Policy Adviser – Local Government Funding

Are you looking for a broad and stretching role in which you’ll lead work on determining how local councils should be funded in the years ahead ? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

About the Team

The Local Government and Reform team is responsible for managing HM Treasury’s interests in local government policy and funding. We work closely with colleagues in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and other departments to shape the government’s approach to the local government sector.

This includes ensuring that councils have the resources they need to deliver key services and implement government priorities, including reform of adult and children’s social care. We also seek to ensure that financial powers and policy responsibilities are devolved to the most appropriate level of government. HM Treasury has an interest in these issues from both a spending perspective (ensuring expenditure is affordable and delivered within budgets) and an economic perspective (evaluating whether policies offer value-for-money and will deliver the benefits envisaged). The team is split into two units: the Local Government Finance Unit and the English Devolution and Economic Clusters Unit.

About the Job

In this role, you will:

• Develop our approach to c.£68bn of revenue funding for local government through the second, multi-year stage of the Spending Review. This will involve working closely with MHCLG and other HMT teams to understand the pressures on a wide range of local services.
• Implement the Government’s commitment to reforming the local government funding system, working with MHCLG on the policy detail and approach to implementation through the annual Local Government Finance Settlement process.
• Advise Ministers and senior officials on the role of business rates in funding local government, working closely with tax teams.
• Lead our oversight of the implementation of the Spending Review settlement and in-year spending processes. The Local Government DEL budget currently equates to around £12bn and is the main source of government grant funding for local councils. This includes managing the annual Estimates process through which Parliament authorises government expenditure.

The role provides exposure to Treasury ministers and senior colleagues across the department, who take a strong interest in the area. This is an exciting opportunity to influence the government's agenda, owning key relationships with colleagues in MHCLG (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government) and across the Treasury.

About You

You will be able to proactively build, maintain and influence networks, and work collaboratively and effectively with stakeholders across organisational boundaries to deliver results. You will be able to deliver policy objectives in a complex stakeholder environment and develop and present reasoned, well-evidenced arguments on complex issue.

Some of the Benefits our people love!

• 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). Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees to take up to an additional 2 days off each month
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)
• Generous parental and adoption leave packages
• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension scheme with employer contributions of 28%
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme and season ticket advances
• A range of active staff networks, based around interests (e.g. analysts, music society, sports and social club) and diversity

For more information about the role and how to apply, please follow the apply link.

If you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process, please tell us about this in your online application form, or speak to the recruitment team at hrrecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk