Deputy Director – OFSI Licensing, Counter-Terrorism and Intelligence
HM Treasury
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 10th November 2024
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About the job
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.
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 - International Group
Do you want to advise ministers on promoting and protecting the UK’s economy and its competitiveness internationally in a fast-changing environment? If so, read on!
International provides opportunities to work on areas including - spending control on international development, trade policy, climate change, health, cooperation on Ukraine, economic security, financial sanctions and tackling illicit finance. We also manage economic relationships with Europe, US, China and other advanced economies and emerging markets.
We build relationships with external and international partners and represent the UK in a range of international groupings and institutions, including the G7, the G20, the International Monetary Fund and some of the Multilateral Development Banks. We also analyse international comparisons and the wider global economic context. Although international travel is an important part of some roles, it is not required for every role and will be specified if required.
Economic Crime and Sanctions Group
The Economic Crime and Sanctions Group (ECAS) is a Directorate within HMT’s International Group which brings together HMT’s interests in promoting the UK’s prosperity, competitiveness and economic security by combatting economic crime through effective but proportionate policy, regulation and enforcement.
ECAS is made up of the Sanctions and Illicit Finance Team (SIF), and the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). SIF leads policy to tackle economic crime and illicit finance, protecting growth and the financial system, including designing financial sanctions to counter threats to the UK. OFSI implements financial sanctions and works to ensure they are properly understood, implemented and enforced in the UK.
About the Team
OFSI was established in 2016 to improve the implementation and enforcement of financial sanctions and provide a better service to the private sector, who are the frontline of implementing sanctions.
Since 2022, OFSI has grown from c.40 to c.140 to meet the demands of Russia sanctions. It has a sizeable presence (c.25) in HMT’s Darlington Economic Campus, as well as staff at HMT’s Norwich office.
OFSI is responsible for: guidance and engagement with industry and international partners; civil enforcement against breaches of sanctions; licensing action which would otherwise be a sanctions breach; maintaining the public list of those subject to sanctions; developing operational policies to ensure consistency and good practice; developing intelligence on financial sanctions compliance; advising on and managing the cases of those designated under domestic counter-terrorism sanctions; and defending OFSI’s position in litigation.
This role co-leads OFSI with another Deputy Director. It oversees OFSI’s Licensing, Counter-Terrorism (CT) and Intelligence teams (c.70 people). There is a substantial volume of licensing casework for which the postholder is mostly the decision-maker on. This involves weighing legal and policy risk to make finely balanced determinations as to whether to allow frozen assets to be lawfully used. The CT team works with SIF to advise on new designations, and manages licensing and enforcement, for a small, but growing, number of persons sanctioned under UK CT financial sanctions. And the intelligence team works with partners in UK and internationally, and with industry, to better understand individual cases and assess and explain the wider threats posed to UK sanctions.
As OFSI’s transformation programme continues, there is potential for this role to evolve, and be shaped in light of the experience of the successful candidate and other SCS colleagues in the Directorate. But these (Licensing, CT, Intel) are the expected areas of responsibility.
Key Accountabilities
- Co-lead a multisite team of c.140 that has undergone rapid expansion and is midway through a significant transformation programme. Set a compelling vision for OFSI’s role now and in the future and drive both day-to-day delivery and longer-term change. Help make OFSI a diverse and inclusive environment where all staff can thrive and develop their careers.
- Lead a unit of c. 70, maintaining morale, promoting development and building capability, so as to foster an environment where managers continually seek to improve delivery against objectives.
- Inspire confidence in Ministers on contentious sanctions designations, licences and enforcement issues, through high-quality briefings and advice.
- Personally take the vast majority of OFSI’s licensing decisions to effectively manage the significant legal, financial and reputational risks to HMT and the UK sanctions regime.
- Ensure that the opportunity afforded by OFSI’s transformation and new technologies is seized, particularly in the further development of OFSI’s new intelligence capabilities, so that both efficiency and quality of OFSI jobs is further enhanced.
- Build and use wide and load-bearing professional networks in the UK and overseas, to both improve and promote OFSI’s work and support day-to-day operations.
- Play an effective personal role in both the ECAS and International Group Management Teams, as well as wider HM Treasury corporate activity, to make ECAS, IG and HMT as fulfilling and enjoyable places to work as possible.
The job can be based either in London or Darlington, with regular travel required to the other office. There is scope for international travel, although this is rarely essential.
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 and the recruitment process. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.
Thursday 31st October at 12:00: 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 giles.thomson@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Person specification
Please review the Candidate FAQ document that is attached to the advert for guidance on how to complete your application.
Required Skills, Experience and Behaviours:
For your application, please send us a CV and a personal statement setting out how you meet the following skills, behaviours and experience. This should be no longer than 1000 words, and include no more than 200 words on each criteria below.
- Experience of financial crime or wider national security and/or international work, and the ability to operate in pressurised operational environments.
- Strong people leadership skills with the ability to inspire and engage diverse set of teams, spanning operational and policy functions, with strong evidence of having led people to deliver at pace on a challenging and complex agenda.
- Proven success in managing significant policy or operational risks in complex organisations.
- Excellent judgement and discretion in reaching reasonable and proportionate decisions by analysing complex and or ambiguous data and clearly communicating their decisions.
- High-level interpersonal and influencing skills with a track record of developing and leveraging strong networks and confidently operating within a wide range of internal, external and international stakeholders up to board and ministerial level.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
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: 10th November
Shortlisting: w/c 11th November
Interviews: 25th 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 Developed Vetting (DV).
To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out, applicants typically need to have lived in the UK for the past 10 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.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
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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
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Giles Thomson
- Email : giles.thomson@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Further information
