About the job

Job summary

If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives, the Treasury can offer you an exciting opportunity to influence decision making that affects the whole of the UK. Working at the heart of government, we collaborate across government to promote responsible public spending and drive strong and sustainable economic growth.  

Our work ranges from protecting customers through the regulation of the financial sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and creating a greener economy, to promoting British trade around the world and supporting people across the country on jobs, growth and more.  

HM Treasury is proud of a diverse and inclusive work environment, committed to fairness and the promotion of equality of opportunity for all. We know that having a range of experiences, ways of working and thinking makes us stronger and better at developing policy that reflects the needs of every community. We embrace different views and experiences and value the new perspective that people from a variety of circumstances bring to the work we do. We welcome applications from candidates who have not previously worked for the Civil Service, mid- and late-career changers with transferrable skills, people from all backgrounds and circumstances regardless of disability, gender, age ethnicity, LGBT+ identity and socio-economic status.  

We are part of the Darlington Economic Campus, a pioneering new cross-government hub which brings people together to play an active role in the most important issues of the day whilst working closer to the communities we serve. The campus provides the opportunity for people from all over the UK to help shape the future of the country, and our flexible working practices ensure you can collaborate effectively with our partners. It’s central government, made more accessible to you! 

Job description

About the Group

The Corporate Centre Group delivers a wide range of corporate services to enable people at HM Treasury and many of the other organisations who form part of the Treasury Group (including the Government Internal Audit Agency and the Debt Management Office) to operate effectively and efficiently. We are a diverse group, both in terms of our professions and in our ways of working. Our colleagues are based across 3 sites in London, Darlington and Norwich. 

The Corporate Centre Group consists of a range of teams and is led by two directors (one of Finance and one of Operations); 

• Correspondence and Information Rights 

• Finance & Commercial 
• People & Capability 
• Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging 
• Treasury Business Solutions 
• Multisite Darlington Economic Campus team 

• Exchequer Funds & Accounts team 

About the Team

HM Treasury’s Group Finance team, within the Corporate Centre Group, comprises approximately 50-60 staff across our London, Darlington and Norwich offices. We provide sound financial management advice and information for internal use, and accurate information for Parliamentary control and public accountability.

Within the wider Finance team, you will join a small team of about five risk, counter fraud and assurance specialists. We provide a counter fraud function for the department, lead on operational risk, and provide strategic oversight of the assurance and controls we must employ over Arms’ Length Bodies in the HMT Group. We are a friendly, encouraging, and inclusive team, and we are committed to actively supporting everyone’s wellbeing and professional development.

About the Job

We are looking for someone who has the right set of skills to improve our oversight of public bodies that the Treasury has responsibility for. Relevant experience or expertise in areas such as risk or audit is desirable.

You will gain a unique insight into Treasury’s high-profile public bodies and the critical work they do for government! These include the recently established UK Infrastructure Bank, National Savings and Investments, and the Reclaim Fund. Guiding the sponsor teams that have policy responsibility for these bodies, you will use informed judgement to ensure that there are suitable controls in place. This role will be vital in demonstrating that we are delivering value for money and are managing risks optimally.

To succeed as an Assurance Lead, you need to demonstrate a range of skills including effective problem-solving, project delivery, senior stakeholder engagement, and the ability to clearly explain your thinking both in writing and in person. This role will suit someone who is comfortable planning and delivering research independently and producing high-quality reports and briefings. You will enjoy using your initiative to identify and challenge gaps in assurance, representing Treasury’s interests with internal and external senior stakeholders. You will be responsible for collating evidence, advising on the scope of the reviews, and making recommendations across multiple criteria and for a diverse set of bodies.

Great assurance is an area of increasing interest and importance for government to help drive efficiencies and improve financial and strategic controls. You will be joining at a time of rapid growth for the risk profession (the Risk Centre of Excellence for government is also based in the department). This is a brilliant opportunity to help build risk and assurance professionalism at the heart of government.

Key accountabilities:

1. Deliver the Public Bodies Review Programme for HMT Group, planning and scoping each in-depth review, making recommendations, writing reports and briefings, and thus providing valuable assurance to our Accounting Officer and Ministers that our Arms’ Length Bodies remain useful and necessary.
2. Lead on assurance activities for the group, ensuring that we have effective oversight of strategic issues or risks and driving agreed improvements forwards with senior stakeholders.
3. Manage cross-cutting commissions and communications to sponsor teams to streamline work and bring efficiencies to our governance and assurance oversight.
4. Research and publish key related products such as the Accounting Officer System Statement and contribute to our Annual Report on Accounts.
5. Continuously build your expertise in assurance and sponsorship, proactively knowledge-sharing to improve wider team and departmental capabilities.
6. Provide papers and briefings as required including to our Assurance and Risk Committee.
7. Develop and maintain positive relationships with key partners including the Cabinet Office, HMT sponsor teams, and colleagues in finance and the Corporate Centre Group.
8. Support the priority objectives of the risk and assurance team, adopting a collaborative approach and be willing to tackle on additional tasks based on business need.

Candidate Drop-In Session 
 
We will be running a candidate drop-in session for this role to give you greater insight about the role as well as the chance to learn more about HM Treasury and the recruitment process. If you would like to join us, then use the appropriate link below to join the call at the right time. 

Thursday 23rd May, 2pm:

Join the meeting now

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date for applications to find out more about the job, please contact clare.sinclair@hmtreasury.gov.uk.

Person specification

We are looking for the below skills, experience and behaviours and we will ask you to demonstrate these in your application form. Please review the Candidate FAQ document that is attached to the advert for guidance on how to complete your application form.

1. Experience of delivering risk, audit or assurance in the public sector. (Experience)
2. Successfully deliver high quality outcomes that show value for money as well as identifying risks and resolving issues effectively. (Managing a Quality Service)
3. Constructively challenge and motivate teams and senior leaders to support improved outcomes. (Working together)
4. Analyse and use a range of credible internal and external sources of information to support decisions, showing confidence in the decisions that you make. (Making effective decisions)

The lead criterion is: Experience of delivering risk, audit or assurance in the public sector (Experience).

If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criterion only.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,500, HM Treasury contributes £10,665 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Recruitment Timeline 

• Closing date: 2nd June 2024
• Shortlisting: w/c 3rd June 2024
• Interviews: w/c 17th June 2024

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change. We will inform you if there is a substantial change to the recruitment timeline. 

If your contact details change at any time during the selection process, please ensure you update your Civil Service Jobs Profile. 

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

Eligibility Statement  

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. Checks will be performed as part of pre-employment checks in line with this. Please refer to the Candidate FAQ document attached to the advert for more information. 

Individuals appointed to the Treasury Group will be subject to National Security Vetting. To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out applicants will normally need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years. A lack of UK residency in itself is not always a bar to security clearance but the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case by case basis using all information that can be obtained following a successful application. 

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks.  

For many roles, security clearance is also required. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements of the role before they can be appointed. The level of security clearance required for this role is Counter Terrorist Check (CTC)  

Please read the Vetting Charter for information on what to expect during the vetting process and what will be expected from you.  

Many areas of your life may be explored during your vetting journey, and it is important that every individual, regardless of their background and experiences, should feel comfortable going through this personal process, whilst having confidence that it is fair, proportionate, and inclusive.  

These short videos address common concerns and preconceptions which applicants may have about national security vetting.  

If you have questions relating to security clearances, please contact HMTSecurityVetting@hmtreasury.gov.uk

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

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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 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.