Deputy Director - Global Economics

Job summary

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.

Job description

This job is a senior leadership role at the centre of how HM Treasury understands the global economy and the implications for UK economic policy. The job is being created as Robert Woods shifts to working part time from the end of October. Robert will continue to work as Director International Economics (Analysis) and this role will report to him.

You will be responsible for leading Global Economics to support the delivery of the Treasury’s objectives. Core parts of the role comprise: economic advice and analysis; international engagement and policy influence; and people and professional leadership. The job has an incredibly broad scope combining economic analysis, international economic policy, and participation in cross-HMG intelligence assessment.

Your responsibilities would include:

1. Lead a friendly, high performing multisite team of c. 13 analysts with a broad and varied set of responsibilities. You will have the opportunity to shape the team’s priorities, structures and ways of working as its remit evolves. As team leader you will play a vital role in promulgating and championing the team’s work across government, working with other HMT teams and departments to increase impact. You will also help make the team and the wider group a diverse and inclusive environment where all staff can thrive and develop their careers.
2. Direct line management of 2 Grade 6s, maintaining morale, promoting development and building capability of the team and wider group, so as to foster an environment where managers continually seek to improve delivery against objectives.
3. Advise on international economic policy and direct analysis work. Bringing to life the global forces affecting the UK economy as well as bringing out the economic dimension for HMG’s foreign policy development. The team’s work combines both ongoing responsibilities (global economy and risks; international comparisons to support domestic policy-making; the international dimension of the growth mission; key IMF programmes for emerging and developing economies), with specific projects often working alongside other teams in the international family or HMT (examples include: US tariffs; the oil price cap; Russian Sovereign Assets; economic and national security scenario work).
4. Contribute to the Treasury’s international engagement on international economic issues. This includes supporting both the Chancellor’s attendance at multilateral and bilateral international meetings, as well as supporting senior officials, and more direct representational roles (eg G7/G20 working groups) and fronting up for HMT on global economy issues with UK/foreign, and public/private sector contacts.
5. As head of Global Economics you will also have a leadership role for the Analytical profession, both as part of the Treasury’s Senior Analysts Leadership Team and as a champion for analysis in the International family. You will provide professional guidance, promote excellent analysis and high standards, promote frontier-leading models and data applications, and steer balanced, risk-based judgements.
6. Deploy strong networking skills to build successful relationships with Cabinet Office, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Department for Energy and Net Zero, and other Government Departments, and international peers, to advance analytical and policy priorities and represent UK/Treasury positions in a complex international context.
7. Play an effective personal role in both the International Economics group and the International family’s Management Teams, as well as through wider HM Treasury corporate activity, to make these as fulfilling and enjoyable places to work as possible.

The job can be based either in London or Darlington, with travel required to the other office.

Candidate Drop-In Session

We 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 the recruitment process. If you would like to join us, then use the appropriate link below to join the call on Wednesday 16 September 15:30 to 16:00:

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/389313563524548?p=4mzFyQASU6SRiWmODl

Meeting ID: 389 313 563 524 548 Passcode: NW92ao3g

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 Robert Woods ([email removed])

Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Person specification

While in post, the successful candidate will be expected to perform well across the full range of Senior Civil Service behaviours set out in the Success Profile framework and demonstrate commitment to Civil Service values.

The essential criteria for the purpose of selection are:

• Experience of working in at least two of the following: international economic policy and/or economic analysis and/or macro-economic policy. Some experience working on national security issues would be an advantage but it is not required beforehand.
• Strong people leadership skills with the ability to inspire and engage a lively team of analysts, with strong evidence of having led people to deliver on multi-faceted agendas with a high analytical content while driving high standards.
• An ability to understand and clearly communicate complex analysis and policy issues in a credible and compelling fashion.
• High-level interpersonal and influencing skills with a track record of developing and leveraging your networks to operate confidently with a wide range of internal, external and international stakeholders.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits