Policy Advisor - Growth Strategy

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 is a fast paced, dynamic and stretching role at the heart of the Government’s growth strategy. Economic growth is the Government’s key priority, and the Growth Strategy Unit (GSU) plays a central role in shaping the Government’s growth agenda and delivering on key growth moments and fiscal events.

This role would suit someone who enjoys working at pace, brings curiosity and fresh thinking to complex problems, and is comfortable moving between strategy, delivery and coordination as priorities shift.

The role will provide opportunities to work closely with colleagues across HMT and other departments, engage with external experts, and contribute to a high-profile and fast-moving agenda. The postholder will have regular contact with senior officials and Ministers, and will be expected to work flexibly across the full range of GSU’s work responding to changing priorities as they arise.

The postholder will:

Growth Strategy

• Contribute to advice on the Government’s growth strategy and priority growth areas, working with senior colleagues to develop and test policy ideas.
• Work with colleagues across HMT and Whitehall to design and advocate for innovative, novel and impactful policy solutions in distinct growth priority areas.
• Conduct independent research on growth policies and keep up to date on the evolving policy debates.

Priority Projects

• Lead and support priority projects that advance the Government’s growth objectives, establishing clear plans, milestones and governance, identifying risks and dependencies, and working with colleagues across HMT and Whitehall to deliver ambitious outcomes.
• Develop high-quality analysis, advice, briefings and recommendations to support decisions by senior officials and Ministers, drawing on evidence, stakeholder insight and delivery considerations.

External Engagement

• Develop and support engagement with external experts on growth strategy and policy, including think tanks, academics and business, building and maintaining relationships to bring fresh thinking into the team’s work.
• Develop opportunities for external engagement, including organising roundtables, meetings and events, and preparing senior officials and Ministers to get the most out of these interactions.

Coordination

• Play a proactive role in delivering fiscal events and other significant growth moments, including coordinating inputs, tracking actions and producing briefing materials.
• Provide flexible support to colleagues as needed, including on briefings and correspondence.

The balance of work will vary over time and the postholder should expect to move flexibly between strategic policy advice, project delivery, and external engagement and coordination, depending on the changing priorities of the team.

If you would like to speak to the hiring manager informally prior to the closing date, please contact Amy Vatcher ( Amy.Vatcher@hmtreasury.gov.uk ).

Visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

Person specification

Application Stage

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.

1. Seeing the Big Picture: Ability to understand how your work fits into wider organisational and/or Government priorities and use this insight to shape decisions and advise others.

2. Communicating and Influencing: Ability to communicate effectively with senior leaders and break down complicated information.

3. Making Effective Decisions : Ability to look at complicated information, weigh up different options and clearly explain your recommendation.

4. Delivering at Pace: Ability to plan and prioritise work, manage your time well and keep projects on track so that high-quality outputs are delivered to deadline.

The lead criterion is: Seeing the Big Picture

If we receive a high volume of applications, we’ll first sift using the lead criterion only. Those meeting 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: • Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Presentation

Prior to your interview, we will contact you about a task / presentation that the panel would like you to deliver as part of the assessment. Further details will be communicated to you nearer the time.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £44,600, HM Treasury contributes

£12,920 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days (rising to 30 after 5 years), plus public holidays and the King’s birthday.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme - Defined Benefit pension with employer contributions of 28.97%
• Parental Leave Packages - Including 6 months’ occupational pay for maternity/adoption, shared parental leave options.
• Flexible & Hybrid Working - Options include part-time, job-share, compressed hours, flexitime, and hybrid working (where business needs allow).
• Advance Schemes & Discounts - Rental deposit, cycle-to-work, SmartTech, season ticket loans, and access to HM Treasury’s benefits portal for a wide range of discount codes.

You can review HM Treasury’s full offer here .

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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 4th October 2026 before 23:55
• Shortlisting: From 5th October 2026
• Interviews: From w/c 12th October 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 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.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrori