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.  

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 Financial Services Group advises the government on how to promote a stable and efficient financial services sector, to deliver excellent outcomes for consumers and business, enhance the UK’s position as a global hub for financial services and support economic growth across the country.

The financial services sector is important to the UK economy – providing significant numbers of jobs and making a large contribution to the UK’s economic output. It also provides essential services to individuals – for example, helping them to purchase goods with ease, buy their first home, and plan for their retirement. During the COVID pandemic, it played a critical role in supporting individuals and businesses – for example, in providing payment holidays for individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic and working with the government to deliver Bounce Back Loans.

We ensure that financial services businesses such as banks, investment firms, financial advisers and insurers are well-regulated. Ensuring firms treat customers fairly, customers have access to a range of financial services as a result of competition in the market, and there are appropriate remedies in place when things go wrong.

We work on a significant international agenda which includes promoting openness and trading links between the UK and countries all around the world, including through Free Trade Agreements and other international dialogues and negotiations. To do this we work closely with colleagues in offices overseas from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department for Business and Trade.

Working with stakeholders is key in Financial Services – for example, we work closely with the independent regulators to help them fulfil their roles, consult consumer groups on issues affecting them, and work with the sector on wider issues like the net-zero agenda.

Trade & Emerging Markets Team

Are you interested in being involved in trade negotiations?

The Trade & Emerging Markets (TEM) team leads HM Treasury’s engagement on financial services with many non-EU countries and promotes the UK as an international financial centre.

The Financial Services Trade Unit within TEM is hiring a Senior Executive Officer (SEO) and looking for motivated individuals to work in a high-profile and fast-paced space.

It is an exciting and interesting time to be working on trade policy! The UK is one of the largest financial services exporters in the world. Our unit is responsible for running financial services aspects of trade negotiations with non-EU trading partners, working closely with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). 

The successful candidate will play a direct role in formulating and negotiating the UK’s strategy for its financial services trade relationships with non-EU countries. The unit is currently negotiating Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with India, Switzerland and Israel as well as with the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Republic of Korea and Turkey.

Policy Adviser – specific accountabilities

This is a stretching role at the heart of the government’s international agenda. It provides excellent opportunities for development, and engagement with officials from across Whitehall and international partners. It also provides the opportunity to develop trade policy expertise in a dynamic sector of the UK economy.

Specific accountabilities include:

1. Represent the UK in FTA negotiating rounds: working closely with the lead negotiator, geographical and sector leads in HMT’s financial services group, represent the UK as the Deputy Financial Services lead with FTA partners. The specific of the country portfolio may vary, with the current expectation that the role holder would work on the UK-Gulf Cooperation Council FTA.
2. Develop Financial Services Trade Policy: working with geographic and sector leads in the Financial Services Group and with industry to develop FS trade policy positions and negotiation objectives for bilateral trade agreements.
3. Maintain and strengthen collaborative relationships with key stakeholders: HMT works closely with wider HMG partners and the Bank of England and Financial Conduct Authority on financial services trade policy.
4. Build expertise on specific technical areas: each member of the trade unit also has expertise on specific technical areas and financial services sub-sectors – the specific responsibilities of the successful candidate will depend partly on their experience and skills.
5. Contribute to the wider corporate objectives of the Department: play an active corporate role at team, Group and/or Departmental level.

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  Jack Lale, jack.lale@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.  

You will be assessed on the following criteria:

1. Seeing the big picture – Strong strategic and diplomatic skills, with the ability to spot opportunities, establish a vision, and bring others on board.
2. Communicating and influencing – Strong analytical and partner engagement skills, including the ability to digest and communicate complex information clearly, and use this to inform and drive policymaking.
3. Delivering at pace – Ability to work independently and manage a busy workload to meet deadlines and prioritise effectively under pressure.
4. Experience – Experience of international trade, international negotiations, or financial services issues, with the ability to pick up complex concepts quickly, develop these into policy recommendations and communicate these in simple language to a non-technical audience.

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 
 
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. 

Thursday 28th March at 13:30hrs Click here to join the meeting

At interview stage, you will be assessed on the below criteria:

• Experience
• Strengths
• Behaviours:
  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace 

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £39,500, HM Treasury contributes £10,665 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: 14th April 2024

Shortlisting: w/c 15th April 2024

Interviews:  W/C 22nd and 29th April 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. 

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 Security Check (SC)  

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.