About the job

Job summary

HM Treasury

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

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 

Correspondence and Information Rights Team

The Correspondence and Information Rights Team (CIRT) is made up of the Correspondence and Enquiries Unit (CEU) and the Information Rights Unit (IRU), who work closely together to deliver high quality responses to those who contact Treasury. The CEU is responsible for handling external correspondence from a wide range of stakeholders including MPs, members of the public, large organisations, or campaign groups. IRU is specifically responsible for dealing with the correspondence containing requests for information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and Environmental Information Regulations. Both teams provide support and specialist guidance to teams in Treasury, to ensure the department’s reputation for timeliness and providing an excellent service is maintained.

Every day, HM Treasury receives a variety of correspondence enquiries, spanning a range of policy issues, which makes it an exciting and interesting place to work, particularly around events such as the Budget!

As a Correspondence Drafter you will directly be involved in the identifying of specific policies with regards to correspondence and assist in the drafting of accurate replies on behalf of ministers. You will be required to engage with a wide variety of colleagues and management regarding Treasury policies as well as communicate with other Government departments and ministerial private offices.

As a Correspondence Drafter, you will:

Draft high quality, accurate replies to various types of correspondence, working closely with policy teams and Other Government departments to ensure the issues raised are addressed accurately and sensitively.

• Ensure that the departments timescales are adhered to during the handling, drafting, and responding of all correspondence and information requests.
• Work as a team to accurately assess all incoming correspondence so that it is allocated to the correct team for a response.
• Engage confidently with senior managers, policy teams, Special Advisors and Private Offices to maintain CIRT’s wider departmental relationships.
• Develop your own skills to provide flexible cover and support to CIRT and the wider unit as the need arises and be prepared to contribute to high priority tasks when requested by a manager.
• Embrace change and technology, be able to adapt quickly to innovation and automation of processes.

CIRT is a diverse and inclusive team, and we are keen to encourage applications from candidates with a range of backgrounds, skills, and experiences. It’s not essential to have prior experience of working in a correspondence team, but we will be asking candidates to demonstrate an ability to quickly learn new processes, work at pace and balance a number of deadlines under pressure, as well as being proactive with their own development.

As a Treasury employee, you will have access to training to grow your skillset for future roles in an encouraging and supportive environment. In CIRT you will be supported and encouraged to attend training, seek extra responsibilities, and work towards development objectives based on areas of work that interest you.

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. 

23rd April 2024 at 4pm Join the meeting

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 Sheila Darling, sheila.darling@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. The lead criterion is: Managing a quality service - Ability to manage case work and draft high-quality written communications methodically, accurately, and sensitively in a fast-paced and demanding environment.
2. Working together - Ability to successfully collaborate with others and develop and maintain excellent working relationships.
3. Seeing the Big Picture - Ability to improve a service in accordance with the needs of customers and stakeholders, and to understand how this affects the wider business

The lead criterion is: Managing a Quality Service

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

At interview stage, you will be assessed on the below criteria: 

• Strengths
• Behaviours:
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Working Together
  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Delivering at Pace

Interview Task/Presentation

Prior to your interview, we will contact you about a task/presentation that the interview panel would like you to complete as part of the assessment. The exact details will be communicated to you nearer the time.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £26,770, HM Treasury contributes £7,227 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, Strengths and Experience.

Recruitment Timeline 

Closing date: 29th April 2024

Shortlisting: From 30th April 2024

Interviews:  w/c 6th / 13th May 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.

Location-Based Reserve Lists 

You will be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot offer you a post immediately. Where more than one location has been advertised, candidates will be approached for roles in merit order according to the first preferred location stated on your application form. 

Please note that a place on the reserve list does not guarantee an offer. We would still encourage you to apply for other HM Treasury opportunities that you are interested in. If you are offered a role in your first preferred location and you decline the offer or you are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe, you will be removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances. 

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.