Policy Adviser - Cross Cutting Reform

The Public Spending Group is a high-profile and rewarding place to work. We help the Chancellor decide what to spend £1.2 trillion a year on and ensure government delivers value for money for the taxpayer. We are responsible for reporting to Parliament and the public on how taxpayers' money is spent. We drive forward improved outcomes and efficiency in public services and make sure value for money is at the centre of decision-making through better evaluation, data and analysis.

The Group advise on overall government policy on public sector pay and pensions, the biggest single driver of public spending. We collaborate with and directly support departments to deliver the Government Finance Function strategy, building finance, debt and risk capability across government and developing the management information, tools and frameworks to better understand and ensure value for money.

About the Team

The Cross-Cutting Strategy, Insight and Reform (CSIR) team works on some of the most challenging policy issues facing government today.

CSIR exists to improve value for money by working across government to lead change through cross-cutting reform, productivity and efficiency and enabling the centre of government to achieve these aims via excellent spending control.

About the Job

This is an exciting and stretching HEO role for an ambitious policy official with the opportunity to work directly on setting the strategic direction for encouraging and incentivising cross-cutting and preventative spending. The successful candidate will need to quickly grip the main issues in complex areas and work closely with their management chain to drive forward work to evaluate and ensure the spending framework aligns with government priorities.

You will support on work to examine opportunities for creating the right incentives and processes to enable internal and external stakeholders to develop cross-cutting spending bids. This will involve working close with internal teams to drive forward HMT efforts to enable change through fiscal events (including the upcoming Spending Review) and ongoing engagement. The successful candidate will need to communicate with a variety of audiences to ensure that they are able to engage effectively with the spending framework and processes, including through facilitating and delivering verbal briefing sessions to upskill and provide clear information to stakeholders.,

• Contributing to the development of the cross-cutting spending approach at the next Spending Review, supporting cross-departmental and preventative spending bids and implementing agreed processes.


• Engage with key stakeholders to ensure processes for delivering cross-cutting bids are understood and that departments have the required information to engage effectively and efficiently throughout the fiscal events process.


• Work with relevant teams to ensure government guidance effectively reflects and incentivises cross-cutting and preventative spending priorities, setting clear expectations and support for departments to work across boundaries.


• Provide briefing and support for senior officials and/or Ministers to enable them to clearly set out and articulate the governments approach to cross-cutting spending decisions when appearing in front of relevant committees and/or other fora.


• Build strong partnerships and relationships with officials across government in order to deliver HM Treasury's objectives in reform policy areas., 2. Seeing the big picture: ability to navigate a complex policy and political landscape and set direction, demonstrating strong strategic thinking skills., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:


• Changing and Improving


• Seeing the Big Picture


• Communicating and Influencing, 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 realize 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., 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 Counter Terrorist Check (CTC)

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 counter-terrorist 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.,
• 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
  
  A background in or understanding of public spending is desirable, but not essential, for the role., 3. Communicating and influencing: sophisticated stakeholder management and influencing skills, with a proven ability to quickly inspire confidence and build strong and open relationships with a wide range of stakeholders., + Communicating and Influencing

+ Changing and Improving
+ Seeing the Big Picture

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!

£31,710 - £39,100
National: £31,710 - £39,100. If the successful candidate is a current Civil Servant joining on level transfer, HM Treasury will honour their current substantive salary if higher.
A Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%, 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.

• 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 27%


• 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 (e.g. analysts, music society, sports and social club) and diversity (e.g. women in the Treasury, ethnic minority network, LGBT network, faith and belief network)