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

The Public Spending Group is a high-profile and rewarding place to work.  We help the Chancellor decide what to spend £1.2trillion a year on and ensure government delivers value for money for the taxpayer. We are responsible for reporting to Parliament and the public on how taxpayers’ money is spent. We drive forward improved outcomes and efficiency in public services and make sure value for money is at the centre of decision-making through better evaluation, data and analysis. 

We advise on overall government policy on public sector pay and pensions, the biggest single driver of public spending. We collaborate with and directly support departments to deliver the Government Finance Function strategy, building finance, debt and risk capability across government and developing the management information, tools and frameworks to better understand and ensure value for money.

About the Team 

The Finance Analytics Control and Technology (FACT) team forms part of HM Treasury’s Public Spending Group. The team provides a range of financial reporting, analytics, data management, training, business analysis and service improvement services. To enable these services, the FACT team manages and supports the Online System for Central Accounting and Reporting (OSCAR).

OSCAR is an IBM Cognos based, cross-government system which collects, collates, and reports on data relating to several different business processes operated by HM Treasury. It contains a detailed, multi-year analysis of departmental budgets and spending, from which the Whole of Government Accounts (WGA), Supply Estimates and other key outputs are produced. OSCAR’s main objectives are to:

• Be a single source for reliable, consolidated financial information for government
• Increase our analytics and insight capability to support decision making
• Contribute to the modernisation and standardisation of financial accounting and reporting
• Reduce the time taken to produce statutory publications
• Support future exploitation and expansion (e.g. new datasets).

About the Job 

The OSCAR Service Improvement branch is responsible for the management of all activities needed to identify, analyse and deliver continuous service improvement to existing OSCAR services (e.g. the onboarding of additional OSCAR users onto the automated API service), or to design and build new ones (e.g. the addition of new datasets). This branch therefore delivers a range of business and technical analysis, project management, and change management services to its stakeholders.

This role is responsible for the functional (and occasionally technical) design and delivery of high-complexity service improvement initiatives relating to the OSCAR system, with a focus on requirements gathering, process mapping and change management. This role is also expected to advise on more technical aspects of the solution and challenge both business stakeholders and implementation partners on the technical design. Hence, as well as working with existing OSCAR customers, delivery partners and other existing stakeholders, the role will also work closely with other potential OSCAR users within the Government Finance Function to increase the overall value added by the OSCAR service.

Key Responsibilities:

• Take ownership of the overall Business Analysis processes and templates, the business requirements and process catalogues and business process documentation related to the OSCAR solution, building on and improving existing documents. Share knowledge and best practice with other branches of the FACT team responsible for reporting, data standards, and service management, supporting the overall management of the OSCAR service.
• Identify, evaluate and implement significant improvements to the services that achieve the best return on investment and support overall Government Finance functional objectives.
• Work closely with stakeholders (particularly the outsourced service provider) to document Change Control Notes and technical Impact Assessments, to suggest alternative solutions, to review and agree change documents. This includes appropriately challenging the service provider on proposed solution designs, costs and implementation plans to maximise return on investment, value for money and support overall Government Finance Function objectives.
• Support the Head of Service Improvement to create and maintain an overall OSCAR Service Improvement Plan and Product Roadmap based on an up-to-date knowledge of customer needs, opportunities, risks and issues, and industry developments. Contribute to the development of robust business cases by identifying options, assessing potential benefits and risks and making recommendations to decision-makers.
• Make effective use of project management skills and techniques to deliver required project outcomes, including identifying project risks and mitigating actions. Take responsibility for delivering expected outcomes on time and to standard.
• Support the Head of Service Improvement in building the skills and impact of the OSCAR Service Improvement branch across HMT’s spending functions, fiscal units and Whitehall finance departments. Deputise for the Head of Service Improvement as required in managing the branch.

Required Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Advanced business analysis, service design and service improvement skills, including the ability to think strategically, understanding the varying priorities of data users and how these priorities can be translated into deliverable solutions (technology and business change) to achieve the desired business outcomes.
• The ability to develop an understanding of the OSCAR solution, including the Amazon Web Services platform, IBM Cognos software packages, configuration, and the underlying data model.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work with multiple stakeholders, tailoring messages to the audience and particularly explaining complex technical details to a non-technical audience.
• BCS Diploma in Business Analysis or equivalent structured training or experience in requirements gathering, process mapping and functional design
• Experience in applying continuous improvement concepts, preferably within a financial reporting context. Six Sigma, Lean, and value stream mapping knowledge is an advantage but is not essential.
• Experience in one or more relevant business intelligence (BI) technologies, with an up-to-date knowledge of BI trends, issues and relevant good practice. Experience in IBM Cognos and/or Microsoft Power BI is desired.
• Experience of working in a senior role within medium-complexity business change projects. A PRINCE2 or similar project management qualification is an advantage but is not essential.

Candidate Drop-In Session 
 
We 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 the recruitment process. If you would like to join us, then use the appropriate link below to join the call at the right time. 

Friday 21st June 2024 @ 12:30 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 monica.nicolae@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. An ability to demonstrate a range of business analysis skills including leading on requirements gathering, gap analysis, process mapping and process improvement. (Technical Skill)
2. Strong ability to deliver outcomes to time and quality, while managing conflicting priorities. (Delivering at Pace)
3. An ability to manage the delivery of complex technology change or transformation. (Changing and Improving)
4. An ability to manage internal and external stakeholders to deliver a project successfully. (Working Together)

The lead criterion is: Technical Skill

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; 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. 

Wednesday 19th June 2024 @ 12:30 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, Experience and Technical skills.

Recruitment Timeline 

Closing date: Monday 1st July 2024 

Shortlisting: From 2nd July 2024 

Interviews: week beginning 15th 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.

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.