Deputy Director Devolution (Job Share)

Working at HM Treasury puts you at the heart of government, making a difference to the UK economy and ultimately to people’s lives right across the UK.

Jobs at the Treasury are fast-paced, fun and can offer unparalleled perspective – not least the opportunity to advise Ministers on the decisions which directly determine the UK’s prosperity. Deep in our DNA is a commitment to empowering our people: maximising individual and collective impact, with interesting work no matter your role or seniority.

Day-to-day you could be supporting Ministers to decide the right level of a specific tax or line of government spending; helping maintain the stability of financial markets; analysing the long-term trends impacting the future of the economy; or enabling this work as part of our vital corporate functions.

We are a high-performing department and proud to have outstanding staff from a wide range of backgrounds. We are also a friendly, inclusive and sociable workplace that prides itself on fostering great team spirit. Our two largest offices are 1 Horse Guards Road in London, opposite St James’ Park, and the Darlington Economic Campus, which also contains eight other departments. We work seamlessly across all our sites, including Norwich, Birmingham and Leeds, as one Treasury.

We are both a 1,000-year-old institution and dynamic, forward-looking economics and finance ministry, with a strong direction set by our organisational strategy, the Future Treasury Vision. The 21st century offers huge opportunities and poses new challenges for the UK. Working at the Treasury is your chance to help the country chart the right course.

About the Job

This role is being advertised as part of a job-share with one of the current job-share postholders.

We are looking for an outstanding leader with strong policy and spending skills and a track record of building productive relationships with stakeholders to join the supportive and high-performing Devolution team in the immediate run up to the 2027 Spending Review.

The Devolution team is a friendly team of around 15 people, with a variety of backgrounds and experiences. We are based across offices in London, Darlington, Belfast and Edinburgh. The team is responsible for overseeing the Treasury’s strategic approach to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

We work closely with colleagues in the devolved governments, across Whitehall, and across HMT to:

• Manage the funding arrangements for the devolved governments and Offices for the Nations. This includes overseeing delivery of the over £90bn a year block grant, including Barnett and adjustments for tax and welfare devolution;
• Lead on the fiscal frameworks of the three devolved governments, including devolution of fiscal policy levers.
• Promote Treasury’s interests within the UK Government’s wider approach to constitutional and Union issues, working closely with the Offices for the Nations, Cabinet Office and Number 10;
• Advise on policy interventions by the UK Government in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, including at fiscal events and in wider HMT policy-making; and
• Increase Treasury’s devolution capability by building awareness and understanding of the devolution settlements within the department

This is a cross-cutting role that will require the postholder to work in partnership with teams across HM Treasury and the rest of Government to engage in and influence policy development to ensure it reflects ministers’ priorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The postholder will have strong political awareness and policy judgement, and be able to communicate and influence effectively, including clear advice and briefing for Ministers. You will also have strong leadership and management skills.

Key accountabilities will include:

• Leadership of the Devolution team, supporting a strong, inclusive and creative team culture.
• Managing relationships with senior stakeholders across UK Government, the Devolved Governments and external stakeholders.
• Regular engagement with Ministers, spads and senior officials across government to provide strategic advice on SW&NI funding and handling issues.
• Maintaining excellent performance levels across the team, including SW&NI policy packages at fiscal events and delivery of 6 funding settlements (3 devolved governments and 3 SoS-led Offices for the Nations).

If you would like to speak to the job share partner informally prior to the closing date for applications to find out more about the job, please contact Claire.Baudouin@hmtreasury.gov.uk. If you would like to speak to the hiring manager, please contact Matthew.Taylor@hmtreasury.gov.uk.

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply

Applications should consist of a CV (of no more than 3 sides) and a 1000-word personal statement demonstrating evidence of how you meet the skills, behaviours and experience detailed in the person specification.

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

Applications will be reviewed by the panel to select those which demonstrate the best fit with the post against the criteria set out in the person specification.

Scenario-based leadership exercise

If you are shortlisted, you will be asked to undertake a scenario-based leadership exercise as part of the interview process. This assessment will not result in a pass or fail decision. Rather it is designed to support the panel’s decision making and highlight areas for the panel to explore further at interview.

Interview Stage

Candidates will be invited to an interview in order to have a more in-depth discussion of previous experience and professional competence. The criteria that will be assessed at interview are:

• Strengths
• Behaviours: Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Communicating and Influencing

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 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 be able to move your role to another location.

Candidate Guidance

Please review the candidate guidance for an overview of the Success Profiles and STAR approach, along with top tips for applications and interviews.

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: Wednesday 4th November 2026
• Shortlisting: From 5th November 2026
• Scenario-based leadership exercise / Interviews: w/c 16th 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.

Reserve Lists

You will be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot offer you a role immediately. Where more than one location has been advertised, candidates will be posted in merit order by location. You will be asked to provide your location preference on your application form. Please note that a place on the reserve list does not guarantee an offer.

If you are offered a role in your first preferred location and you decline the offer or are unable to take up the post within a reasonable timeframe, you will be removed from the reserve list, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Those on the reserve list may also be approached for similar roles at a lower grade. If you are offered a role at a lower grade and choose to decline, you can remain on the reserve list.

Internal Fraud Database Check

Candidates cannot apply to roles in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Successful candidates will be subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database. This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This also applies to those who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the database will be refused employment.

National Security Vetting

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, successful candidates will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is Security Check (SC).

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. You will be asked to provide residency information within your application form, and eligibility for national security vetting will be checked once the advert closing date has passed. In certain circumstances, for example if you have been working abroad on a government posting, 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.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.