Deputy Director - Growth Strategy Unit

North East Combined Authority; Tees Valley; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave 25–30 days

Flexible working patterns

Parental & adoption leave

Defined Benefit pension 28.97%

Cycle-to-work scheme

Staff networks

Job summary

HM Treasury's Growth Strategy Unit leads high-level work to shape the government's growth policy, partnering with No. 10, No 10 North, and senior ministers to set priorities and deliver growth updates each year.

The role develops economic strategies, builds cross-government teams, and drives data-informed analysis to support policy decisions with an emphasis on inclusive, ambitious growth across the UK.

Qualifications

• Outstanding people leadership with experience setting strategic direction.
• Ability to lead in uncertain and complex policy environments.
• Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills with senior partners and Ministers.
• Ability to absorb data and build an evidence-based strategy.

Responsibilities

• Provide advice to the Chancellor and Treasury Ministers on growth and strategy, coordinating across HMT teams to deliver impactful policy updates.
• Build and maintain relationships with No 10, No 10 North, and centre-of-government partners to align the agenda.
• Engage in external research and debate on growth with communications, business engagement and inward investment teams.
• Lead the Growth Economics Branch by integrating economic analysis into policy-making with the Economics Group and other departments.
• Head the Growth Strategy Unit's cross-functional project function, commissioning studies to inform policy challenges.
• Demonstrate leadership and people management to develop an inclusive, high-performing team.
• Promote diversity, inclusion and belonging in all aspects of work.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic vision

Influence & stakeholder mgmt

Data analysis

Job description

Become part of the core of government and contribute to the UK's growth mission. Leading the Growth Strategy Unit, you will engage with No.10, the Cabinet Office, and senior leaders to develop economic strategies, form key partnerships, and promote policies that generate lasting economic impact across the country.

About the Team

Established earlier this year, the Growth Strategy Unit is a new team in EGU. It guides HMT’s growth efforts to assist the Chancellor and works closely with No 10 and No 10 North.

The process involves developing the broad approach to increasing growth and living standards via supply side reform. It informs the Chancellor, Exchequer Secretary, EMB, the PM, No10 including No 10 North, and the Cabinet Secretary about the main influences on the UK's economic performance. It evaluates the current strategy’s sufficiency and considers opportunities for additional progress, including handling fiscal and wider trade-offs.

It collaborates closely with groups throughout HMT, No 10 including No10 North and beyond, holding responsibility for particular growth policies. GSU aims to guarantee strategic and narrative consistency; and offers thoughtful challenge to broader policy development by introducing creativity and fresh perspectives.

It directs external interaction on growth, including with economic commentators, think tanks and academics. This interaction is strategic and reciprocal: listening to partners’ perspectives, while also proactively and confidently presenting the Government’s strategy and addressing challenges.

It undertakes strategic growth projects on specific priority areas – for example, where these are crosscutting, or require a new perspective. This currently includes work on economic dynamism.

It leads work on growth economics and analysis for HMT, collaborating across a large, expert analytical community in EGU, Economics Group and beyond.

Key Accountabilities for this role include:

1. Providing advice to the Chancellor and other Treasury Ministers on the government’s broad growth and economic strategy, developed alongside No 10 and No 10 North. The role requires crafting and integrating work from various HMT teams to make the growth strategy more impactful than individual contributions. It also promotes ambition and innovation. The position includes assembling this work for important events, with the Chancellor committed to delivering two growth updates each year.
2. Build, maintain, and develop positive relationships with No 10, including No 10 North, and various partners across the centre of government and key growth departments to compose the agenda and ensure alignment and consensus.
3. Proactively build and engage in external research and the debate on growth, working closely with colleagues leading on communications, business engagement and inward investment.
4. Lead the Growth Economics Branch by incorporating economic analysis into strategic policy-making. Collaborate with the HMT Economics Group, the AI Economy Institute, and key Chief Analysts in other departments. Guide and support an innovative and cooperative analytical work programme that drives strategic prioritisation and ensures growth policy development is grounded in thorough, evidence-based analysis.
5. Lead the project function within the Growth Strategy Unit comprising cross-functional teams to develop critical thinking on specific policy challenges. This will include partnering with Direct Ministerial Appointments, external analysts and leaders with a point of view to commission and drive studies that inform strategic policy.
6. Display strong leadership and people management skills with the ability to build and develop a diverse, inclusive and encouraging team. This includes strong economic/analytical skills to be able to lead the analytical function.
7. Show a clear dedication to promoting diversity, inclusion and belonging, role modelling excellent behaviours at all times.

Person Specification

We are looking for an outstanding leader with experience in the following areas:

• Outstanding people leadership skills, with experience of setting strategic direction and leading high-performing teams to deliver at pace and in an inclusive way
• Sound judgement and strong strategic vision are essential. Good knowledge of the Economic Strategy's various tenets is required. You should have a track record of leading in uncertain and complex policy and political environments.
• Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills. Proven ability to gain the confidence and trust of a broad range of senior partners and Ministers. Skilled at working effectively with them and proactively driving an agenda.
• Ability to absorb and interrogate data, communicate it clearly and credibly to support decision-making, and build an evidence and analysis-led strategy

Our Benefits:

• Annual leave starts at 25 days and rises to 30 after 5 years. You also receive 8 public holidays and the King’s birthday off, unless you have a legacy Civil Service arrangement. Flexitime allows employees to take up to 2 additional days off monthly.
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)
• Generous parental and adoption leave packages
• Access to a generous Defined Benefit pension plan featuring employer contributions of 28.97%
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice program and season ticket loans
• A range of active staff networks, based around interests (e.g. analysts, music society, sports and social club) and diversity

If you need any reasonable adjustments to join the selection process, please mention this in your online application form. You may also contact the recruitment team at [e-mail].