Policy Adviser – Capital Spending and Analysis

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 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.  

We 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 – General Expenditure Policy (GEP)

GEP sits at the heart of HM Treasury’s Public Spending Group. We are a friendly and inclusive team, responsible for reporting to the Chancellor and Chief Secretary on spending control, covering around £800bn of public expenditure. We work closely with Strategy Planning and Budget Group, the Fiscal Strategy Group, spending teams and No.10 to manage risks and ensure Ministers have advice on future public spending strategy and on options for funding new priorities, both at fiscal events and as they arise throughout the year. We also work with other government departments to monitor the real-world impact of spending, to ensure that outcomes for citizens are placed at the core of decision making. The team is also the custodian of the Green Book and Major Project appraisal.

In GEP, we cover a wide range of areas, including spending strategy, analysis, in-year spending control, Green Book and major projects, public value and performance budgeting. Over time, responsibilities in the role may expand to cover other priorities, and candidates will be expected to be amenable to taking on new responsibilities, subject to overall capacity constraints.

About the role

This is a central and fast-paced role within GEP’s Capital Spending Unit. You will be at the heart of the Budget and spending review when spending choices are critical to the government’s macroeconomic and fiscal strategy, advising ministers on the impact of decisions on the country’s infrastructure. You will have opportunities to influence a wide variety of policy areas, gain insight into the fiscal policy decision-making process, and have significant exposure to senior officials and ministers.

You will be key to the allocation of multi-year capital budgets across government in the Spending Review (over £115bn per year) from economic and social infrastructure to R&D. It would therefore suit a policy official with strong analytical capabilities or an analyst with experience of spending policy.

The post holder must become comfortable with numbers and analysis, demonstrate good problem analysis and strategy skills, be well organised, a good communicator, and have good attention to detail. 

Strong analytical skills and experience using Excel would be valuable. Basic knowledge of economics and/or public spending would be useful but can also be acquired on the job.   

Key responsibilities are likely to include:

1. Supporting GEP’s analysis of capital spending and owning the capital model to inform decision making. You will be expected to provide high quality analysis and advice on capital spending decisions for fiscal events and you will take ownership of the excel models used to inform capital spending allocations at spending reviews. You will collaborate with Treasury colleagues to build a picture of spending choices and use this to develop your own analysis and scenarios, based on an understanding of the objectives of our spending strategy and the key trade-offs. This will involve updating the spending model and designing tables to clearly frame choices for Ministers. Given close working with Ministers, some analysis is often produced at high pace.
2. Supporting GEP planning and preparation for the next spending review. This will include analytical work to inform big strategic decisions on capital investment and allocation (e.g., on the overall level of investment, and distribution of distribution of investment across different areas, i.e., net zero, defence, and social infrastructure); as well as designing the right process for delivering a future spending review across Whitehall based on lessons from SR21.
3. Monitoring and responding to delivery and financial risks across the capital portfolio. This will include working with spending teams and the IPA to escalate risks and providing the secretariat for the Senior Capital Steering Group – the forum which brings together Spending Directors and Deputy Directors to oversee capital allocation and delivery.
4. Managing core briefing and correspondence for the Capital Unit. This will include engaging across the spending community, inputting to senior official and ministerial briefing, and when needed working with Press Office to respond to media queries.
5. Act as a GEP account manager. This means working with the relevant HM Treasury spending team responsible for a specific department (a Spending Team is a team in HMT that monitors and advises on the spending of another government department, for example the Transport Spending Team is responsible for spending by the Department for Transport). You will need to ensure GEP’s position is fully represented in advice to ministers on major departmental spending decisions, including that in-year spending risks are handled effectively and that recommendations represent value for money. You should be committed to engaging openly with all teams in HM Treasury and beyond.
6. Support the leadership of the analysis effort across GEP team. Help to cultivate a strong, collaborative culture, and support planning and resourcing decisions, feeding into cross-unit spending analysis.

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 appropriate link below to join the call at the right time. 

Monday 11th December at 12:30: 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 Ryan Bennett (Ryan.Bennett@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. Ability to use data to draw conclusions and make reasoned recommendations and undertake robust quality assurance of analysis done by others to advise senior officials and ministers. (Making Effective Decisions)
2. Ability to work independently under high pressure while remaining calm, including the ability to proactively deliver work through others to short deadlines. (Delivering at Pace)
3. Ability to build trust and strong working relationships with people who may have different priorities and perspectives. (Working Together)

The lead criterion is: Making Effective Decisions

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 appropriate link below to join the call at the right time. 

Friday 1st December 2023 12:30 – 13:00 Click here to join the meeting

Tuesday 12th December at 17:00: Click here to join the meeting

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

• 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 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. 

Job contact :

• Name : Ryan Bennett
• Email : Ryan.Bennett@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk