Senior Sanctions Adviser
HM Treasury
Apply before 11:55 pm on Sunday 6th October 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
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 at some of the Multilateral Development Banks. We also analyse international comparisons and the wider global economic context, including for fiscal events. Although international travel is an important part of some roles, it is not required for every role and will be specified if required.
About the Team
Economic Crime and Sanctions Group
The Economic Crime and Sanctions Group is part of the international family of groups in HMT. ECAS 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.
OFSI is a professional and expert organisation that values, and invests significantly in, our staff. We therefore provide an OFSI Allowance, which comes with a minimum time in post expectation (the minimum time we expect you to carry out this role) for HEO grade of 2½ years. This time in post will support your career development through building your depth of expertise. As part of accepting this role, and the associated OFSI Allowance, you will be agreeing to the expected posting period set out above and this will be discussed further during the interview process. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. If you have any questions about this please contact the vacancy manager.
About the Job
We are recruiting two Senior Sanctions Adviser roles (HEO) in our Licensing Unit within OFSI. These are exciting, diverse roles, that will provide opportunities for the post-holder to work at the forefront of financial sanctions implementation. We are looking for people who have the right set of skills, who demonstrate the values of our organisation, who are motivated to come and work with us, and who can demonstrate an ability to quickly develop an understanding of a complex and critical area.
The post holder will require Security Check (SC) clearance before they can start the role, but due to the nature of the post they will then require Developed Vetting (DV) clearance once in post.
What does the OFSI Licensing Unit do?
- The Licensing Unit assesses applications to make recommendations on whether licences should be issued to allow transactions to take place which financial sanctions would otherwise prevent
- This involves working with colleagues across OFSI and across government to progress individual cases, identify trends, assess risks, and handle legal challenges
- Licensing colleagues need to work quickly and in a disciplined way, drawing on the expertise of colleagues with a range of backgrounds, to make recommendations to senior decision makers (including Senior Civil Servants and the Ministers) that are significant for applicants, third parties and for the success of our sanctions regime
Key responsibilities for this role:
- Managing a broad portfolio of cases across multiple sanctions regimes utilising case management and prioritisation techniques
- Act as the main point of contact for licensing queries relating to a number of licensing regimes
- Keep the Case Management system up to date to ensure accurate and timely data
- Developing and maintaining strong working relationships, especially with Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and HM Treasury colleagues
- Regular meetings with colleagues within HMT and across government on areas of work
- Interacting with licence applicants and their representatives through clear written and oral communications
- Obtaining and assessing evidence from a variety of sources to make licensing recommendations
- Understanding different industries, particularly in the financial sector, to understand the flow of funds and the responsibilities of different participants
- Providing concise, accurate and timely advice, orally and in writing, to Branch and Unit Heads, Senior Civil Servants and Ministers
- Lead on policy and process improvement projects, including with OFSI and Other Government Department colleagues
- Represent OFSI at internal and external events
- Lead on cross-OFSI workstreams
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 james.dalton@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.
- Making Effective Decisions - An ability to analyse and use a range of relevant, credible information from internal and external sources to support complex decision making, considering all options, including their potential benefits and risks.
- Delivering at Pace - Ability to handle and prioritise a varied workload in a fast-paced environment, making, and then maintaining momentum over significant time periods on, your own cases whilst also leading wider project and policy work.
- Working Together - Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with others, developing and nurturing positive relationships and drawing on different perspectives to arrive at high quality outcomes whilst managing divergent views professionally and diplomatically.
The lead criterion is: Making Effective Decisions
If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criterion only.
We will ask you to provide some CV details during your application; however, these will NOT be assessed during the process, but will be used to support discussions at interview – please ensure you put all information you would like to be scored against in your behaviour statements.
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 3rd October 2024 @ 12:30 -13:15 Join the meeting now
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Delivering at Pace
- Working Together
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 6th October 2024
Shortlisting: w/c 7th October 2024
Interviews: w/c 14th October 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.
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.
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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 : Aimee Langley
- Email : aimee.langley@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk
Further information
