Ministerial Correspondence Drafter
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
Corporate Centre
The Corporate Centre Group delivers a wide range of corporate services to enable people at HM Treasury and many of the other organisations who form part of the Treasury Group (including the Government Internal Audit Agency and the Debt Management Office) to operate effectively and efficiently. We are a diverse group, both in terms of our professions and in our ways of working. Our colleagues are based across 3 sites in London, Darlington and Norwich.
The Corporate Centre Group consists of a range of teams and is led by two directors (one of Finance and one of Operations):
- Correspondence and Information Rights
- Finance & Commercial
- People & Capability
- Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
- Treasury Business Solutions
- Multisite Darlington Economic Campus team
- Exchequer Funds & Accounts team
About the Team
Correspondence and Information Rights Team
The Correspondence and Information Rights Team (CIRT) is made up of the Correspondence and Enquiries Unit (CEU) and the Information Rights Unit (IRU), who work closely together to deliver high quality responses to those who contact Treasury. The CEU is responsible for handling external correspondence from a wide range of stakeholders including MPs, members of the public, large organisations, or campaign groups. IRU is specifically responsible for dealing with the correspondence containing requests for information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act and Environmental Information Regulations. Both teams provide support and specialist guidance to teams in Treasury, to ensure the department’s reputation for timeliness and providing an excellent service is maintained.
About the Job
Every day, HM Treasury receives a variety of correspondence enquiries, spanning a range of policy issues, which makes it an exciting and interesting place to work, particularly around events such as the Budget!
As a Correspondence Drafter you will directly be involved in the identifying of specific policies with regards to correspondence and assist in the drafting of accurate replies on behalf of ministers. You will be required to engage with a wide variety of colleagues and management regarding Treasury policies as well as communicate with other Government departments and ministerial private offices.
As a Correspondence Drafter, you will:
- Draft high quality, accurate replies to various types of correspondence, working closely with policy teams and Other Government departments to ensure the issues raised are addressed accurately and sensitively.
- Ensure that the departments timescales are adhered to during the handling, drafting, and responding of all correspondence and information requests.
- Work as a team to accurately assess all incoming correspondence so that it is allocated to the correct team for a response.
- Engage confidently with senior managers, policy teams, Special Advisors and Private Offices to maintain CIRT’s wider departmental relationships.
- Develop your own skills to provide flexible cover and support to CIRT and the wider unit as the need arises and be prepared to contribute to high priority tasks when requested by a manager.
- Embrace change and technology, be able to adapt quickly to innovation and automation of processes.
CIRT is a diverse and inclusive team, and we are keen to encourage applications from candidates with a range of backgrounds, skills, and experiences. It’s not essential to have prior experience of working in a correspondence team, but we will be asking candidates to demonstrate an ability to quickly learn new processes, work at pace and balance a number of deadlines under pressure, as well as being proactive with their own development.
As a Treasury employee, you will have access to training to grow your skillset for future roles in an encouraging and supportive environment. In CIRT you will be supported and encouraged to attend training, seek extra responsibilities, and work towards development objectives based on areas of work that interest you.
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.
Monday 4th November 2024 @ 16:30 - 17:00 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 Sheila.darling@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.
1. Managing a Quality Service - Ability to manage case work and draft high-quality written communications methodically, accurately, and sensitively in a fast-paced and demanding environment.
2. Working Together - Ability to successfully collaborate with others and develop and maintain excellent working relationships.
3. Seeing the Big Picture - Ability to improve a service in accordance with the needs of customers and stakeholders, and to understand how this affects the wider business
The lead criterion is: Managing a Quality Service
If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criterion only.
Candidate Guidance Support Session – Microsoft Teams
We will be running an overview of Success Profiles and the STAR approach including top tips for the application and interview process and an opportunity to ask general questions around our recruitment practices. Please note that this session is not role specific, so we will be unable to answer specific questions about roles we are advertising. If you would like to join us, please use the link below to join the call at the right time.
Thursday 31st October 2024 @ 12:30 - 13:15 Join the meeting now
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Managing a Quality Service
- Working Together
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Delivering at Pace
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: Sunday 10th November 2024
Shortlisting: w/c 11th November 2024
Interviews: w/c 25th November and 2nd December 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 : Sheila Darling
- Email : sheila.darling@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Further information
