About the job

Job summary

About 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.  

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

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 

The Correspondence and Information Rights Team (CIRT) consists of:

• The Freedom of Information Team who deal with requests for recorded information under the Freedom of Information Act and Environmental Information Regulations 
• The Data Protection team who oversees all data subject access requests and advise on data protection across HMT.
• The Correspondence and Enquiries Unit, who handle all correspondence from the public and Members of Parliament.
• The CIRT Technology Team who oversee our technology improvement plans, run our case management system and provide day to day management information in relation to our casework performance.

 This role sits in the Freedom of Information Team.

We’re a friendly team based across London, Norwich and Darlington, and we encourage people from different ages, experiences, and backgrounds.

About the Job 

The FOI Case Adviser position is an exciting role that offers the post-holder the chance to work with every team across Treasury. The Treasury sits at the heart of government policy-making and receives a wide range of interesting and often complex requests. The FOI Team is responsible for managing those requests and for ensuring that the Department follows the statutory requirements of the various Information Rights regimes. We work closely with policy teams on responses and provide handling advice for all FOI and EIR requests to the Treasury.

The post-holder will develop an insight into many areas throughout Treasury, as well as understanding the Treasury as a business. They will gain an in-depth understanding of the legal regimes that cover access to Treasury’s information and will represent the Department by engaging with Other Government Departments.

The ideal candidate will have previous experience of information disclosure issues, including experience of handling requests under the Freedom of Information Act and the Environmental Information Regulations, although ability to do the role is more important so training on the legislation can be given.

As a FOI Case Adviser, you will:

1. Have or will develop a solid working knowledge of the FOI Act and the Environmental Information Regulations and be willing to undertake training.
2. Handle own casework by ensuring policy officials engage fully with the FOI Team and the legislation and adhere to strict statutory deadlines.
3. Represent the FOI Team across the Department to advise our Treasury colleagues on the requirements of the legislation, providing training and guidance as appropriate.
4. Suggest and deliver solutions for the appropriate handling of sensitive information through discussion with key partners to provide responses in accordance with the legislation.
5. Engage with external partners including bodies associated with the Treasury, to share relevant knowledge and information.
6. Deliver awareness sessions on the information regimes across the department.
7. Promote good practice to ensure HMT is compliant with the legislation, including strong information and records management.
8. Work on continuous improvement and be willing to develop an understanding of data and how analysis can drive up performance.

Candidate Drop-In Session 
 
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. 

Monday 1st July 2024 @ 11:00 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 Joanna.Hodgson@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. Ability to make independent decisions solutions based on sound analysis. (Making Effective Decisions)
2. Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing with a variety of stakeholders, often of a higher grade, in order to build and maintain positive and effective relationships. (Communicating and Influencing)
3. Ability to work independently and as part of a team and manage a busy workload to meet deadlines and targets. (Delivering at Pace)

The lead criterion is: Making Effective Decisions

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

Candidate Guidance Support Session

We will be running an overview of Success Profiles and the STAR approach including top tips for the application and interview process and an opportunity to ask general questions around our recruitment practices. Please note that this session is not role specific, so we will be unable to answer specific questions about roles we are advertising. If you would like to join us, please use the link below to join the call at the right time.

Thursday 4th July 2024 @ 12:30 Join the meeting now

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £31,710, 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, Strengths and Experience.

Recruitment Timeline 

Closing date: Sunday 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.