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.  

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

About the Group

The Public Services Group is at the heart of Treasury’s work to secure sustainable public finances and drive economic growth. We manage public spending of more than £250bn. across key public services and departments, including health, education, the criminal justice system, local government, housing, defence and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

We do this by working with other government departments, ministers, and other Treasury teams to ensure that spending plans support high quality public services, help the economy to grow and provide value for money for the taxpayer. 

Our roles offer a range of opportunities to work with senior leaders in other government departments and on the frontline of public services and ensure the effective delivery of public services.

The Group is committed to being an excellent place to work, with a relentless focus on good management, learning and development and continuous improvement in everything we do. 

About the Teams

We are recruiting for 2 roles, one each in the following teams: 

Justice, Home Affairs and Equalities Team

We are responsible for the oversight of the Government’s spending on the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Law Officer’s departments, National Crime Agency and on Parliament – as well as the Government’s equalities responsibilities. The Justice Spending branch of the team manages HM Treasury’s relationship with bodies including the Ministry of Justice and the Law Officers departments, overseeing more than £10bn a year of annual government spending. We’re a friendly, collaborative and inclusive team, committed to personal development and achieving a healthy work-life balance. 

The Housing, Planning and Cities Team are responsible for managing the spending for the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). This involves working with DLUHC on policies to accelerate housing building, make housing more affordable, and levelling up (reducing inequalities between different places in the UK). As well as DLUHC, we work closely with many other teams in HMT, no10 and other Departments. We are responsible for over £10 billion of public spending each year, including housing, homelessness, planning reform, local economic growth and levelling up opportunity across the UK.

We welcome people from all backgrounds and support flexible working patterns. These roles will head up one of our E2-led (Grade 6) branches. Come join us!

About the Jobs

These are exciting, high profile spending roles at the heart of HM Treasury, with strong interest from senior ministers, including the Chief Secretary, Chancellor and Prime Minister. They will be pivotal roles over the coming year or two as HMT supports the current and a new government, and delivers a Spending Review setting budgets for all departments for the coming years. We need people are who are able to lead a team with confidence, get up to speed on complex policy issues, get to grips with how HMT oversees and controls spending across government, build effective relationships with a range of interested stakeholders, prioritise across a broad portfolio, problem solve and communicate effectively both in writing and in person.

Justice Spending Principal

We are looking for the right person to lead the Justice branch of the team, which is responsible for spending control of the MoJ and Attorney General’s office. This is a stretching and interesting role with a broad span of responsibilities, including handling the relationship with two government departments. There is significant political and wider interest in the Justice agenda including key areas such as criminal justice policy and the delivery of the courts, prisons and probation systems. You will lead for HMT on policy and spending negotiations relating to high profile areas such as plans to manage prison capacity, delivery of courts reform and improving the productivity of the criminal justice system. This requires a combination of leading the team effectively, building excellent relationships with MoJ and officials from other government departments, critically assessing policy proposals and spending bids and bringing the whole package together in clear communication, both written and verbal, for Ministers.

Head of Housing Strategy

Housing is one of the government’s top priorities and is likely to continue to be a focus as we approach a general election in 2024. You will lead across HMT on housing policy, working closely with colleagues in a range of other teams including tax, economics and financial services, as well as working closely with counterparts in DLUHC and No10. You will have specific policy responsibility for all investment the government makes in housing, including programmes to deliver infrastructure and boost housebuilding, ensuring vulnerable people have access to affordable and safe homes, and investment and policy oversight of the planning system. This will include setting and articulating HM Treasury’s strategy on housing and planning, including for the next Spending Review. This will include developing a HMT view on where HMG should focus its efforts on housing to boost growth, as well as how we can get best value from the money we spend on housing for vulnerable people, including homelessness and rough sleeping.

Common responsibilities across the roles will include:

• Lead on billions of spending: each role has responsibility for overseeing scrutiny of significant amounts of spending, working with the relevant department to ensure taxpayers money is spent appropriately, efficiently and delivers value for money. You will need to set and manage the framework within your team for monitoring and advising on new policy developments, managing both delivery and spending risks; developing options to improve value for money; and approving departmental spend. This will include leading on policy and spending negotiations on high profile policy areas. 
• Strong and inclusive leadership and line management: each role is responsible for their own ‘branch’ – a small team of between 5 to 7 people. You will set direction for them, provide development opportunities and coaching, and pastoral support to build an outstanding team.
• Lead or support on preparations to set future budgets for these departments at the next spending review, and setting HM Treasury's policy strategy where relevant: this will involve developing a deep understanding of spending and performance across the relevant policy areas and developing a clear view of the medium term issues to be able to support ministers to set budgets for future years. Where relevant, it will include setting priorities for how these policy areas should contribute to economic growth (e.g. on housing). This will involve leading development of the overall strategy, project planning, and co-ordination of negotiations and Ministerial briefing, as well as negotiating at official level.
• Fostering excellent relationships with senior partners in the relevant department; No 10; external experts and commentators; and the private sector where relevant. You will develop a network of constructive relationships inside and outside government in order to provide the best possible advice to HMT Ministers, and provide best value for the taxpayer.
• Act as a member of the senior management of the wider team and contribute to the Public Services Group: working collaboratively with other branch heads and the head of the team (deputy director) to embed an inclusive and high performance culture in the team, and taking on responsibility for specific corporate roles such as supporting wellbeing, inclusion and learning and development.

Candidate Drop-In Session  

We will be running some candidate drop-in sessions for this role to give you greater insight about the role as well as the chance to learn more about HM Treasury. If you would like to join us, please use the link below to access the session at the right time.

22nd December – 12:30 – 13:30

3rd January – 13:30 – 14:30

 

Person specification

About your Application

Your application will consist of a CV and a 1000-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. Excellent leadership skills, with the ability to ensure your team is driven by a clear purpose and an open and collaborative culture.
2. The ability to explain complex, often financial, information clearly to very senior audiences, and coach your team to do likewise.
3. The ability to build strong and trusted relationships with stakeholders and use them to achieve HM Treasury objectives.
4. The ability to use a wide range of different types of evidence to develop solutions to complex problems.

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, 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. 

Tuesday 19th December: 12:00 – 12:45

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £64,160, HM Treasury contributes £17,323 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: 7th January 2024

Shortlisting: w/c 8th January 2024

Interviews: w/c 22nd January 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.  

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.