Senior Policy Adviser – Culture, Media and Youth

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! 

About the Group 

The Enterprise and Growth Unit (EGU) promotes sustainable economic growth and higher productivity for the UK. We provide analysis and advice on enterprise, innovation, private sector investment and a cost-effective transition to a low-carbon economy. The Enterprise and Growth Unit has a varied and exciting agenda and we work closely with a wide variety of other teams across the Treasury.   

We also work alongside other departments and government organisations to ensure that we are thinking creatively, spending wisely, and acting boldly to deliver these goals. These organisations are: 

• the Department for Business and Trade, 
• the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 
• the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs,  
• the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, 
• the Department for Transport,  
• the Department for Culture, Media & Sport,  
• the Competition and Markets Authority, 
• HM Land Registry, and 
• UK Export Finance 

About the Team 

The Business, Trade and Culture Team (BTC) is a friendly team with a varied and high-profile remit, responsible for: 

• Spending and strategy for the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), Department for Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA),
• Supporting growth in the Creative Industries and culture, media and sport sectors,
• Supporting growth in Advanced Manufacturing,
• Trade and inward investment policy,
• Competition and regulation policy
• Business engagement, strategy and business support for the whole EGU group.  

The DCMS Spending and Strategy Team leads work in HM Treasury in relation to a broad range of important sectors, including the creative industries, culture and heritage, broadcasting and media, sport and gambling and the visitor economy. We hold a dual role to promote the contribution of these sectors to balanced economic growth across the UK and make sure taxpayer money is spent wisely, through spending control and budget setting.

About the Job

This is an exciting role that will see the successful candidate work across a varied and politically important set of issues! You will lead on culture, media and youth policy and will work with senior DCMS officials, HM Treasury ministers, No.10 and Special Advisers on a regular basis to promote HM Treasury’s economic and fiscal interests. Key accountabilities will include:

1. Policy development. You will be expected to build a comprehensive understanding of culture, media and youth policy and use this to advise ministers and shape and improve policy development. This is a broad and politically important portfolio including a combination of economic sectors (e.g. the creative industries, see bullet 2. below), unique public body reform (e.g. BBC licence fee funding review, Channel 4 reform), capital programmes (e.g. Youth Investment Fund) and public services (e.g. museums, galleries and libraries).
2. Economic growth and levelling up. You will be HM Treasury’s thought leader on the economics of the culture, media and youth sectors and help DCMS realise the opportunities and mitigate the risks.  You will lead on economically important sectors including one of the Chancellor’s top 5 priority growth sectors, the Creative Industries (£108 billion in GVA), as well as the Visitor Economy (£74 billion in GVA). This will mean working across HMT with wider Enterprise and Growth Unit, Tax and Public Service teams to join up and enhance the overall economic position of these sectors. It will also involve building HM Treasury views on whether, and how, to support high-profile investment cases.
3. Spending strategy and control. You will support the Range E/Grade 7 Spending Principal in the team to develop spending strategy ahead of fiscal events and take a key role in Spending Reviews and Budget delivery. You will build your spending expertise and be expected to lead this agenda in your policy areas and support with wider spending pressures as required.   
4. Line management and support of Treasury’s ambitious corporate agenda. You will line-manage at least one Range D and matrix manage another on a consistent basis, caring about wellbeing and providing excellent development support to them both.  You will be encouraged to participate in cross Treasury activities and projects, to help build a more positive, collaborative and inclusive working environment.

Within this remit, there is scope to tailor the role to the individual, including any specific areas of interest, career goals and requirements relating to work hours or flexible working. Areas of responsibility will also evolve over time, in line with the team and departmental priorities. 

This role can be done by a candidate without prior experience of public spending control, although the successful candidate will be expected to develop their knowledge of the public spending framework (and support will be provided in doing so).

Candidate Drop-In Session 
 
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 and the recruitment process. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.  

Friday 1st December at 13:30: Click here to join the meeting  

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 George Chapman (George.Chapman@hmtreasury.gov.uk)

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. Strong analytical and policy skills, with the ability to synthesise a wide range of imperfect evidence to inform decision-making (Making Effective Decisions)
2. Building and maintaining strong relationships to be able to deliver both shared and differing objectives (Working Together)
3. Combining an understanding of complex policy detail with how that fits into a broader economic, political and fiscal context (Seeing the Big Picture) 

The lead criterion is: Making Effective Decisions.

If we receive a large number of applications, applications will be assessed against this criterion alone first. They will then be assessed against the other criteria if they have met the minimum score on the lead criterion. 

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.  

Friday 1st December at 12:30: Click here to join the meeting

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

• 25 days annual leave (rising to 30 days after 5 years), plus 8 public holidays and the King’s birthday (unless you have a legacy arrangement as an existing Civil Servant). Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing you to take up to an additional 2 days off each month.
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, compressed hours).
• Generous parental leave and adoption leave packages.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 27%
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme and season ticket advances.
• A Rental Deposit Advance Scheme to help meet the total costs of deposits for privately rented homes.
• Access to HM Treasury’s benefits portal allowing you access to a range of discount codes for online shopping.
• 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).
• Access to a range of allowances if eligibility applies. These include profession related allowances.

Flexible Working Arrangements

HM Treasury views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they are able to 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; working from home, compressed hours and job sharing.

HM Treasury operates an office based working approach across all Treasury sites – Darlington, London, and Norwich, with the expectation of achieving 50% attendance in the office as a minimum requirement, along with the flexibility of 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.

Job contact :

• Name : George Chapman
• Email : George.Chapman@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk