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

The Group

The Corporate Centre Group delivers a wide range of corporate services to enable people at HM Treasury and many of the other organisations who form part of the Treasury Group (including the Government Internal Audit Agency and the Debt Management Office) to operate effectively and efficiently. We are a diverse group, both in terms of our professions and in our ways of working. Our colleagues are based across 3 sites in London, Darlington and Norwich. The Corporate Centre Group consists of a range of teams and is led by two directors (one of Finance and one of Operations); 

•    Correspondence and Information Rights 
•    Finance & Commercial 
•    People & Capability 
•    Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging 
•    Treasury Business Solutions 
•    Multisite Darlington Economic Campus team 
•    Exchequer Funds & Accounts team  

About the Team

The Correspondence and Information Rights Team (CIRT) consists of:
•    The Data Protection Team, which offers training and advice to HM Treasury officials on all data protection matters
•    The Freedom of Information Team, who deal with requests for recorded information
•    The Correspondence and Enquiries Unit (CEU), who handle correspondence from the public and Members of Parliament (MPs)
•    The Innovation and Technology Team, who lead on change and improvement plans, run our case management system and provide day to day reporting in relation to FOI’s and correspondence received within the Treasury

About the Job 

The Data Protection Adviser position is an exciting and multifaceted role that offers the chance to work with officials from right across the Treasury. Working in an exciting and lively environment, you will be the first point of contact for data protection related enquiries, advising on a variety of different activities and engaging with a range of internal officials.

As well as working closely with Treasury’s Data Protection Officer, you will develop strong working relationships with key partners at all levels by helping them to understand and comply with Treasury’s data protection obligations.

Responsibilities of the role include:
•    successful management of data subject access requests
•    conducting data protection impact assessments
•    advising on the wording of privacy notices
•    developing suitable data protection guidance and training aids
•    designing and providing data protection training sessions
•    advising on data sharing activities; and
•    responding to routine operational data protection enquires

You will have a sound knowledge of UK data protection legislation including, but not limited to, data subject rights and the data protection obligations placed on organisations. Previous experience of advising on data protection matters and successful management of requests for personal data are essential, although these needn’t have been in a government setting. Having a data protection practitioner qualification is desirable, but not a requirement.

Candidate Drop-In Session 

We will be running a candidate drop-in session to give you greater insight into the role. If you would like to join us, then use the appropriate link below to join the call at the right time. 

16th April 2024 at 5pm Join the meeting now

If you would like to speak informally to the hiring manager, to find out more about the job prior to the closing date for applications, please contact Peter.Beglin@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. 

1.    A sound knowledge of data protection rights and obligations under the UK General Data Protection Regulation and Data Protection Act and the ability to apply this knowledge to; providing strong data protection advice and training to Treasury officials, responding to data subject access requests (DSARs), conducting data protection impact assessments (DPIAs) and drafting and developing robust data protection guidance and policies. (Experience)

2.    Ability to clearly communicate complex information, both verbally and in writing, to a variety of stakeholders in order to build and maintain positive and effective working relationships. (Communicating and influencing)

3.    Ability to work both independently, and as part of a team, prioritising work effectively to meet statutory obligations and targets. (Delivering at pace)

4.    Experience of decision-making that arrives at solutions based on sound analysis. (Making effective decisions)

The lead criterion is: Experience

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

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

•    Experience
•    Strengths
•    Behaviours
o    Communicating and Influencing 
o    Delivering at Pace 
o    Making Effective Decisions  

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: 23:55 Sunday 21st April 2024

Shortlisting: Week beginning 22nd April 2024

Interviews:  Week beginning 29th April / 6th May 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.