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

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.  

The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI)

OFSI sits within HM Treasury has been operational since March 2016 and in its first six years quickly established itself as a world-leader in financial sanctions, a key area of financial, foreign and national security policy. It remains front and centre of an unprecedented financial sanctions response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

HM Treasury implements financial sanctions in the UK, and OFSI fulfils this role on its behalf. It leads on the implementation of UN and UK financial sanctions and domestic terrorist asset freezing, providing a high-quality service to the private and charitable sectors, and guidance to help them follow the law. It works closely with law enforcement, intelligence agencies and strategic policy colleagues across Whitehall and beyond to help ensure that financial sanctions are accurately understood, implemented and enforced. OFSI has important partner relationships in the regulated financial services sector, the primary implementers of financial sanctions, and is an integral part of the sanctions community worldwide.

Robust enforcement of financial sanctions helps to maintain the integrity of and confidence in the UK financial sector, a priority for the Prime Minister and the Chancellor. OFSI has strong powers, including to impose monetary penalties, and is in the front line in the fight against this serious crime.

OFSI is a diverse and dynamic team of over 130 people, from a variety of backgrounds and professions. We strongly support a good work-life balance and flexible working is actively encouraged.

You can read more about OFSI on our gov.uk page here: https://www.gov.uk/ofsi

The role

This exciting role sits within OFSI’s Operational Policy and Priority Projects branch (OPAPP). OPAPP’s functions are to:

• Understand and influence policy decisions that will impact OFSI’s implementation and enforcement work. This includes working with policy teams across government to understand their latest thinking and feeding in OFSI’s perspective. It also includes providing OFSI teams sight of potential changes and working with them, where appropriate, to make operational changes so we are aligned with cross-government partners.
• Deliver strategic projects across OFSI. OPAPP will work with other branches in OFSI to identify priority projects. These projects will be clearly defined and delivered to agreed timelines.
• Lead on scoping and delivering all legislative work required by OFSI.
• Lead on cross-cutting reactive work

In recent years, OPAPP has: led on primary legislation to update OFSI’s ability to impose civil monetary penalties for breaches of sanctions; led the development and implementation of new sanctions reporting requirements relating to the Russia sanctions regime; successfully spearheaded OFSI bids for Economic Deterrence Initiative funding for a range of projects that will improve financial sanctions implementation; and much more!

Whilst some of the detailed responsibilities will depend on the project work approved by the OFSI Senior Management Team, key responsibilities will include:

1. Advancing strategic, cross-cutting projects to ambitious timescales, such as work on new sanctions regimes, and recording of policy decisions for OFSI.
2. Carrying out operational policy analysis and appropriate decision-making on a wide variety of sanctions issues.
3. Identifying trends and solutions in respect to operational policy matters, including in relation to technical sanctions issues and OFSI capabilities.
4. Providing concise, accurate and timely advice to support Ministers and senior officials in making decisions, including by assessing legal, political and operational risk;
5. Developing and maintaining strong, harmonious working relationships with counterparts, in particular with FCDO and HM Treasury sanctions policy officials;
6. Keeping senior officials and ministers adequately briefed on operational policy developments and strategic projects.

The branch is currently comprised of five people – one Grade 7, two SEOs, and two EOs. This role would be an additional HEO.

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: hrrecruitment@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 handle a varied workload in a fast-paced environment, balancing proactive project work and reactive tasks in order meet immediate and longer-term goals (Delivering at Pace).
2. Excellent written and oral communications skills with demonstrable ability to (i) convey complex issues clearly and (ii) influence internal and external partners through persuasive messaging (Communicating and Influencing).
3. Ability to build strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders, to drive forward areas of mutual interest with these stakeholders, and to leverage these relationships to deliver on objectives (Working Together).

The lead criterion is: Delivering at Pace

If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criteria 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 @ 12:30: Join the meeting now

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

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

Interview Task/Presentation

Prior to your interview, we will contact you about a task/presentation that the interview panel would like you to complete as part of the assessment. The exact details will be communicated to you nearer the time.

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: 27 June 2024

Shortlisting: w/c 1 July 2024

Interviews:  w/c 15 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). Candidates willing to undergo Developed Vetting clearance are encouraged to apply.

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.