Our office is in central Reading. We offer flexibility in where you work and we’ll expect you to attend the office a minimum of two days a month. When you join us, we expect you to be in the office more frequently to settle into the TRA. Whilst this role is full-time, we will also consider part-time and flexible working arrangements. However, training and potential overseas travel requirements mean that on occasion, you may need to be available full-time Monday to Friday from time to time; therefore, some flexibility will be required. This policy may be subject to change.
Job Summary
About this role
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) exists to defend the UK against unfair international trade practices, such as dumping, trade-distorting subsidies and unforeseen surges in imports. We work in multidisciplinary teams to investigate whether trade remedies are needed to prevent injury to UK industries and make recommendations on appropriate measures to defend UK economic interests.
Role Purpose
At the TRA, you’ll play a key role in ensuring fair trade practices by assessing claims of unfair trade activities. Collaborating with a diverse team of fellow investigators, lawyers, policy advisors, accountants and analysts, you’ll review financial documents, analyse data, conduct site visits and engage with stakeholders. Your work will result in detailed reports that are public facing and provide clear recommendations to the Secretary of State on trade remedies. This role offers a chance to have a strategic impact on UK industries, against the backdrop of international economic and trade policy.
You’ll be offered professional growth across multiple disciplines and a supportive, inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives and skills. Join us to contribute to shaping fair trade practices and supporting economic integrity in the UK.
Job Description
Key Accountabilities
Assist in the delivery of investigations by supporting case planning, maintaining official case files and update case management systems;
* Conduct research to gather evidence from a range of sources, and apply judgement to reach well-reasoned and defensible conclusions;
* Undertake analytical assessments, collecting, analysing and manipulating complex data to identify trends and anomalies, to answer questions and advance arguments;
* Verification/assurance of financial data and other supporting material, seeking advice as necessary;
* Support the organisation in developing relationships with key stakeholders including domestic and international industry and government agencies;
* Draft high quality written reports and briefs in a clear and compelling manner;
* Develop and apply knowledge consistently, drawing on the provisions of trade remedies legislation, regulations and procedures, with support from colleagues;
* Undertake the ‘learner journey’, where comprehensive technical training and opportunities for externally recognised qualifications will be provided.
The TRA is moving to an increasingly flexible, skills-based resourcing model. This means that you may work on a range of projects and tasks and have the opportunity to develop a variety of skills, potentially beyond the core outlined above. This would be subject to discussions on appointment about your skills, experience and development pathway. This role may be further developed meaning successful candidates will need to be adaptable to evolving responsibilities within this role.
Key Accountabilities
Assist in the delivery of investigations by supporting case planning, maintaining official case files and update case management systems;
* Conduct research to gather evidence from a range of sources, and apply judgement to reach well-reasoned and defensible conclusions;
* Undertake analytical assessments, collecting, analysing and manipulating complex data to identify trends and anomalies, to answer questions and advance arguments;
* Verification/assurance of financial data and other supporting material, seeking advice as necessary;
* Support the organisation in developing relationships with key stakeholders including domestic and international industry and government agencies;
* Draft high quality written reports and briefs in a clear and compelling manner;
* Develop and apply knowledge consistently, drawing on the provisions of trade remedies legislation, regulations and procedures, with support from colleagues;
* Undertake the ‘learner journey’, where comprehensive technical training and opportunities for externally recognised qualifications will be provided.
The TRA is moving to an increasingly flexible, skills-based resourcing model. This means that you may work on a range of projects and tasks and have the opportunity to develop a variety of skills, potentially beyond the core outlined above. This would be subject to discussions on appointment about your skills, experience and development pathway. This role may be further developed meaning successful candidates will need to be adaptable to evolving responsibilities within this role.
Person specification
Personal Attributes & Skills
We are looking for individuals who are well organised, have a flair for complex data analysis and report drafting. You should possess an investigator’s mindset – curious, sceptical and questioning. You should be able to remain composed in complex, high-profile situations. In addition, we’re looking for people who have a natural ability to engage, communicate, collaborate and influence, working as part of a team to achieve collective goals. You will harness these interpersonal skills to positively contribute to the corporate life of the TRA, in line with our values. You will need to establish mutual respect and trust, building relationships with internal and external stakeholders. Due to the nature of investigative work, you need to be able to self-manage and prioritise your workload in order to deliver high-quality outputs on time. You will need to be able to create complete and accurate records in accordance with requirements - striking a balance between applying creativity and following established process. You will be flexible, versatile and resilient, able to adapt to variations in work and environment, maintaining composure and effectiveness during change.
Essential Experience
The following skills are essential for the post. The sift and interview stages will focus on assessing candidates’ experience relevant to these skills as well as their aptitude to enhance or develop them.
* Analytical skills – ability to interpret complex data, identify patterns to support evidence-based conclusions;
* Communication and influencing – effective in building and maintaining collaborative relationships with stakeholders from different backgrounds;
* Organisational skills – proficiency in managing tasks, time and records;
* Report writing – skilled in drafting clear, concise and comprehensive reports for a range of audiences;
Desirable Experience
* Project management – Ability to manage projects efficiently, ensuring timely and quality deliverables;
* Economics – An understanding of economic principles and their application in international trade;
* Accountancy / finance – Experience with, or understanding of commercial financial records or auditing financial or other data.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Making Effective Decisions
* Communicating and Influencing
* Working Together
* Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
* Technical questions which will assess your situational judgement
* A five-minute verbal presentation related to your data analysis skills and report writing
Alongside your salary of £35,789, Trade Remedies Authority contributes £10,368 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Please refer to the candidate pack attached for further information.
Existing Civil Servants should note that working for the TRA, you will be employed as a public servant. This means:
This vacancy is for a position in the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). TRA employees are not Civil Servants. Individuals applying for this role from the Civil Service are advised to review terms prior to accepting the offer. Key terms are outlined in the benefits section of this advert (these are not exhaustive). Individuals can also discuss with hiring managers and the TRA People Team on resourcing.enquiries@traderemedies.gov.uk.
Your continuity of service for employment protection will start on the day you join us. We are not an employer of the Crown and therefore cannot recognise previous employment with the Civil Service for the purpose of qualifying for Employment Rights. An employee must have 2 years’ length of service with TRA before Employment Rights are recognised.
If you are a member of the Civil Service Pension scheme, your membership and reckonable service will continue with us, providing there is no break between your Civil Service employment and your employment as a public servant with TRA.
We will recognise the annual leave you have built up, up to a maximum of 30 days, and the sick pay entitlement taking account of your length of service in the Civil Service.
If you choose to re-join the Civil Service at any point in the future, this will be according to the policies of the department you are joining following your resignation from TRA. You may also wish to be aware that under Exception 5 of the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles, the re-employment of a former Civil Servant is possible within a maximum of five years of leaving the Civil Service, subject to qualifying criteria being met and depending on the policies of the department you are joining.
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Selection process details
Stage 1 - Application
You will be asked to complete a 750-word personal statement detailing the relevant skills and experience you can bring to the role.
Your personal statement needs to set out how you meet the person specification and essential experience requirements set out above. Your layout is entirely your preference; you may choose narrative, bullets, etc. One narrative example may cover the requirements needed. You do not have to explain whole processes, just what you have done and the skills and experience you have used. Share with us what makes you suited to this role and why. What you can do, the skills you have that are transferable, and the life experience or passion you have that are linked to this role. If you do not have work-based examples then please give examples from school/college, clubs, volunteering or other activities you have been involved in.
You will also be asked to complete a CV with details of your education, professional qualifications and full employment history. Your CV will not be formally assessed so please put the main evidence of your skills into your personal statement. Your CV will be used to add context to your personal statement.
Stage 2 – Sift
Sift will begin shortly after the advert closes.
Should there be a large number of applications, a sift will be conducted using only your personal statement, which in some cases will take into consideration your CV.
Stage 3 - Interview
Those who pass the written application sift with the required score will be invited to an interview and will receive an electronic notification to their Civil Service Jobs account.
Interviews will take place via Microsoft Teams. These will consist of the following:
* Behavioural based questions which will assess the essential skills, experience, and behaviours required for the role. The behaviours you will be assessed against are Making effective decisions, Communicating and influencing, Working together and Delivering at pace.
* Technical questions which will assess your situational judgement. The questions will be hypothetical, and you will be asked to answer how you would handle those scenarios.
* A five-minute verbal presentation related to your data analysis skills and report writing. This will be assessed against the Essential Skills and Preferred Experience requirements for the role.
Further details will be provided to shortlisted candidates in advance of the interviews. This will include the two questions that form the basis of the technical component of the interview and the topic for the verbal presentation.
The successful candidate will be the candidate who obtains the highest score at interview. In some cases whereby a permanent position cannot be offered you may be offered a fixed term appointment.
Once all interviews have been completed, candidates will be notified of the outcome by email. Offers will be made in strict merit order to the highest scoring candidate first. The successful candidate(s) will be notified of a start date following successful security checks and notice periods.
Application closes: 6th July 2025
Shortlist: W/C 6th July 2025
Interviews: W/C 28th July 2025
Offers: W/C 11th August 2025
Please note the above dates are subject to change.
Further Information
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. This means that if you have passed the interview, but we could not offer you a position, you may be considered for similar positions. However, there is no guarantee you will be offered a role from our reserve lists.
Near miss
Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions at the TRA which may be at a lower grade, but have a potential skills match.
Any move to TRA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.
If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.
In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.
However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-EmploymentChecks.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.
This position is available either as a permanent appointment, or on secondment/loan for existing civil/public servants. If applying on a secondment basis, you must have the support of your current employer. The secondment/loan would be for an agreed fixed term of up to two years, with terms and conditions to be confirmed between the home and host organisation. The successful candidate will be the candidate who obtains the highest score at interview.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
We are Inclusive
We are fully committed to being an inclusive employer and ensuring equal opportunities. We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as possible and recognise how important inclusivity is to achieve the best outcomes. We hope to attract applications from all underrepresented groups.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable adjustments if required to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request adjustments.
Our AI Usage Guidelines
We welcome the use of AI tools during your application process, as they can assist you in crafting your CV and personal statement. However, it is crucial that all submitted information is factually accurate and genuinely represents your own ideas and experiences.
Your application may be rejected, and you could face disciplinary measures if plagiarism is detected. Plagiarism includes presenting others’ ideas and experiences, or content generated by artificial intelligence (AI), as your own. The information in your CV and personal statement will be verified during both the sift stage and your interview.
Reasonable Adjustment
If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:
Contact Government Recruitment Service via TRArecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
Complete the ‘Assistance required’ section in the ‘Additional requirements’ page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.
Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.
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 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.
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
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 : Edward Smith
* Email : Edward.Smith@traderemedies.gov.uk
Recruitment team
* Email : TRArecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
The law requires that selection for appointment is on merit based on fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles, which can be found at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/02a_RECRUITMENT-PRINCIPLES-April-2018-FINAL-.pdf. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, please contact: resourcing.enquiries@traderemedies.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission (at: https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/recruitment/civilservicerecruitmentcomplaints/). #J-18808-Ljbffr