Senior Domestic Aviation Safety Policy Advisor and Head of Rulemaking

• Details
• Reference number
• 475425
• Salary
• £44,241
• London minimum salary £48,581
• A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

• Job grade
• Senior Executive Officer
• Contract type
• Permanent
• Business area
• DFT - Aviation, Maritime and Security Group (AMS)
• Type of role
• Policy
• Project Delivery
• Strategy
• Working pattern
• Flexible working, Full-time, Job share, Part-time
• Number of jobs available
• 2
• Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Birmingham, Leeds, London

About the job

Job summary

Can you present complex information into clear, practical policy recommendations?

Do you excel at building partnerships and driving collaboration?

Have you led policy development and effectively managed delivery across completing workstreams?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

This is an exciting opportunity to be responsible for overseeing UK aviation safety rulemaking. Following EU Exit, the DfT is delegating some rulemaking power to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), to speed up technical rulemaking. This role will oversee CAA and DfT rulemaking, ensuring coherence, strategic alignment and effective and proportionate oversight. Our aim is to deliver a legislative system that is flexible, proportionate and efficient to support wider government objectives. You will need to understand complex technical information and be able to communicate this simply and clearly.

You will need to consider long-term strategic priorities, considering the UK’s future regulatory needs given the pace of innovation and change in the sector. You will be an expert in building collaborative relationships to ensure effective and proportionate oversight of the CAA’s delegated rulemaking power. There will also be the opportunity to develop and lead a domestic policy portfolio, which will include developing and implementing policy changes to the aviation safety system.

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 Working in Policy , Civil Service Careers

Job description

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

Domestic Policy Work

• Leading on several key domestic policy areas, such as dangerous goods policy, which includes safe carriage of lithium batteries, a significant project with the CAA.
• Supporting Grade 7 to manage the policy interfaces between the Aviation Directorate and external stakeholders; building a network of contacts in government and industry to support delivery of the team’s workplan.
• Leading submissions regarding our domestic policy and strategy development and providing proactive advice on current policy challenges including for Ministers and senior officials.
• Play a leading role in response to emerging Aviation Safety incidents and issues.
• Overseeing and leading on a significant amount of ministerial briefing, correspondence and parliamentary business.
• Supporting the development of a domestic aviation safety strategy.

Rulemaking

• Oversee the rule making programme for aviation safety, working with the CAA to ensure they are delivering a rulemaking programme in line with our international responsibilities that also delivers against other government priorities.
• Coordinate and run DfT’s secondary legislation programme, including delivering legislation that remains the purview of DfT.
• Develop close and collaborative relationships with the CAA that enable effective and proportionate DfT oversight of the CAA’s delegated rulemaking power.
• Acting as the first point of contact for DfT Ministers, parliament and senior officials on the aviation safety legislative enquiries
• Leading engagement with industry on safety matters.

Task management of 1 x HEO policy advisor – providing support and direction. Their work includes leading on our governance and engagement forums, drafting policy and briefing, correspondence and parliamentary business.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills set out in the Civil Service Line Management Standards.

Flexible resourcing

Colleagues are expected to work with a degree of flexibility, meaning responsibilities may change to support priority delivery.

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

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Experience developing policy and an understanding of open policy-making approaches, techniques and requirements.
• Skilled in developing excellent working relationships and communicating with a diverse group of stakeholders. The successful candidate will need to collaborate effectively to build positive relationships with colleagues across the Department and with industry partners.
• Strong organisational skills and an ability to work across multiple competing priorities.
• Be able to present technical information in a straightforward and easily understandable way, with strong written and verbal communication skills.
• A good understanding of the legislative process, and secondary legislation in general.

Additional Information

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

Occasional travel to other offices will be required, which may involve overnight stays.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role

For further information on the role, please read the attached 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.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership

Technical skills

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

• 1. Strategy 1.1. Policy Context and Purpose Level 1: Developing - Policy Professions Framework

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

• Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement
• Stage 2: Assessment - Policy exercise
• Stage 3: 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:

• Behaviours – you will be asked to provide a 250-word statement on the each of the following Behaviours: Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions and Leadership
• Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (500-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:
• Contract management

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Success Profile element, Communicating and Influencing . Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

The sift will take place week commencing 24/08/2026.

Stage 2 : Assessment

At assessment stage, you will be invited to complete a written policy exercise. The assessment will take place online via Microsoft Teams. You will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Technical
• Strategy 1.1. Policy Context and Purpose Level 1: Developing - Policy Profession Standards

The assessment stage will take place week commencing 31/08/2026.

Guidance will be provided if you are invited to the assessment.

Stage 3: Interview

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

• Behaviours – Communicating and Influencing, Seeing the Big Picture, Making Effective Decisions & Leadership
• Strengths

The interviews will take place week commencing 07/09/2026

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 .

Further information on the selection process

Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We will also hold a 12-month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for.

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

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

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How 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.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

Pre-employment Checking

If your application is successful but you have been dismissed from the Civil Service, your application could be removed at the pre-employment checking stage depending on the nature of the dismissal.

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.

Feedback

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter .

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)
• 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

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code 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 .

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 the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans 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 : Jessica Cohen-Harvey
• Email : Jessica.Cohen-Harvey@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