions from a wide range of evidence and materials to inform sound decision making.
• Excellent written communication skills, demonstrated through clear and accurate documentation.

The sift will take place week from the 23rd March 2026.

Stage 2: Interview

At interview 2 stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours - Communicating and Influencing, Delivering at Pace, Making Effective Decisions.
• Experience.
• Strengths.

The interviews will take place from the 06th April 2026.

This interview will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further information on the selection process

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

During your application, you should indicate which location(s) you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for each location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which locations you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for a location you have expressed a preference in or have expressed an interest in more than one location and accept an offer, you will be withdrawn from any lists you may be held on. We may also offer candidates a location that they have not expressed a preference for where we have the requirement to do so but this will again be done on the basis of your place in the overall merit order and, in this event, you will not be removed from the list if you decline.

Appointments for this position will be made in order of merit. If you are successful in the selection process but there are no further available posts for the advertised role, you may be contacted to discuss an offer for a lower graded role (with similar experience and responsibility requirements).

If you are unsuccessful in the selection process, your application may be considered for a lower graded position if your demonstrated skills and experience meet the requirements of the alternative position. Candidates will be considered in order of merit.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

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

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

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

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit theHow We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

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 had their employment continued. Any applicant’s 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.

All External applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour

Threats or acts of violence

Illegal activity or substance misuse

Sexually explicit material

Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public.

Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle—it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture.

If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

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 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 : Elliot Morgan
• Email : elliot.morgan@dft.gov.uk

Recruitment team

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

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website Here

Attachments

Role profile Opens in new window (pdf, 176kB)