Policy Manager for SME Digital Adoption

This role sits at the heart of the work we are doing in Small Business Growth Directorate in DBT, to make the UK the best place to start and grow a business. The successful candidate will lead our work in supporting more SMEs to increase their productivity by adopting digital technology. This is critically important because, according to a report published in 2023 by Enterprise Nation, leaders of the UK’s small businesses could get as much as three and a half weeks of productive working time back each year if they fully embraced technology and the OECD estimates that AI could increase UK Gross Value Added by the equivalent of £55 billion to £140 billion by 2030.

But providing this support is complex. Between 2024 and 2025, the SME Digital Adoption Taskforce – made up of industry stakeholder with expertise in this area - was brought in to recommend how we might remove some of the barriers to adoption for SMEs. The Taskforce produced its final report in July 2025, setting out ten recommendations to ensure the UK maintains its leading global position in the tech and AI sector. This role leads on our approach to supporting more SMEs to adopt digital technology, including the implementation of the Taskforce recommendations, with the goal of ensuring that the UK’s SMEs become the most digitally capable and AI confident in the G7 by 2035.

This is a fast-paced, high-profile policy area, with considerable interest from DBT Ministers, across Government and No.10. There is considerable opportunity for engagement with external stakeholders, as we are working closely with industry to develop our package of support for SMEs.

We are a friendly and collaborative team, working to deliver a comprehensive programme of work to support more SMEs to adopt digital technology and unlocking the associated productivity benefits. We place an emphasis on learning and development and provide ample opportunities for members of the team to continue to support their development. We are committed to diversity and inclusion., The successful candidate will;

Lead the programme of work supporting UK’s SMEs become the most digitally capable and AI confident in the G7 by 2035, with a strong focus on delivering against the SME Digital Adoption Taskforce recommendations, which can be viewed here.https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/sme-digital-adoption-taskforce-final-report?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23906088940&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkdKuuMGflQMVOZFQBh2AzyJYEAAYASAAEgKOJ_D_BwE

Lead on engagement with a group of senior industry stakeholders who are working in partnership with Government to deliver support to SMEs with digital adoption, including delivery of external programme of Digital Adoption roadshows.

Become a trusted advisor to Ministers and senior officials in relation to our digital adoption agenda and delivery against the ambition to make the UK’s SMEs the most digitally capable and AI confident in the G7.

Develop strong working relationships and collaborate with colleagues in Other Government Departments, in particular, DSIT, to support more SMEs to adopt digital technology.

Lead for DBT on our joint work with HMRC to introduce mandatory e-invoicing for all VAT invoices from 2029., After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Judgement Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 20th July 2026. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

There will be maintenance for online tests on Sunday 19 July - 4pm to 7pm. This means you will be unable to access the online tests. Your progress will be saved, and you will be able to continue once the tests are available again.

Where a test is not available due to maintenance, candidates will see a message advising them to try again later. Candidates who are interrupted in the middle of a test will be able to pick up from the same point when the test becomes available again.

Interviews for this vacancy will be conducted virtually. We will, however, consider in-person interviews by exception.

Please ensure that you check your emails regularly as all updates from us will be sent to you this way.

To apply for this post, you will be asked to complete the following as part of the online application: A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Provide employment history that relates to the essential criteria, and that any gaps in employment history within the last 2 years are explained. The CV should not exceed more than 2 x A4 pages.

• A Personal Statement of up to 750 words, explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role in reference to the essential criteria.

Your application will be sifted against the Experience criteria of the Civil Service Success Profiles.

It is likely that the sift will take place 1-2 weeks after the closing date and interviews 3-5 weeks after the closing date, though this is subject to change.

We aim to sift both the CV and the Personal Statement but, in the event of a large number of applicants, an initial short sift may be conducted on the CV only. Candidates who pass the initial sift of the CV will either progressed to a full sift where the personal statement is then assessed, or progressed straight to further assessment/interview.

Candidates who pass the sift will be invited to interview, where we will assess you on the Success Profiles elements of behaviours and experience.

As part of your interview, you will be asked to deliver a short oral presentation, details will be provided prior to your interview., * A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made. Reserve Lists will be for each location and appointments made in merit order based on location preferences.

• Any move to the Department for Business and Trade from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments.
• The Department will not consider sponsoring a visa or issuing a Certificate of Sponsorship. We are unable to offer advice on any Visa and Immigration cases.
• New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.
• 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. Any applicant who has 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.
• Terms and Conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.
• Please note – the successful candidate will be expected to remain in post for a minimum of 18 months before being released for another role.
• Candidates that do not quite meet the standard for this role may be offered a position at a lower grade., * 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

The below criteria are essential and will be assessed at application stage;

The successful candidate will;

Have direct experience of policy development and implementation, in a fast-paced environment, including as the lead advisor in a particular policy area

Have a strong ability to communicate clearly and succintly, including in written and verbal briefings.

Be adept at building relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and working across boundaries to deliver results.

Be able to work at pace and under pressure, maintaining a clear focus on making things happen.

Be a strong team leader with the ability to coach and develop to get the best from their team., Previous background or experience in tech adoption or AI and / or on business support programmes would be beneficial., * Delivering at Pace

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture, Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Pulled from the full job description

• Childcare
• Company pension, Alongside your salary of £57,511, Department for Business and Trade contributes £16,660 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides .
• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%, Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles.