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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.
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
About the Group
The Financial Services Group advises the government on how to promote a stable and efficient financial services sector, to deliver excellent outcomes for consumers and business, enhance the UK’s position as a global hub for financial services and support economic growth across the country.
The financial services sector is important to the UK economy – providing significant numbers of jobs and making a large contribution to the UK’s economic output. It also provides essential services to individuals – for example, helping them to purchase goods with ease, buy their first home, and plan for their retirement. During the COVID pandemic, it played a critical role in supporting individuals and businesses – for example, in providing payment holidays for individuals and businesses affected by the pandemic and working with the government to deliver Bounce Back Loans.
We ensure that financial services businesses such as banks, investment firms, financial advisors and insurers are well-regulated. Ensuring firms treat customers fairly, customers have access to a range of financial services as a result of competition in the market, and there are appropriate remedies in place when things go wrong.
We work on a significant international agenda which includes promoting openness and trading links between the UK and countries all around the world, including through Free Trade Agreements and other international dialogues and negotiations. To do this we work closely with colleagues in offices overseas from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department for International Trade.
Working with stakeholders is key in Financial Services – for example, we work closely with the independent regulators to help them fulfil their roles, consult consumer groups on issues affecting them, and work with the sector on wider issues like the net-zero agenda.
About the Team
The Trade & Emerging Markets team (TEM) leads the development of HM Treasury’s policy on financial services with non-EU jurisdictions and promotes and protects the UK's reputation as an international financial centre. Within the team, the Emerging Markets Unit is responsible for developing our policy towards some of the most dynamic regions of the world. We partner with key emerging markets such as China, India and Brazil, but also growing emerging markets across ASEAN, Latin America and the Middle East. We also have responsibility for the department’s Islamic Finance agenda. The UK is one of the largest and most sophisticated financial services markets in the world and it is an exciting and interesting time to be working in the unit. This post is head of a branch within the unit that leads on UK’s financial services engagement with mainland China, Hong Kong and ASEAN countries.
About the Job
This is a challenging and high-profile role, requiring a self-starting and proactive individual with strong partner engagement skills and the ability to develop, drive forward, and deliver policy priorities, often to tight deadlines. The job focuses on developing the UK’s bilateral financial relationship with China and would suit those with keen political awareness, proven policy delivery skills, as well as an interest in the intersection of geopolitics and international finance. China is playing an increasingly prominent role on the world stage, representing an enormous market with a rapidly developing financial sector, which presents both opportunities and challenges. Working closely with the FCDO network, the postholder will engage with the Chinese government and influence policy development in line with UK strategic interests. The postholder will:
- Play a leading role developing an ambitious financial services package for senior ministerial engagement with China – supporting the branch head on overall policy development and negotiations, and taking the lead role on specific areas of policy.
- Lead the branch’s work on developing UK-China capital market links – including driving policy that facilitates connectivity between UK and Chinese bond markets, as well as enhancing the London-Shanghai Stock Connect between equity markets.
- Develop the branch’s work on financial services sectoral interests with China – including a policy package that enhances UK-China cooperation on asset management and pensions.
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships across the FCDO network in China and across Whitehall – to influence policy development and advance UK interests in a complex and fast changing context.
- Lead on ministerial briefings, speeches, and analysis – developing a compelling narrative for the branch’s work, while undertaking quantitative analysis that evidences the opportunities and risks presented by China’s fast-growing financial sector.
- Contribute to development of government economic security policy – working closely with colleagues across the Treasury to ensure financial services interests are factored into cross-Whitehall policy-making processes on economic security; and providing a robust challenge function when necessary.
- Contribute to the wider corporate objectives of the Department – by playing an active corporate role at team, Group and/or Departmental level.
Candidate Drop-In Session– Microsoft Teams
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. If you would like to join us, then use the appropriate link below to join the call at the right time.
Thursday 4th April 2pm
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 Rhys Gordon-Jones (rhys.gordon-jones@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.
You will be assessed on the following criteria:
- Seeing the big picture – Strong strategic and diplomatic skills, with the ability to spot opportunities, establish a vision, and bring others on board.
- Communicating and influencing – Strong analytical and partner engagement skills, including the ability to digest and communicate complex information clearly, and use this to inform and drive policymaking.
- Delivering at pace – Ability to work independently and manage a busy workload to meet deadlines and prioritise effectively under pressure
- Experience – Strong experience and detailed understanding of international or financial services issues, with the ability to pick up complex concepts quickly, develop these into policy recommendations and communicate these in simple language to a non-technical audience.
The lead criterion is: Seeing the big picture
If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criterion only.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
Benefits
- 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)
Flexible Working Arrangements
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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Recruitment Timeline
Closing date: 15th April
Shortlisting: w/c 15th April
Interviews: w/c 22nd April / 29th April
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
See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).
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
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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