Senior Speechwriter
HM Treasury
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 17th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
If you’re interested in making a difference to people’s lives across the country, the Treasury is the department for you! We sit at the centre of everything that the Government does and have provided advice on economic policy and decisions that affect the public finances throughout the country’s history. A Treasury career continues to offer an exciting opportunity to be part of the decision making that affects the whole of the UK.
Working at the heart of government, we collaborate with other departments to ensure that public money is spent well, and to drive strong and sustainable economic growth. Our work ranges from protecting customers through to the regulation of the financial sector, helping to reduce carbon emissions and creating a greener economy, as well as helping first time buyers buy their first home.
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 a stronger organisation, better at developing policy that is reflective of the communities we serve. We embrace different views and experiences and value the fresh 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.
Job description
About the Group
Ministerial and Communications
The Ministerial and Communications Group sits at the heart of the Treasury. If you are interested in the inner workings of the Government, meeting Ministers, Senior Officials and liaising with the Press then this could be the place for you! We are a friendly and inclusive Group working on some of the most exciting issues of the day, bringing together work from across the rest of the department and engaging closely with partners across Whitehall and beyond.
We provide support to Ministers, through Ministerial offices. We act as Treasury's external face, through the Press Office and Communications team. We are responsible for managing the department, through our support for the Permanent Secretary, the Second Permanent Secretaries, the Treasury Board, and the Executive Management Board (EMB), and our ownership of Treasury governance structures. The Group is led by the Permanent Secretary.
About the Team
The Treasury’s Junior Ministers collectively deliver around 250 speeches a year on some of the most important issues facing the country. We are looking for an experienced, creative writer to help to craft their words.
As part of a small and dedicated team, your role will be primarily focused on supporting the Minister for Growth (the Financial Secretary), though you will also work with the Chief Secretary, the Economic Secretary and the Exchequer Secretary, helping them to write and think about all aspects of the Treasury’s responsibilities as the UK’s economics and finance ministry. Though you will major on growth, you will be writing on issues as varied as tax, spending, infrastructure and financial services, as well as advancing the government’s wider narrative on issues ranging from Brexit to climate change and the Union.
About the Job
Given the breadth and importance of these issues, you will be working on a huge variety of products, often in the same week: after dinner remarks designed to inform and entertain; set-piece speeches to advance policy agendas with highly informed audiences; short and punchy video scripts and webinar notes; articles and social media posts; and Parliamentary speeches carrying some of the most high-profile and important government legislation.
You will be a highly skilled writer who can take sophisticated policy or analysis and explain it creatively, simply and credibly; confident and skilled enough to earn the trust of senior stakeholders; you will be collaborative, working closely with the Ministers’ Private Offices as well as Treasury’s policy and communications teams, but independent enough to be comfortable working with limited supervision; incisive, able to quickly get to grips with complex issues; and organised, able to handle what can be a complex, unpredictable and heavy workload.
Key accountabilities:
- Researching, coordinating and writing speeches for the Financial Secretary, Chief Secretary, Exchequer Secretary, and Economic Secretary. You will work directly with ministers and their private office teams, as well as with special advisers and the wider department to continually develop the Government’s economic narrative.
- Working with the Press Office and the Chancellor’s Office to agree communications priorities across Ministerial offices, and contributing to op-eds or other written content as required.
- Meeting policy officials throughout the department to develop the messages for speeches and to keep up to date with the latest developments in a given policy area – where necessary commissioning material from policy teams.
- Contributing to the department by working with officials across HMT and HMRC to raise awareness of how to write or support a good speech.
Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams
The hiring manager 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 ask any questions you may have. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.
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 Jack Allen via jack.allen@hmtreasury.gov.uk
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.
- Exceptional writing skills, with a proven ability to draft high-quality speeches for high profile or senior politicians, business leaders, individuals and/or organisations. [Experience]
- A demonstrated ability to get to the heart of a wide range of issues quickly, showing a keen eye for detail whilst also seeing matters in the context of the wider political picture. [Seeing the Big Picture
- Exemplary organisational skills, including a record of managing a full workload, prioritising effectively and delivering high-quality results under pressure. [Delivering at Pace]
- Strong communication and influencing skills, showing a track record of building positive relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders to deliver outcomes. [Communicating and Influencing]
The lead criterion is: Experience
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:
- Communicating and Influencing
- Delivering at Pace
- 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.
Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams
The hiring manager 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 ask any questions you may have. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.
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 Jack Allen via jack.allen@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Things you need to know
Selection process details
Recruitment Timeline
Closing date: 17th November 23:55
Shortlisting: Week of 18th November
Interviews: Week of 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 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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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 : Jack Allen
- Email : jack.allen@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Further information
