CS Interview Coach

Policy Adviser - Regulatory Authorities

HM Treasury

Department
HM Treasury
Location
Darlington
Openings
1 post
Grade
SEO
Salary
£44,600 to £47,906
Closing
13 days left
Profession
Policy
Contract
Permanent
Security clearance
SC
Working pattern
Flexible working, Full-time, Part-time
Apply on Civil Service Jobs

Job summary

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 cross-government hub bringing people together to tackle key national issues while working closer to the communities we serve.

What they’re looking for

  • Application Form
  • Applications should consist of a CV including your employment history, and a 250-word statement demonstrating evidence of each of the below shortlisting criteria. Your CV and employment history won’t be scored. It’s used to give context to your application and support discussions at interview.
  • The panel will review applications and invite those that best demonstrate evidence of the shortlisting criteria below for interview. Please keep this in mind when writing your application.
  • Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.
  • Making Effective Decisions: Ability to analyse and use a range of evidence from different sources to develop accurate policy decisions and advice.
  • Communicating and Influencing: Ability to communicate clearly in writing and in person, adapting your style for different audiences, and to build constructive relationships to influence positive outcomes.
  • Delivering at Pace: Ability to work independently and proactively, balancing progressing longer-term projects with shorter-term urgent commissions. Evidence of managing a full workload and prioritising effectively to deliver high-quality outputs to tight or competing deadlines.
  • 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. Those who meet the minimum score will then be assessed against all remaining criteria.
  • Interview Stage
  • If you are successful at the application stage, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed against the following criteria:
  • Strengths
  • Behaviours:Making Effective Decisions
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace
  • Working Together

Behaviours you’ll be assessed on

This advert says the panel will score you against these behaviours at SEO level. Each one links to worked examples.

Job description

This is an exciting role that will see the successful candidate work across a varied and politically important set of issues, to contribute to HMT’s strategic approach to the regulation of financial services. You don’t need previous experience in financial services – we are looking for someone who is curious, proactive, a strong communicator and excited about learning new areas of policy.

Whilst hybrid working will be the normal rhythm for the role, it will require some attendance in, or travel to, the London office for occasional in-person stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities for this role will include:

  • Building strong relationships with a range of key partners, being aware of their perspectives and issues, and using this to support the delivery of our objectives. Establishing networks across the Treasury, other departments, and the private sector.
  • Leading elements of the day-to-day sponsorship relationship with the FCA and the PRA. This includes reviewing regulators publications; engaging with Parliamentary processes; supporting ministers and senior officials in their strategic engagement with the regulators – including via briefings and speeches; and supporting ministers with parliamentary questions and correspondence.
  • Developing expertise on the role and operation of the FCA and PRA, including relevant legislation, and using this expertise to advise colleagues, Ministers and senior management.
  • Leading aspects of policy development and strategy for the financial services regulatory framework, including to support the delivery of the government’s growth mission. This will involve advising ministers and senior civil servants on key developments and risks and supporting the Treasury’s response to press and media interest.
  • Playing an active role in the Financial Services Strategy team by getting involved in wider corporate work to contribute to making make the Treasury a great place to work. We’re a flexible team and respond to the needs of ministers and senior officials, so you should be comfortable in an environment where priorities may change.

We’re a flexible team and respond to the needs of ministers and senior officials, and this interesting and varied role would suit proactive candidates who can adapt effectively to changing priorities.

You don’t need to be a policy professional or have any specific qualifications to apply to work as a Policy Adviser at HM Treasury. We are looking for people who have the right set of skills for the role, who demonstrate the values of our organisation, and who are motivated to come and work with us on a range of issues that are at the heart of how we spend money and deliver public services.

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date, please contact Alex Douglas: Alex.Douglas@hmtreasury.gov.uk

Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Nationality requirements

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)

Selection process

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

The reference to Experience above is system generated. For this role, experience is not assessed at any stage. We will ask for some CV details in your application form, but this is for reference only and will not be scored.

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: Sunday 13th September 2026
  • Shortlisting: w/c 14th September 2026
  • Interviews: w/c 28th September 2026

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.

Practise before you apply

Civil Service panels score every answer against the Success Profiles behaviours at SEO level. Practise STAR answers and get them marked against the same framework.

Start practising free

3 free questions · No card needed

Similar vacancies

Interview articles for SEO roles

All articles

Browse more like this