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. 

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 policy making 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 Enterprise and Growth Unit (EGU) promotes sustainable economic growth and higher productivity for the UK. We provide analysis and advice on enterprise, innovation, private sector investment, and a cost-effective transition to a low-carbon economy. The Enterprise and Growth Unit has a varied and exciting agenda and we work closely with a wide variety of other teams across the Treasury.  

We also work alongside other departments and government organisations to ensure that we are thinking creatively, spending wisely, and acting boldly to deliver these goals. These organisations are: 

• the Department for Business and Trade, 
• the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 
• the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs,  
• the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, 
• the Department for Transport,  
• the Department for Culture, Media & Sport,  
• the Competition and Markets Authority, 
• HM Land Registry, and 
• UK Export Finance 

About the Team

Special Situations, Investments and Corporate Analysis (SSICA) is a friendly and open team of around 20 people.

We don’t have a “type”: we come from a diverse range of backgrounds from the corporate world and public sector with experience in policy and analysis. We want everyone to bring their skills and knowledge to bear on the issues we face. That is why we operate on a project working model, which also means we can prioritise the development of individuals on a day-to-day basis.

We work on some of the biggest issues facing government. Our responsibilities include:

• handling bespoke commercial interventions for strategically important companies including financially distressed firms or those looking for investment.
• working with policy teams across the Treasury and the rest of government to provide far reaching analysis on companies and sectors.
• managing Treasury owned arm’s length bodies (UKGI and Royal Mint) and taking a strategic approach to corporate finance issues and wider management of government owned assets.

Our recent work has included negotiations with large steel companies, leading the development of the Chancellor’s £4.5billion Advanced Manufacturing Plan, and supporting the design of schemes to help businesses with their energy bills. 

About the Job

This is an exciting role which will see you work across a complex and politically important set of issues, blending analytical and policy skills. You will lead project teams of analysts, policy advisers and specialists on key cases and issues affecting UK companies. You will work closely with other teams in Economic and Growth Unit (EGU) and across Treasury, including Economics and Fiscal Groups and Financial Stability, and lead relationships with the Department for Business and Trade and relevant government departments, UK Government Investments (UKGI), and external consultants and advisers. The post holder will brief Treasury ministers, No.10 and Special Advisers regularly.

While experience in corporate finance is valuable, it is not required for this role. Instead, we are seeking applicants with a strong interest or background in private enterprise, who are confident working with analysts and other specialists and enjoy operating in an uncertain, fast paced environment, and learning on the job.

Given the project focussed nature of the team, key accountabilities will depend on the background and skills of the successful candidate but could involve:

1. Joint special situations casework lead. Leading cases in which individual companies have requested support from HMG to mitigate distress or promote inward investment. This includes making strategic judgments about companies that approach government; understanding commercial interventions; and handling cross government relationships, working closely with UKGI. The successful candidate will be supported to become an HMT expert in these interventions, building your knowledge of corporate finance and insolvency, and drawing on the wider team's experience to advise on best practice and process. You will need to comfortable handling breadth and depth, delegate effectively, and be able to blend commercial and policy thinking.
2. Leading cross-HMT policy projects. Drawing on colleagues across the team, you will lead projects to address emerging crosscutting issues facing UK corporates or individual sectors and develop policy solutions where appropriate.
3. Companies and sectors analysis. Leading a team of four analysts to develop high quality analysis on the current health of the UK corporate sector and the issues it faces; coordinating an analytical workplan; and providing oversight to projects. The successful candidate will be expected to be thought leader in this space, working collaboratively across Treasury, and contributing at analytical boards and forums to influence policy. You will be required to proactively see opportunities to use analysis to support wider Treasury objectives of supporting economic growth and ensuring value for money.
4. Team management and leadership. We expect E2s to focus on management and set high standards as a leadership team. You will line-manage at least two Range Es and be the second signatory for one or two SEO/HEOs. Consistent support of more junior staff members is a large portion of the job, and you will expected to build on the team's existing culture, focussing on wellbeing and individual's learning and development.

Within this remit, there is scope to tailor the role to the individual, including any specific areas of interest, career goals and requirements relating to work hours or flexible working. Areas of responsibility will also evolve over time, in line with the team and departmental priorities.

Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams 
 
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 link below to join the call at the right time.  

Thursday 18th July at 12:00. Join the meeting now

If you’d like to find out more about this role or potential working arrangements, please contact the recruiting line manager Rob Mackie (robert.mackie@hmtreasury.gov.uk) or the current postholder, David Atkinson (david.atkinson@hmtreasury.gov.uk) who are both happy to discuss. 

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. Being able to balance a complex set of economic, political and fiscal objectives to deliver organisational objectives (Seeing the Big Picture)
2. Experience of working with analysts/economists/finance professionals, and using analytical information to influence decision making (Making Effective Decisions)
3. Providing leadership to a successful team, encouraging an inclusive, diverse and promoting wellbeing (Leadership)
4. Effective communication with senior stakeholders on complex issues, and an ability to advocate and influence against challenge (Communicating and Influencing)

The lead criterion is: Seeing the Big Picture

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

Candidate Guidance Support Session – Microsoft Teams
 
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 18th July at 12:30: Join the meeting now

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £64,160, HM Treasury contributes £14,828 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 Experience.

Recruitment Timeline 

Closing date: 24 July 2024

Shortlisting: From 25 July 2024

Interviews:  w/c 5 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.