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

International Group 

Do you want to advise ministers on promoting and protecting the UK’s economy and its competitiveness internationally in a fast-changing environment?  If so, read on!

International Group provides opportunities to work on areas including - spending control on international development, trade policy, climate change, health, cooperation on Ukraine, economic security, financial sanctions and tackling illicit finance.  We also manage economic relationships with Europe, US, China and other advanced economies and emerging markets.

We build relationships with external and international partners and represent the UK in a range of international groupings and institutions, including the G7, the G20, the International Monetary Fund and at some of the Multilateral Development Banks. We also analyse international comparisons and the wider global economic context, including for fiscal events.  Although international travel is an important part of some roles, it is not required for every role in the group and will be specified if required.  

About the Team

The Sanctions and Illicit Finance (SIF) Team

Based in HM Treasury's International Group, the Sanctions and Illicit Finance team (SIF) develops policies and legislation to address economic crime and illicit finance in the UK and overseas, to help protect the stability of the global financial system. SIF is a friendly, busy, outward-facing team.

The team is made up of 5 branches, which work closely together: 

1. Economic Crime Strategy Unit, which works with other departments to coordinate the Government’s approach to tackling economic crime.
2. Sanctions and Counter Terrorist Financing branch, which works with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) and others to craft financial sanction regimes.
3. Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and International branch. This branch leads the UK’s strategy towards meetings of FATF, which sets global anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing standards, and peer reviews countries against them.
4. Technical Assistance Unit, which works with developing countries to assist their compliance with international standards on countering illicit finance.
5. Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Unit, which owns the Money Laundering Regulations and the supervisory system which oversees compliance with them.

The branches of the SIF team work closely together, and you will be encouraged to work flexibly with other branches in response to particular pressures. SIF encourages flexible working arrangements. We put a high importance on wellbeing and a good work-life balance, with regular team social activities. We are committed to being an open and inclusive team, please speak to the hiring manager about our approach to fairness and diversity in recruitment.

About the Job 

We are recruiting an HEO policy adviser for an exciting role to support shaping the future of economic crime policy in the UK  based in the Economic Crime Strategic Unit. This is a high-profile policy area, and you will need to maintain momentum on detailed policy development while responding to regular interest from the public, regulated firms, multiple departments and regulators, international bodies, and Parliament.

Indicative responsibilities are set out below, but these can be discussed further after appointment and may need to change to meet the team's needs.

HEO Policy Adviser – Economic Crime Strategic Unit

The Economic Crime Strategic unit is one of the team’s domestic-focused branches. The team covers cross cutting economic crime including delivering the Economic Crime Plan 2, The Economic Crime Levy, the National Risk Assessment of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing, planning for the next mutual evaluation by the Financial Action Taskforce (FATF).

Key responsibilities for this role include:

• Working collaboratively with government departments, law enforcement agencies and supervisory stakeholders to deliver economic crime priorities.
• Maintaining oversight for HM Treasury’s interests in economic crime policy, which could include areas like crypto currency and corporate transparency policy.
• Advising Ministers on strategic decisions, risks or issues in economic crime - this will include helping to consider changes to the Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Regulations. 
• Assisting in preparations for the next Financial Action Taskforce Mutual Evaluation of the UK
• Supporting the wider branch with drafting correspondence, briefing seniors, and Parliamentary handling in relation to economic crime
• Acting as an active member of a diverse and inclusive team, including by contributing to corporate activities at team, group or HMT level

Previous knowledge of anti-money laundering, tackling economic crime, FATF standards, financial services or crypto currencies would be useful. However, if the successful candidate doesn’t have these, the post holder will be supported with development opportunities to get to grips with the subject matter and develop core skills.

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. 

Monday 8th July 2024 @ 16:30 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 hazel.stevens@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.  

• Analyse and assess different sources of evidence to clearly communicate recommendations, including how and when to consider alternative options or defend difficult decisions. (Making Effective Decisions)
• Be proactive at identifying and reassessing when and how to prioritise different projects to deliver on team priorities, and communicating this up the branch (Delivering at Pace)
• Build relationships with a diverse set of stakeholders with differing objectives, and leverage understanding of stakeholders objectives and drivers to build consensus on decisions (Working Together)

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 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 4th July 2024 @ 12:30 Join the meeting now

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 and Experience.

Recruitment Timeline 

Closing date:  Sunday 14th July 2024 (23:55)

Shortlisting: w/c 15th July 2024

Interviews:  w/c 22nd and 29th 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.