Senior Investment Security Adviser (3 roles)
| Posting date: | 19 April 2024 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £44,500 to £48,243 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 05 May 2024 |
| Location: | London |
| Company: | Government Recruitment Service |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 350078/1 |
Summary
Our overarching strategy is set out in the Integrated Review, which describes the Government’s vision for the UK’s role in the world over the next decade, and the action we will take to 2025.
The NSS value professional and personal development for all of our staff and recognise that a continued focus on learning and development (L&D) will enable us to grow our capability. We are also committed to fostering a culture which welcomes new ideas and fresh perspectives, and supporting diversity and inclusion, including through flexible patterns and ways of working.
We can offer stretching and engaging work to enhance career development and gain highly transferable skills. We expect our staff to rise to new challenges, demonstrating the agility required to respond to urgent and changing events, and to work collaboratively to achieve results both within NSS and across government. A role with the NSS is a real opportunity to impact the lives of our citizens and make a difference every day.
The Investment Security Unit (ISU) is looking for three high-calibre individuals to join as Senior Investment Security Advisers.
The ISU leads the Government's screening of foreign investments into UK companies under the National Security and Investment Act (NSIA); assessing the risks that mergers and acquisitions, investments or the transfer of assets could present to the UK's national security.
These roles are at the heart of the operational response to changes in the global economy and the balance of power, as the ISU coordinates cross-government responses to protect our capabilities and critical national infrastructure. The ISU, located in the National Security Secretariat (NSS), is an exciting and diverse place to work, with teams delivering a range of operational, policy, analytical and international activities. Delivery of the National Security and Investment Act remains a Secretary of State top five priority and there is huge interest in this policy area from the Prime Minister and other members of the Cabinet.
The ISU is hiring for 3x Senior Investment Security Advisers:
- Compliance and Enforcement (C&E) team (1 role).
- Risk Assessment team (2 roles).
The ISU cannot commit to allocating successful candidates with their preferred team but will try and accommodate preferences. We will take into account the specific requirements, interests and experiences of successful candidates whilst balancing the ISU's priorities and resourcing requirements - allocation will be discussed between the hiring manager and the successful candidate.
Responsibilities
Compliance and Enforcement (C&E) team (1 role)
The ISU's Compliance and Enforcement team aims to mitigate national security risks arising from Foreign Direct Investment by: monitoring compliance with the Act; advising the Secretary of State on enforcement action; and supporting the wider ISU in operating the NSI Act. The postholder would be responsible for leading compliance and enforcement elements of NSI cases to which they are assigned. Responsibilities will include;
Analysing Information
You will manage a portfolio of cases and provide leadership to your direct reports and the wider team on their casework, making effective use of ISU and stakeholder relationships to identify and progress C&E issues. You will also lead more complex areas of C&E work (e.g. Variations, remedies development, implementation) and ensure deadlines are met and key developments are communicated upwards and across the team appropriately.
You will support the work of finding effective remedies to national security risks, as well as monitoring for breaches of the Act and developing advice for Ministers on enforcement. You will regularly produce high-quality written and oral advice to support senior officials and ministerial decision-making and will play a key role in keeping seniors and Ministers sighted on developments, often at short notice.
Leadership
You will contribute to drawing out the policy implications of casework and their impact on the wider work of the C&E team and ISU and identify areas of review of C&E processes and procedures and suggest alternative options creating improvements and efficiencies. You will build, and contribute to a supportive, effective, and inclusive team culture, sharing knowledge and skills with less experienced colleagues and demonstrate an understanding of the impact of your teams work on the wider ISU and HMG.
Line Management
You will support colleagues who you have a direct line management responsibility for including regular check-in discussions and monthly 1-2-1 developmental sessions. You will prioritise people management and keep up to date with what is required of you as a manager, taking responsibility for reportees development and pastoral care.
Risk Assessment team (2 roles)
The ISU's Risk Assessment team is responsible for leading the cross-Whitehall and intelligence community risk assessment of cases passed on by the Risk Identification and Review team. These assessments cover the national security, economic and diplomatic implications of individual investments, identifying remedies to address risks and supporting ministerial decision-making. Responsibilities will include;
Co-ordinating expertise
You will chair discussions across Government and collaborate with relevant partners to help coordinate the necessary expertise to make a judgement on the level of risk that an investment may pose. You will also work with policy advisers and NSI Legal Advisers to make an assessment of how NSIA could be applied to mitigate any national security risks arising from investments.
Analysing information
You will conduct comprehensive analysis of views and assessments provided by partners across Government, as well as providing your own assessments. You will need to be able to think critically, often balancing competing views, to make a judgement on level of risk created by investments. You will consider how those positions may interact with wider HMG strategies and policies.
Briefing and advising
You will regularly produce high-quality written and oral advice to support senior officials and ministerial decision-making. You will play a key role in keeping seniors and Ministers sighted on developments, often at short notice.
Line Management
As a Senior Investment Security Adviser, you will be expected to contribute to the continuous improvement of our processes and ways of working. There may be line management responsibilities for 1 HEO; this will depend on business need.
All three roles will involve supporting the day-to-day running of the ISU, ensuring that the unit is able to deliver the high-quality service for which it has become known. Including but not limited to:
- Developing policy responses to real-world challenges arising when using the NSI Act and associated powers
- Taking forward secondary legislation to ensure our powers continue to meet our operational needs
- Considering links between the ISU’s work and other Government priorities, including Free Trade Agreements and sector strategies
- Engaging internal and external stakeholders, including through presentations and publications.
We are supportive of flexible working but these roles require candidates to work from the London office for the majority of the working week. Some degree of regular home working should be possible, subject to business needs, but the role requires regular access to the London office. Any flexible working arrangements would need to be agreed after appointment in line with business need and could be subject to change.