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

Corporate Centre

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 comprises approximately 50 staff. It includes Strategic Finance, Financial Management, Financial Reporting, Finance Operations and Payroll, and Counter Fraud and Risk.

We are part of the wider Government Finance Function (GFF), which represents and supports the finance community across the civil service. GFF offers a range of developmental opportunities, resources, tools, and networks to support us in our roles.

The Strategic Finance team lead on the Department’s strategic financial planning, including Business Planning, Spending Reviews, and the Estimates. The work involves taking a strategic and fresh look at everything HM Treasury does, from policy through to operations. It is therefore very varied and a great way to learn about the Department. It involves working closely with colleagues across the Department and the wider HMT group.

We are a friendly, encouraging, and inclusive team, and are committed to actively supporting everyone’s well-being and professional development.

About the Job

If you’re a qualified finance professional looking for an interesting and varied role that works with multi-billion-pound budgets, exposes you to Treasury Ministers and Senior Leaders, this could be the role for you. The successful applicant should be a strong communicator, able to lead end-to-end projects and have strong technical accounting skills.

1. Lead and co-ordinate the production of HMT’s Main and Supplementary Estimates and Vote on Account, providing recommendations on Delegated Expenditure Limit (DEL) and Annually Managed Expenditure (AME) budgets based on a sound understanding of the departmental group. Draft associated memoranda and brief Seniors and Ministers as required. Work collaboratively with the Spending Team and colleagues across Finance and wider HMT.
2. Act as Finance Business Partner (FBP) to all AME budget holders within the HMT Group, reviewing forecasts, and preparing the monthly management accounts, tailored suitably to an Executive Management Board audience. As well as liaising with colleagues in Treasury Group Shared Services (AP/AR) and the Exchequer Funds and Accounts team as required.
3. Provide specialist financial and budgetary advice, engage with experts, challenge and support HMT colleagues and the wider group to arrive at appropriate, affordable, and timely recommendations.
4. Contribute to the work of the wider Strategic Finance team by supporting with the spending review process and implementation of the agreed settlement through annual business planning, promoting efficiencies, and managing financial risks.
5. Understand the frameworks that govern public finances (e.g., Managing Public Money, Consolidated Budgeting Guidance) and ensure plans and proposals are compliant, assisting with the development of Accounting Officer advice for new schemes where necessary.
6. 6. Ensure HMT's cash forecast, budgets and outturn and accurately reported on the governments ‘Online System for Central Accounting and Reporting’ (OSCAR) database, reconciling with HMT’s internal systems.
7. Direct line management responsibility for the Estimates Accountant.

This role attracts an accountancy allowance of £7,000.

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 Katie Moore HMT@robertsonbell.co.uk 02038247100

Person specification

Your application will consist of a CV and a 750-word personal statement.

Your CV should consist of your career history, including any key achievements in each role. Your CV will not be scored, but instead will be used to provide further context on your personal statement, and support conversations at interview.

Your personal statement should demonstrate evidence of how you meet the criteria listed below:

1. A background in financial management, financial reporting or audit, with an understanding of the estimates process.
2. The ability to communicate with others in a clear, honest and enthusiastic way in order to build trust, explaining complex issues in a way that is easy to understand interpret.
3. The ability to actively build and maintain strong working relationships to achieve shared objectives.

Required Qualifications

1. CCAB (or equivalent)

These criteria have been identified as the essential skills or experience for the role, so it is important that you include evidence to demonstrate you have the skills or experience we are looking for. You should not include any personal identifying information within your CV or personal statement.

Please review the Candidate FAQ document that is attached to the advert for more guidance on how to complete your application form.

Candidate Guidance Support Session 
 
We will be running an overview of Success Profiles and the STAR approach; top tips for the application and interview process and an opportunity to ask general questions around our recruitment practices. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time. 

Thursday 4th July 2024 12:30-13:15 Join the meeting now

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £52,960, HM Treasury contributes £14,299 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: 14th July 2024
• Shortlisting: W/C 15th July 2024
• Interviews:  W/C 22nd 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.

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. 

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. 

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 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.