Head of Make Work Pay Policy Coordination and Engagement Team (Job-Share)

The Employment Rights Directorate sits in the Competition, Markets and Regulatory Reform Group at the heart of the Department for Business and Trade.

Employment Rights is a top priority for the new Government who have set out an ambitious, wide ranging and long-term reform plan for workers' rights in their manifesto, the Plan to Make Work Pay (MWP).

Employment rights is at the very centre of delivering that programme and the changes will be delivered by a mixture of Primary Legislation with the upcoming Employment Rights Bill, Secondary Legislation and non-legislative measures. This will involve a significant amount of policy development, engagement with business and unions, and programme management. The work is fast paced and high profile but, most importantly, has a significant tangible real-world impact on the lives of working people.

This role sits within the Make Work Pay Delivery Branch leading the Policy Coordination and Engagement Team, sitting alongside the Bill team. We are recruiting for a Grade 6 jobshare partner to lead the team work alongside an existing Grade 6 already in post. Together you would facilitate the delivery of the Government's Plan to Make Work Pay, including developing the strategic narrative and thinking long-term about delivery planning alongside and beyond the Employment Rights Bill.

As a jobshare partnership this role provides a unique opportunity to combine leading a high-profile policy area with flexible working.

Jobshare: 0.6FTE - the existing post holder currently works Wednesday to Friday, so ideally the post would require working Monday to Wednesday (though there is some room for negotiating alternative arrangements which can be discussed).

This role will be critical to coordinating the delivery the Government's Plan to Make Work Pay, including across the 50+ employment rights reforms. This involves working effectively across Government both on policy design to set pace for delivery, to develop a coherent narrative, and to secure cross-Government clearance.

The team is also responsible for planning engagement and communications with high profile stakeholders, so this role will require speaking to senior stakeholders in business, trade unions, and civil society to ensure that the policy Government develops will work in the real world.

The role may include, but will not be limited to:

• Facilitating timely decisions to support delivery of an ambitious package of reforms on employment rights, including drafting Cabinet Committee papers for the Future of Work Ministerial Committee, and working closely with Ministerial Private offices, Special Advisers, Cabinet Office officials, Number 10, and other Government departments.


• Developing and agreeing a strategic narrative around the delivery of a long-term programme of work on the Government's Plan to Make Work Pay.


• Developing a long-term approach to how external stakeholders (unions, business and civil society) engage with the Make Work Pay Programme, ensuring both Ministers and officials have appropriate opportunities to discuss with stakeholders to inform policy development.


• Leading programme management across the Department's interests in the Plan to Make Work Pay, which incorporates the work of seven policy and analytical branches, legal advisors, and corporate functions.


Leading and supporting a growing team of nine people, with direct line management for four high performing Grade 7s.