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.  

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

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 oversee 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.

Every day, HM Treasury receives a variety of information requests, spanning a wide range of policy issues, making it an exciting and interesting place to work.

This is an exciting role that sits at the heart of the unit. It provides a lens on all work of HM Treasury. As a Support Officer, you will play a vital and key role in ensuring the Treasury complies with its statutory duties under the Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulation regimes.

You will be directly responsible for coordinating requests for information, from logging and allocating, obtaining stakeholder clearances and issuing of final responses. At each of those points and in between you will be engaging with colleagues of every grade right across Treasury, from policy teams to ministerial private offices. You will also engage with colleagues in other government departments, and with members of the public.

Additionally you will have your own casework list that will help you develop and hone your knowledge and understanding of FOI and EIR legislation.  With a keen eye for detail, you will also have responsibility for compiling ad hoc and official stats and will be to analyse the data to identify areas of weakness which in turn you can help improve.

As a Support Officer you will:

1. Build sound knowledge of the work of HM Treasury and forge excellent working relationships with key officials across HM Treasury and wider.
2. Work together with the other colleagues in the FOI team to accurately assess all incoming requests so they are allocated to the correct team in a time critical manner.
3. Know when and how to escalate issues once your own solutions and actions have been exhausted.
4. Have your finger on the pulse by understanding what is happening at any given point within the team – identify the pressure points, be aware of workloads, and be able to re-organise and prioritise to ensure targets are met.
5. Constantly scan and monitor all cases at key points during the 20 working day time cycle.
6. Be responsible for your own casework list of more routine FOI requests, drafting high-quality written responses that are accurate and legislation compliant in a fast-paced and demanding environment.
7. Develop your own skillset 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.
8. Contribute to Internal Review and ICO investigation by providing strong admin support.
9. Compile ad hoc and official quarterly and annual stats on FOI performance and have an ability to analyse the data to help inform improvements.

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. 

Wednesday 10 July, 11:00 Click the Link

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 at 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. The ability to accurately handle casework in a fast paced and demanding environment. (Managing a quality service).
2. Ability to work both independently and collaboratively to manage a busy workload and deliver to deadlines and priorities. (Delivering at pace)
3. Ability to successfully collaborate with others and develop and maintain excellent working relationships. (Working together)

The lead criterion is: The ability to accurately handle casework in a fast paced and demanding environment. (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
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Working Together  

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: Sunday 21 July 2024

Shortlisting: w/c 22 July 2024

Interviews:  w/c 29 July / 5th August 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.