Private Secretary to the Directors
HM Treasury
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 10th November 2024
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Business Management and Improvement
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About the job
Job summary
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.
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
The Group
Personal Tax, Welfare and Pensions
We work to create a tax and welfare system which supports the government’s goals of deficit reduction, economic growth and fairness. In doing so, we look after high profile areas including personal taxes, labour markets, welfare, tax administration, pensions, and savings. We also coordinate spending controls for both HM Revenue & Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions. The Group also has a wider role to assess the overall impact of changes made to taxes and benefit on households across the UK.
Our work means that we are often at the centre of ministers’ decision making, and we play an important part in the Budget and the Spending Review. Our group works closely with colleagues at HMRC, DWP and the Prime Minister’s office, and with a wide variety of external stakeholders.
The Team
The Group Management Services (GMS) team in PTWP is a friendly, flexible and collaborative team, supporting the wider group. We provide personal assistance and business support to the Group Management (the senior civil servants who run the teams in the PTWP) and provide a range of administrative support and business planning services to the 110 or so colleagues within PTWP.
The Job
This is a central role in a core part of the Treasury. We are looking for a highly organised and proactive individual to provide support to the most senior officials in the group.
This is an excellent opportunity to learn about a department at the centre of government policy-making, and to be at the forefront of decision-making in the Group.
The post holder’s key objective will be to support the Group’s two directors in their day to day decision making and stakeholder engagement across the Treasury and other government departments. The person will play a crucial role in ensuring the directors have the briefing and advice they need, and are aware of all their upcoming priorities.
Key accountabilities are:
- Ensure PTWP’s directors – the two officials jointly responsible for running the PTWP group of c110 people - receive timely and high quality briefing and advice from across their teams, including establishing clear processes and deadlines for policy leads, and supporting the Directors in preparing for ministerial, internal, and external meetings and events.
- Keep track of the Directors’ priorities, including maintaining a strategic overview of their diaries, working closely with and supporting their Diary Manager in prioritising meetings, and ensuring the Directors are aware of and are well prepared for the most important upcoming meetings. Develop strong relationships with Deputy Directors and use these to maintain a comprehensive forward look of key issues for the directors.
- Support the Directors to deliver their broader corporate objectives. This could include, for example, supporting them in leading the Policy Excellence workstream and providing leadership for the Darlington Economic Campus, which they are currently responsible for, though this role could expand over time, depending on the interests of the candidate.
- Provide flexible support to the rest of the GMS team as needed, including helping to manage diaries during periods of leave and supporting the GMS manager with the broader leadership of the team.
- Champion wider corporate life across the Treasury, including contributing to initiatives that make it a great place to work (receiving and giving significant peer support amongst other GMS private secretaries across the department) and playing a lead role in at least one of the corporate workstreams within the group.
Candidate Drop In Session: We will be running a candidate drop in session for this role on Monday 4th November at 12.00 - 13.00 to give you a greater insight to the role as well as a 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:
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.
- Working Together: The ability to build strong, constructive relationships with a wide range of colleagues to help deliver your objectives and provide a high quality of service
- Delivering at Pace: The ability to manage multiple competing priorities, including creating systems to ensure information is shared efficiently, clearly communicating priorities and quickly adjusting to changing circumstances. Being comfortable operating in a changing environment where you need to be responsive and flexible.
- Making Effective Decisions: The ability to apply good judgement, common sense, and discretion in making decisions and solving problems on behalf of senior colleagues – communicating decisions and risks effectively
The lead criterion is: Working Together
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 link below to join the call at the right time.
Thursday 17th October at 12:30: Join the meeting now
Thursday 31st October at 12:30: Join the meeting now
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
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
Drop in session: 4th November 2024 (12.00 -13.00)
Closing date: Sunday 10th November 2024 23.55hrs
Shortlisting: Week commencing 11th November 2024
Interviews: Week commencing 25th November 2024
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.
Security
Nationality requirements
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
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : John Robinson
- Email : john.robinson@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Further information
