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

Fiscal Group 

Fiscal Group works on a wide-ranging set of issues at the heart of the Treasury’s objectives and of fiscal events such as Budgets. We are responsible for ensuring the sustainability of the government’s finances, overseeing its macroeconomic policy framework, and stable and efficient financing of government liabilities. Work includes advising the Chancellor on the appropriate levels of borrowing and debt (as well as broader commitments like guarantees & insurance), providing analysis of the government’s finances, overseeing financing raised for the government by the Debt Management Office and National Savings & Investments. We work with teams across the Treasury to support decisions on the full range of policy. We also have a particularly wide and deep range of relationships beyond the Treasury including the Office for Budget Responsibility, Bank of England, and the Office for National Statistics.   

Delivering these objectives requires a range of skills and backgrounds, and we are proud of our diversity. 

About the Team

The Debt and Reserves Management (DRM) team manages key financial assets and liabilities on the public sector balance sheet – using analysis, oversight and our stakeholder links to Bank of England, the Debt Management Office, National Savings & Investments (NS&I) and the Royal Mint.

Within DRM, the Retail Debt and Cash Issuance branch are a friendly, supportive and dynamic team leading on a wide ranging, and high profile set of policy issues, with significant engagement from Ministers and Special Advisers. The branch is responsible for developing strategy and legislation related to banknote and coins; working closely with the Bank of England and the Royal Mint; and sponsorship and spending for NS&I.

About the Role

Great policy making is about understanding what needs to change, what problems need to be solved and supporting Ministers to arrive at the best solution to deliver the change. Policy also means working out how we are going to make the changes or solve the problems, and then delivering on those plans. To do all this, we need to build relationships with Ministers, Civil Service colleagues, groups with expertise and the public. To work on policy as a Policy Adviser, you will need to demonstrate a range of skills, including strong problem-solving skills, the ability to clearly explain your thinking both in writing and in person, and the drive to overcome challenges and see your ideas through into action and delivery.

You don’t need to be a policy professional or have any specific qualifications to apply to work as a Policy Adviser at HM Treasury. We are looking for people who have the right set of skills for the role, who demonstrate the values of our organisation, and who are motivated to come and work with us on a range of issues that are at the heart of how we spend money and deliver public services.

Our team works flexibly in response to ministerial priorities. 

Key accountabilities for this role include:

1. Lead on circulating coin matters working with the Royal Mint, including shape and understand policy developments in related, wider areas – including access to cash, and supporting work on new projects, managing HM Treasury’s relationships and correspondence.
2. Support on wholesale cash policy, including implementing aspects of the Financial Services and Markets Act.
3. Clearly and accurately describing a problem or area for change, and possible solutions.
4. Becoming a subject matter expert in coin policy and the wider wholesale cash system, working with others who are experts in the field, to provide evidence-based information to ministers.
5. Building and maintaining positive relationships with a range of partners, including colleagues across the Civil Service and public sector and with organisations from the private sector.
6. Acting as a key point of contact for your policy area, dealing with any problems or queries as they arise.
7. Managing briefing, communications products and correspondence to ensure the correct messages are being communicated publicly on the branch’s priorities. This will include ministerial speeches and text for important documents, such as Budgets.
8. Playing an active role in the corporate agenda of DRM and the Fiscal group.

You will be line managed by a range E, and will be task / matrix managed by both your line manager and another range E in the branch.

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. 

Wednesday 29 May 12:30 – 13:00

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 Valentin Boboc (Valentin.Boboc@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 evaluate complex and unfamiliar information to form judgements and decide a course of action (Making Effective Decisions).
   
   2. Ability to build effective relationships and work collaboratively with a wide range of internal and external partners who have different roles and perspectives (Working together).
   
   3. Ability to manage a busy workload to deliver short-term deadlines and long-term priorities, working well under pressure and in an uncertain environment (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; 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 05 June 2024 12:30 – 1:15

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: 09 June 2024 

Shortlisting: week commencing 10 June 2024

Interviews: week commencing 17 and 24 June 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. 

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.