Capability and Innovation Lead

Can you work with a wide range of organisations and specialists to understand complex risks or system weaknesses and help shape clear, practical responses?

Have you helped set direction or plans for future capability, services or technology, working with both policy and technical colleagues to align short‑ and long‑term outcomes?

Do you enjoy exploring new or innovative approaches, building strong relationships across industry, academia, government or international partners to help turn complex challenges into workable solutions?

If so, wed love to hear from you!

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 Kings 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 DfT.

The Transport Security Directorate plays a critical role in protecting the UKs transport systems from evolving national security threats. Working across government, industry and with international partners, we strengthen aviation, maritime, cyber and wider transport security. Within TSD, the National Security Science and Research Division brings scientific and technical expertise to policy and regulation, by delivering an evidence base through an impactful research and innovation portfolio. Youll join a collaborative team shaping future transport security through analysis, technology and innovation.

Your responsibilities will include, but arent limited to:

• Deliver the Divisions Capability Assessment Framework.
  • Work with a range of stakeholders including scientists, policy leads, industry representatives, law enforcement and intelligence agencies to analyse and understand the level of vulnerability in the current transport security system.
  • Work with policy leads and industry to determine how security vulnerabilities can be addressed, mitigated or tolerated.

• Develop capability roadmaps for a specific modal delivery programme
  • Work with policy leads and technology delivery specialists to develop ambition statements for the short/mid- and long-term outcomes required in transport security.

• Develop and maintain a roadmap to ensure all stakeholders are working towards common understanding of the future transport security system.
  • Work with internal technology specialist to develop an annual programme of work to deliver the agreed ambitions reflected in the roadmap.

• Based on your preference and experience, you will act as the lead for a particular mode of transport (Land, Maritime or Aviation) and deliver a security innovation programme to deliver solutions and/or development of capability that does not currently exist in the supplier base.
  • Identify innovative approaches to collaborating with security equipment providers, academia and the wider technology R&D providers to communicate problems, requirements and ultimately drive solutions.

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including Government departments, Industry, Academia, International regulators and Security end users to develop solutions to science and technology requirements in transport security.

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.

Required experience:

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

1. You will have experience working in a scientific or technical area and will have led technology or innovation projects.
2. You will have an understanding and interest of science and technology for security and either hold a qualification in a STEM subject at degree level or equivalent or have relevant experience of transport security.
3. You will have strong communication skills and the ability to communicate scientific principles to a non-technical audience.

Additional Information

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

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 at least 22.2 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Regular travel to other offices in particular London will be required, which may involve overnight stays. Potential for international travel too.

Visa Sponsorship

DfTc does not offer Visa Sponsorship for this role.