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.  

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

Ministerial and Communications

The Ministerial and Communications Group sits at the heart of the Treasury. If you are interested in the inner workings of the Government, meeting Ministers, Senior Officials and liaising with the Press then this could be the place for you! We are a friendly and inclusive Group working on some of the most exciting issues of the day, bringing together work from across the rest of the department and engaging closely with partners across Whitehall and beyond.

We provide support to Ministers, through Ministerial offices. We act as Treasury's external face, through the Press Office and Communications team. We are responsible for managing the department, through our support for the Permanent Secretary, the Second Permanent Secretaries, the Treasury Board, and the Executive Management Board (EMB), and our ownership of Treasury governance structures. The Group is led by the Permanent Secretary.

About the Team

The Communications Team is responsible for all communications conducted by HM Treasury and its Ministers. It works closely with Ministers, special advisors and policy teams to communicate the full range of the Treasury’s work, through traditional and new media channels. The team is high-performing, supportive and fun. We work highly collaboratively across the different aspects of communications (press, digital, events). The roles are high-profile and post-holders are given a large degree of ownership for their projects. The team is a flexible resource and the post-holder will need be ready to support colleagues during busy periods and as responsibilities can move around to reflect government priorities.

About the role:

The Economy Press Officer will help shape the government’s communications on the economy – explaining how complex concepts affect people’s everyday lives. This will include explaining and defending the government’s economic and fiscal strategy in a way people will understand, supporting the Chancellor’s response to key statistics releases and forecasts, and building relationships with both journalists and policy teams across the Treasury.

Core responsibilities include:

1. Explaining and defending the government’s economic policy and performance. This includes shaping the government’s response to key economic indicators such as GDP public sector finance and inflation statistics as well as IMF/OECD forecasts.
2. Explaining the government’s fiscal strategy and government financing arrangements, including debt, deficit, credit ratings, gilt issuances and other financing facilities.
3. Leading on monetary policy related communications, including Bank of England governance, remit changes and appointments
4. Supporting the communications process around fiscal events, including developing a clear narrative around the fiscal and economic position
5. Building strong relationships with policy teams across the Treasury, No10 and with journalists
6. Contributing to corporate workstreams on important issues. Examples of ongoing work includes wellbeing and diversity and inclusion.

We are a busy and dynamic team meaning that you will have the opportunity to work beyond your remit, including by supporting and helping to set up Chancellor visits and media interviews. The post holder will be required to join the press office duty rota, providing cover over some evenings and weekends. An additional allowance for this applies to this role. Experience of working on economic issues and communications or media experience, and/or an understanding of presentational issues in government, is desirable but not essential.

Candidate Drop-In Session 

Friday 5th July, 11:30-12:00 Join the meeting now

The hiring manager 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 ask any questions you may have. If you would like to join us, then use the appropriate link below to join the call at the right time. 

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 Matthew Cadoux-Hudson - matthew.cadouxhudson@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.  

Required Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing - An ability to communicate complex issues in an easily accessible, eye-catching way.
• Delivering at Pace - working independently in a high-paced environment to deliver key ministerial priorities.
• Working Together - Ability to proactively build and maintain relationships and communicate with different audiences to promote organisational objectives.

The lead criterion is: Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £34,710, HM Treasury contributes £8,561 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 Strengths.

Recruitment Timeline 

• Closing date: 18th July 2024
• Shortlisting: From 19th July 2024
• Interviews:  W/C 29th July 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. 

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, individuals appointed to the Treasury group will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is  Security Check (SC)  

To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, applicants will need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years. In exceptional circumstances, a lack of residency would not be a bar to security clearance however the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case by case basis once the advert closing date has passed.

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 security 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.