What are the responsibilities and job description for the Policy Adviser – Financial Transactions position at Strategic Command?
Job Summary
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
Fiscal Group
Fiscal Group works on a wide-ranging set of issues at the heart of the Treasury’s objectives and fiscal events such as Budget. 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 breadth of government policy. We also have 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 as a Group.
About The Team
Balance Sheet Team
The Balance Sheet Team leads work to improve analysis, policy, and risk management across trillions of pounds of assets and liabilities owned by government. It also leads on policy advice for new balance sheet interventions such as guarantees, loans and equity transactions. This is an innovative area for fiscal policy and central to the Treasury’s role as a finance and economics ministry. We draw on a diverse network, including international institutions, colleagues across Treasury and departments, utilising expertise from across the public sector.
The team (composed of about 12 people) is split into four branches:
Frameworks, Assets and Metrics
Financial Assets and Transactions
Contingent and Implicit Liabilities
Balance Sheet Management
The importance of our work has been underlined by an increasing focus on the balance sheet in fiscal policy and the growing use of balance sheet interventions, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic and energy price shock. Over the past year, the team have led work to support the decision by the Chancellor to target a broader measure of debt in the fiscal rules, developed a new framework for managing financial investments published at Budget, and have been part of various major policy decisions from the financing of Sizewell C nuclear power station to the government’s fiscal support for Ukraine.
We are passionate about helping our people thrive, by building an encouraging and friendly team. We champion diversity and team members work flexible working patterns. The team is home to staff based in each of our Darlington and London offices, and we work together to provide a supportive and inclusive home in each location.
About The Job
Economic growth is the central mission of the government. Well-directed public investment is a crucial driver of long-term growth, with the ability to catalyse private investment. A key policy tool in supporting this are financial transactions (loans and equity investments) that can be used to finance infrastructure, deliver clean energy projects, support housing development and facilitate business growth. These financial transactions are delivered by expert public financial institutions like the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank.
At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new fiscal rules that recognise the value of assets created by financial transactions, thereby providing greater scope for their use. Alongside, the Treasury published a strengthened control framework for financial transactions, to ensure government makes financial investments in a fiscally responsible way.
Responsibilities
The post holder will be joining the team that is developing the policy framework to implement these reforms. Their key responsibilities will include:
Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams
The hiring manager 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 ask any questions you may have. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.
Tuesday 7th January 2025 @ 17:00 - 17:30 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 thomas.collins@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Person specification
We are looking for the below 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.
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 2nd January 2025 @ 12:30 - 13:15 Join the meeting now
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
Alongside your salary of £33,450, HM Treasury contributes £9,690 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
HM Treasury views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they can enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including; part-time, compressed hours and job sharing. Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees the flexibility to adjust their working patterns throughout the week which is subject to operational needs and line management approval.
At HM Treasury we have an incredibly broad remit; our work touches every citizen of the country. So, it’s important our employees come from the widest possible range of backgrounds, bringing us the widest possible range of perspectives and ways of thinking. We are committed to ensuring that all staff can realise their potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
HM Treasury operates an office based working approach across all Treasury sites - Darlington, London, and Norwich, and along with the rest of the Civil Service, has an expectation of a minimum of 60% attendance in the office, along with working remotely. This blended working approach allows you to work collaboratively, meet stakeholders face to face, support others and promotes a healthy work life balance (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. All our offices have been recently modernised and designed to collaborate and connect with colleagues as well as desk and quiet space to allow a range of ways to work.
The office working expectation is linked to the location of the role. If you apply to a post in a single location, then you will not be able to meet this expectation at any of our other sites or move your role to another location.
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
Fiscal Group
Fiscal Group works on a wide-ranging set of issues at the heart of the Treasury’s objectives and fiscal events such as Budget. 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 breadth of government policy. We also have 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 as a Group.
About The Team
Balance Sheet Team
The Balance Sheet Team leads work to improve analysis, policy, and risk management across trillions of pounds of assets and liabilities owned by government. It also leads on policy advice for new balance sheet interventions such as guarantees, loans and equity transactions. This is an innovative area for fiscal policy and central to the Treasury’s role as a finance and economics ministry. We draw on a diverse network, including international institutions, colleagues across Treasury and departments, utilising expertise from across the public sector.
The team (composed of about 12 people) is split into four branches:
Frameworks, Assets and Metrics
Financial Assets and Transactions
Contingent and Implicit Liabilities
Balance Sheet Management
The importance of our work has been underlined by an increasing focus on the balance sheet in fiscal policy and the growing use of balance sheet interventions, such as during the Covid-19 pandemic and energy price shock. Over the past year, the team have led work to support the decision by the Chancellor to target a broader measure of debt in the fiscal rules, developed a new framework for managing financial investments published at Budget, and have been part of various major policy decisions from the financing of Sizewell C nuclear power station to the government’s fiscal support for Ukraine.
We are passionate about helping our people thrive, by building an encouraging and friendly team. We champion diversity and team members work flexible working patterns. The team is home to staff based in each of our Darlington and London offices, and we work together to provide a supportive and inclusive home in each location.
About The Job
Economic growth is the central mission of the government. Well-directed public investment is a crucial driver of long-term growth, with the ability to catalyse private investment. A key policy tool in supporting this are financial transactions (loans and equity investments) that can be used to finance infrastructure, deliver clean energy projects, support housing development and facilitate business growth. These financial transactions are delivered by expert public financial institutions like the National Wealth Fund and the British Business Bank.
At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new fiscal rules that recognise the value of assets created by financial transactions, thereby providing greater scope for their use. Alongside, the Treasury published a strengthened control framework for financial transactions, to ensure government makes financial investments in a fiscally responsible way.
Responsibilities
The post holder will be joining the team that is developing the policy framework to implement these reforms. Their key responsibilities will include:
- Support the Treasury’s policy thinking and help manage the approval process for large, new financial transaction proposals at fiscal events like the upcoming spending review. This will involve understanding the financial and policy impacts of proposals across a wide range of areas such as decarbonisation, education funding and affordable housing, considering benefits and risks, and supporting ministerial advice on whether to proceed with policies.
- Lead policy development for specific aspects of the Financial Transaction Control Framework, such as a new annual publication to set out the value and performance of all government’s financial assets. This will involve building expertise on financial transactions and advising teams within Treasury and departments on implementation of the framework.
- Support the design and implementation of reforms to the management of government’s public financial institutions to ensure the Treasury can balance their financial risk, economic policy impact and return for the taxpayer. This will provide a fascinating insight into how investment institutions operate and involvement in major structural reforms, such as the establishment of the new National Wealth Fund.
Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams
The hiring manager 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 ask any questions you may have. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.
Tuesday 7th January 2025 @ 17:00 - 17:30 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 thomas.collins@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Person specification
We are looking for the below 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.
- Ability to come to sound judgment when faced with complex problems and incomplete information (Making Effective Decisions)
- Ability to communicate complex issues to a variety of audiences (Communicating and Influencing)
- Ability to collaborate effectively with a range of stakeholders, including other organisations (Working Together)
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 2nd January 2025 @ 12:30 - 13:15 Join the meeting now
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Communicating and Influencing
- Working Together
Alongside your salary of £33,450, HM Treasury contributes £9,690 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- 25 days’ annual leave (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King's birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant)
- Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)
- Generous parental and adoption leave package.
- A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 28%
- Onsite restaurant and coffee bar. The London office also offers a gym, showers and prayer room
- Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving
- Access to a retail discounts and cashback site
- A Rental Deposit Advance Scheme to help meet the total costs of deposits for privately rented homes
- A range of active staff networks, based around interests and diversity
HM Treasury views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they can enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including; part-time, compressed hours and job sharing. Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees the flexibility to adjust their working patterns throughout the week which is subject to operational needs and line management approval.
At HM Treasury we have an incredibly broad remit; our work touches every citizen of the country. So, it’s important our employees come from the widest possible range of backgrounds, bringing us the widest possible range of perspectives and ways of thinking. We are committed to ensuring that all staff can realise their potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.
HM Treasury operates an office based working approach across all Treasury sites - Darlington, London, and Norwich, and along with the rest of the Civil Service, has an expectation of a minimum of 60% attendance in the office, along with working remotely. This blended working approach allows you to work collaboratively, meet stakeholders face to face, support others and promotes a healthy work life balance (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. All our offices have been recently modernised and designed to collaborate and connect with colleagues as well as desk and quiet space to allow a range of ways to work.
The office working expectation is linked to the location of the role. If you apply to a post in a single location, then you will not be able to meet this expectation at any of our other sites or move your role to another location.
Salary : $33,450
