Policy Advisor: Public Sector Pay
HM Treasury
Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 11th November 2024
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About the job
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
Public Spending 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.
Workforce, Pay and Pensions Team
The team sits at the heart of Public Spending group, working closely with teams across Whitehall and Treasury to set, deliver and maintain Government’s overarching policy positions on public sector pay and pensions. Our work is of crucial importance to delivering high quality public services and ensuring best value for the taxpayer. Spending on pay and pensions is one of the largest areas of public expenditure, around £180bn a year. The team’s remit therefore covers around one in every four pounds the Government spends.
The team includes a range of policy officials and analysts, who work closely with relevant Whitehall departments and their specific spending teams in Public Services group. The team has a strong focus on development opportunities alongside recognition and use of individual strengths. Team members have the opportunity to work across a range of areas, with significant responsibility from day one. The team is fun, highly supportive, and we are committed to maintaining a healthy work life balance through flexible working patterns including home working, part-time working, condensed hours and flexi-leave.
Key Accountabilities for this role include:
This role is an exciting and challenging SEO post with significant exposure to seniors and special advisors across Whitehall, along with HMT ministers. The role sits on the pay side of the team, with the post holder primarily responsible for leading and coordinating the Pay Review Body process which sets pay across c.2.5m frontline sector workers (e.g. doctors, nurses, teachers, the armed forces). You would be joining the team at an incredibly interesting time given the wider pay-setting context. You will be responsible for:
- Leading advice on and delivery of the public sector pay round, which delivers pay awards for the main frontline workforces, including the NHS, police officers, teachers and armed forces. You will be responsible for setting out the processes of the pay round, and communicating these across Whitehall, including through chairing a monthly roundtable attended by seniors officials across Whitehall. You will work closely and independently with departments to co-coordinate and drive forward each stage in the process as the independent Pay Review Bodies consider and deliver their recommendations for pay awards. You will be expected to build strong working relationships with key departments and acquire an in-depth understanding of each workforce, including any particular issues they face and how the pay-setting process can be adapted appropriately. With keen interest from No.10, managing the process will involve close working with Cabinet Office, No.10, Spads and Private Offices to advise HMT ministers and the PM, as well as rapid and independent policy thinking and judgement on any contentious issues that arise.
- Managing industrial relations risk and key flashpoints across the breadth of the entire public sector. You will lead engagement on these issues with teams across HMT and Whitehall departments to understand and shape their objectives, and build an excellent working relationship with counterparts in the Cabinet Office Economic and Domestic Secretariat to ensure a coherent centre-of-government approach. You will draw these inputs together to provide the PM, CX and CST with creative and politically attuned advice on the multi-billion pound public sector pay setting process and how it can be adapted to manage industrial relations in a fiscally constrained context.
- Leading on other high profile policy areas related to pay. Reflecting the exceptional pay-setting context, other high profile policy areas of ministerial priority often arise that the post-holder will need to quickly get up to speed on and independently lead. Recent examples have included: assessing and advising ministers on how the pay setting process could be reformed – work that was directly deployed in pay negotiations; and analysing and comparing the different systems for setting public sector pay internationally.
- Line manage a student economist. The post holder will line manage a student economist to deliver various areas of work, including longer-term high-profile projects to help shape policy thinking and advice on public sector pay.
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.
- Delivering at pace: Ability to work calmly under pressure, often in the face of tight deadlines, and experience of managing competing priorities to deliver high-quality outputs in timely fashion
- Working together: Ability to quickly form relationships with a wide range of stakeholders to bring about successful outcomes.
- Making effective decisions: Ability to understand data, identify trends and form conclusions to advise seniors and Ministers.
- Seeing the bigger picture: Ability to understand the strategic drivers for your area of work and remain alert to emerging issues and trends.
The lead criterion is: Delivering at pace
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:
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
- Making Effective Decisions
- Seeing the Big Picture
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 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
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 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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Recruitment Timeline
Closing date: 11.55pm 11th November
Shortlisting: w/c 11th November
Interviews: w/c 18 November
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.
Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, individuals appointed to the Treasury group will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is Counter Terrorist Check (CTC)
To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, applicants will need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years. In exceptional circumstances, a lack of residency would not be a bar to security clearance however the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case by case basis once the advert closing date has passed.
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.
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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).
Diversity and Inclusion
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Anna Campbell
- Email : anna.campbell@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Further information
