Senior Policy Adviser – Sustainable Finance

HM Treasury; London; On-site; GBP 56,000; Part time

Job summary

Join HM Treasury's Sustainable Finance Unit to influence policies that drive the UK's transition to a sustainable economy. This role involves collaborating with government and financial regulators to create innovative strategies aimed at addressing climate change through financial services.

Benefits

Generous parental and adoption leave package.

Access to a civil service pension scheme.

Flexible working patterns.

Onsite restaurant and coffee bar.

Cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme.

Qualifications

• Experience in financial services and/or sustainable finance preferred.
• Ability to analyze policies and make effective recommendations.
• Demonstrated capacity to engage and build relationships with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement policies for a leading transition finance market.
• Engage with government departments and financial regulators.
• Lead Treasury's engagement on adaptation and nature within finance frameworks.

Skills

Policy Analysis

Stakeholder Engagement

Financial Services Knowledge

Sustainability Awareness

Job description

This post can be based in London (1 Horse Guards Road) or Darlington (Feethams House).

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 pioneering new cross-government hub which brings people together to play an active role in the most important issues of the day whilst working closer to the communities we serve. The campus provides the opportunity for people from all over the UK to help shape the future of the country, and our flexible working practices ensure you can collaborate effectively with our partners. It’s central government, made more accessible to you!

Job Description

About the Group

The Financial Services Group advises the government on how to promote a stable and efficient financial services sector, to deliver excellent outcomes for consumers and business, enhance the UK’s position as a global hub for financial services and support economic growth across the country.

The financial services sector is important to the UK economy – providing significant numbers of jobs and making a large contribution to the UK’s economic output. It also provides essential services to individuals – for example, helping them to purchase goods with ease, buy their first home, and plan for their retirement.

We ensure that financial services businesses such as banks, investment firms, financial advisors and insurers are well-regulated. Ensuring firms treat customers fairly, customers have access to a range of financial services as a result of competition in the market, and there are appropriate remedies in place when things go wrong.

We work on a significant international agenda which includes promoting openness and trading links between the UK and countries all around the world, including through Free Trade Agreements and other international dialogues and negotiations. To do this we work closely with colleagues in offices overseas from the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department for International Trade.

Working with stakeholders is key in Financial Services – for example, we work closely with the independent regulators to help them fulfil their roles, consult consumer groups on issues affecting them, and work with the sector on wider issues like the net-zero agenda.

About The Team

The Sustainable Finance Unit

The Sustainable Finance Unit is an impactful and friendly team. We lead on policy and regulation for sustainable finance. Ensuring the UK’s finance sector can respond to the challenge of climate change is at the core of what we do. This includes supporting the financial sector to unlock the financing needed to address climate change, empowering people to understand the environmental impact of their financial choices and ensuring that the rapidly scaling market for sustainable finance is well-regulated. Sustainable finance is key to the Government’s vision for the future of finance in the UK.

Prudential & Sustainability Team

The Sustainable Finance Unit sits in the wider Prudential & Sustainability team, we are a friendly team with a multifaceted and high-profile remit, responsible for policy on sustainable finance and prudential banking.

About The Job

This challenging role in the Sustainable Finance Unit within the Financial Services Group provides an exciting opportunity to shape the Government’s sustainability agenda.

Sustainable Finance Is One Of The Fastest Growing Trends In Global Finance. You Will Work Collaboratively With Colleagues Across Government And The Financial Regulators To Create Innovative Policies That Will Harness The Financial Sector To Help Drive The UK’s Transition To a More Sustainable Economy. This Includes:

• Designing and implementing policies to ensure the UK has a world leading transition finance market. This includes working closely with other government departments, regulators and industry, particularly the Transition Finance Council to position the UK’s financial services sector to capture sustainability-related opportunities; ensuring the sector manages climate and environment-related risks; and supporting the mobilisation of necessary private finance needed to deliver transition to a resilient, net zero and nature-positive economy.
• Engaging with departments across government (including Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Business and Trade and DEFRA) and financial regulators (including the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority) to ensure that the government’s approach to the manifesto commitment on transition planning policy and regulation is effective, proportionate, and coordinated. This includes supporting the agreement of positions across departments and regulators.
• Leading Treasury's engagement with departments on how adaptation and nature can be embedded in wider international and domestic sustainable finance frameworks.
• Promoting the UK’s approach to sustainable finance regulation internationally, through preparing Ministers and seniors to engage with leading industry figures, at international forums, and with Parliament. Attending international meetings to represent the UK’s position on sustainable finance and support the building of greater international alignment across sustainable finance frameworks.
• Manage and matrix manage staff within the wider Unit who lead work on the above policy areas, delivering day-to-day management, development conversations and supporting the management of the wider Unit.
• Delivering clear, high-quality advice for ministers and senior officials on complex financial services policy, with a particular emphasis on providing a compelling narrative on how policies fit with broader Government climate and environment policy and deliver on government objectives (such as growth).
• Engaging with experts from industry, academia and NGOs to test policy ideas and identify emerging trends.
  
  

Experience of working in financial services and/or sustainable finance experience is desirable.

Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams

The hiring manager 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 ask any questions you may have. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.

Tuesday 10th June 2025 @ 15:00 - 15:30 Join the meeting now

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 [e-mail]

Sustainable Finance Is One Of The Fastest Growing Trends In Global Finance. You Will Work Collaboratively With Colleagues Across Government And The Financial Regulators To Create Innovative Policies That Will Harness The Financial Sector To Help Drive The UK’s Transition To a More Sustainable Economy. This Includes:

• Designing and implementing policies to ensure the UK has a world leading transition finance market. This includes working closely with other government departments, regulators and industry, particularly the Transition Finance Council to position the UK’s financial services sector to capture sustainability-related opportunities; ensuring the sector manages climate and environment-related risks; and supporting the mobilisation of necessary private finance needed to deliver transition to a resilient, net zero and nature-positive economy.
• Engaging with departments across government (including Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Department for Business and Trade and DEFRA) and financial regulators (including the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority) to ensure that the government’s approach to the manifesto commitment on transition planning policy and regulation is effective, proportionate, and coordinated. This includes supporting the agreement of positions across departments and regulators.
• Leading Treasury's engagement with departments on how adaptation and nature can be embedded in wider international and domestic sustainable finance frameworks.
• Promoting the UK’s approach to sustainable finance regulation internationally, through preparing Ministers and seniors to engage with leading industry figures, at international forums, and with Parliament. Attending international meetings to represent the UK’s position on sustainable finance and support the building of greater international alignment across sustainable finance frameworks.
• Manage and matrix manage staff within the wider Unit who lead work on the above policy areas, delivering day-to-day management, development conversations and supporting the management of the wider Unit.
• Delivering clear, high-quality advice for ministers and senior officials on complex financial services policy, with a particular emphasis on providing a compelling narrative on how policies fit with broader Government climate and environment policy and deliver on government objectives (such as growth).
• Engaging with experts from industry, academia and NGOs to test policy ideas and identify emerging trends.
  
  

Experience of working in financial services and/or sustainable finance experience is desirable.

Candidate Drop-In Session – Microsoft Teams

The hiring manager 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 ask any questions you may have. If you would like to join us, then use the link below to join the call at the right time.

Tuesday 10th June 2025 @ 15:00 - 15:30 Join the meeting now

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 [e-mail]

Person specification

We are looking for the below skills, experience and behaviours and we will ask you to demonstrate these in your application form. Please review the Candidate FAQ document that is attached to the advert for guidance on how to complete your application form.

• Ability to understand and analyse policy detail, identifying key issues and how they fit into overall organisational objectives to make policy recommendations (Making Effective Decisions)
• Ability to build relationships and work effectively with partners, and support others to do the same, including senior staff across your organisation and external stakeholders (Working Together)
• Ability to align work and support others to contribute to wider organisational objectives while remaining alert to emerging issues that might impact your work area (Seeing the Big Picture)
  
  

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.

Candidate Guidance Support Session – Microsoft Teams

We will be running an overview of Success Profiles and the STAR approach including top tips for the application and interview process and an opportunity to ask general questions around our recruitment practices. Please note that this session is not role specific, so we will be unable to answer specific questions about roles we are advertising. If you would like to join us, please use the link below to join the call at the right time.

Thursday 5th June 2025 @ 12:30 - 13:15 Join the meeting now

Thursday 19th June 2025 @ 12:30 - 13:15 Join the meeting now

Behaviours

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

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Delivering at Pace
  
  

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Working Together
• Seeing the Big Picture
  
  

Alongside your salary of £55,760, HM Treasury contributes £16,153 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• 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)
• Flexible working patterns (part-time, job-share, condensed hours)
• Generous parental and adoption leave package.
• A Civil Service Pension which provides an attractive pension, benefits for dependants and average employer contributions of 28%
• Onsite restaurant and coffee bar. The London office also offers a gym, showers and prayer room
• Access to a cycle-to-work salary sacrifice scheme, season ticket advances and payroll giving
• Access to a retail discounts and cashback site
• A Rental Deposit Advance Scheme to help meet the total costs of deposits for privately rented homes
• A range of active staff networks, based around interests and diversity
  
  

Flexible Working Arrangements

HM Treasury views flexible working as essential in enabling us to recruit and retain talented people, ensuring that they can enjoy a long-lasting career with us. All employees have the right to apply for flexible working and there are a range of options available including; part-time, compressed hours and job sharing. Additionally, we operate flexitime systems, allowing employees the flexibility to adjust their working patterns throughout the week which is subject to operational needs and line management approval.

At HM Treasury we have an incredibly broad remit; our work touches every citizen of the country. So, it’s important our employees come from the widest possible range of backgrounds, bringing us the widest possible range of perspectives and ways of thinking. We are committed to ensuring that all staff can realise their potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

HM Treasury operates an office based working approach across all Treasury sites - Darlington, London, and Norwich, and along with the rest of the Civil Service, has an expectation of a minimum of 60% attendance in the office, along with working remotely. This blended working approach allows you to work collaboratively, meet stakeholders face to face, support others and promotes a healthy work life balance (please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas). Some roles will not be suitable for Hybrid Working. Similarly, Hybrid Working will not suit everyone’s circumstances. Arrangements will be discussed and agreed with the successful candidate(s) and subject to regular review. All our offices have been recently modernised and designed to collaborate and connect with colleagues as well as desk and quiet space to allow a range of ways to work.

The office working expectation is linked to the location of the role. If you apply to a post in a single location, then you will not be able to meet this expectation at any of our other sites or move your role to another location.

Selection process details

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

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: Sunday 22nd June 2025
• Shortlisting: Week commencing 23rd June 2025
• Interviews: Weeks commencing 7th July 2025
  
  

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.

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

Reserve Lists

You will be placed on a reserve list if your application is successful, but we cannot offer you a post immediately. Where more than one location has been advertised, candidates will be approached for roles in merit order according to the first preferred location stated on your application form.

Please note that a place on the reserve list does not guarantee an offer. We would still encourage you to apply for other HM Treasury opportunities that you are interested in. If you are offered a role in your first preferred location and you decline the offer or you 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.

Eligibility Statement

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. Checks will be performed as part of pre-employment checks in line with this. Please refer to the Candidate FAQ document attached to the advert for more information.

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks. Additionally, individuals appointed to the Treasury group will be subject to National Security Vetting. The level of security vetting required for this role is Counter Terrorist Check (CTC)

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. In exceptional 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.

Please read the Vetting Charter for information on what to expect during the vetting process and what will be expected from you. Many areas of your life may be explored during your vetting journey, and it is important that every individual, regardless of their background and experiences, should feel comfortable going through this personal process, whilst having confidence that it is fair, proportionate, and inclusive.

These short videos address common concerns and preconceptions which applicants may have about national security vetting. If you have questions relating to security clearances, please contact [e-mail]

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

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)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact :

• Name : Kim Wilkinson
• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Recruitment team

• Email : [e-mail]
  
  

Further information

Complaints Process: Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment based on fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact HMT by email at: [e-mail]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

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• Employment type

  Part-time

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