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- Tasks: Oversee DfE’s budget and advise on education spending proposals.
- Company: Join HM Treasury's friendly and supportive Education and Skills team.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a strong pension scheme.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on education funding and shape the future economy.
- Qualifications: Strong analytical skills and ability to build relationships.
- Other info: Dynamic role with excellent career development opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 43090 - 46500 £ per year.
Salary: National: £43,090 - £46,500. (If the successful candidate is a current Civil Servant joining on level transfer, HM Treasury will honour their current substantive salary if higher.)
Contract Type: Permanent
Working Pattern: This post is available on a full time, part time or job share basis, and flexible working hours can be accommodated.
Location: Darlington (Feethams House)
We are recruiting a Deputy Spending Principal in the Education and Skills team. This is a key role that sits centrally across the entire spending team. Together with the team’s Spending Principal, this role has responsibility within HM Treasury for overseeing the entirety of DfE’s budget (over £100bn of annual spending – the second largest departmental budget across all of government)!
About the Team: We are a high profile, friendly and supportive team with oversight of education budgets, ranging from children’s social care and childcare through to schools, further education, and higher education. Our core role as a spending team is to advise Treasury ministers on education spending proposals, help the Department for Education (DfE) to live within their budget, and work with DfE and other parts of the Treasury to ensure that we have an education and skills system which meets the needs of the future economy. We are a team of 17 people who put a strong emphasis on an inclusive and open culture. We are especially proud of our track record in helping our team members to develop and make the most of the opportunities available whilst being in the team.
About the Job: This is an exciting time to join the team – you will play a pivotal role in working across HM Treasury and with DfE to help implement the recent Spending Review settlement, and to prepare for and help deliver the next Spending Review due to take place next year. You will build networks across HMT as well as develop positive relationships with DfE to find common positions and broker agreements.
Key Accountabilities include:
- Leading the monitoring of DfE’s in-year budget position. You will now support the implementation of this budget through leading the monitoring of DfE’s in-year budget position. This involves analysing DfE’s spending data on a monthly basis, identifying and helping to respond to emerging spending risks.
- Leading advice for HM Treasury seniors and ministers to resolve novel, contentious, repercussive or complex spending issues that require HM Treasury approval.
- Leading HM Treasury’s relationship with two non‑ministerial departments, Ofsted and Ofqual. You will independently own and maintain strong relationships with senior finance officials in Ofsted and Ofqual, leading advice for HM Treasury ministers to help set and monitor their budgets.
- Supporting the team’s Spending Principal to help set the overall education spending strategy, both RDEL and CDEL, including at Spending Reviews and fiscal events.
- As part of the team’s central branch, you will support the Spending Principal and the team’s senior Management to develop a team‑wide position on how to prioritise spending in the education space and to provide briefing for senior officials and ministers to support their decisions.
About You: We’re looking for people who have strong analytical and judgement skills as well as the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with a wide range of partners. We want you to be able to prioritise and reassess workloads and be able to explain and skilfully influence others.
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.
Deputy Spending Principal- Public Services/ Education and Skills employer: HM TREASURY
Contact Detail:
HM TREASURY Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Deputy Spending Principal- Public Services/ Education and Skills
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees in similar roles on LinkedIn. A friendly chat can give you insider info and might just lead to a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by researching the latest trends in education spending. Show us you’re not just passionate but also informed about the sector!
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your STAR technique for answering competency questions. We want to hear about your past experiences and how they relate to the role, so be ready to share specific examples.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can leave a lasting impression and shows us you’re genuinely interested in the position.
We think you need these skills to ace Deputy Spending Principal- Public Services/ Education and Skills
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your skills and experiences align with the role of Deputy Spending Principal. We want to see how you can contribute to overseeing DfE’s budget and working with various stakeholders.
Showcase Your Analytical Skills: Since this role involves a lot of data analysis and budget monitoring, be sure to include examples of your analytical skills in your application. We love seeing how you've tackled complex issues in the past!
Highlight Relationship-Building Experience: This position requires strong relationship management, so share any relevant experiences where you've successfully built and maintained partnerships. We’re all about collaboration here at StudySmarter!
Follow the Application Process: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. We’re excited to see what you bring to the table!
How to prepare for a job interview at HM TREASURY
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Deputy Spending Principal, you'll be dealing with significant budgets. Brush up on your financial analysis skills and be prepared to discuss how you would monitor and manage large-scale budgets. Familiarise yourself with recent spending reviews and be ready to share your insights.
✨Build Relationships
This role requires strong relationship-building skills. Think about examples from your past where you've successfully collaborated with various stakeholders. Be ready to discuss how you would approach building relationships with departments like Ofsted and Ofqual.
✨Showcase Your Analytical Skills
Analytical skills are crucial for this position. Prepare to demonstrate your ability to analyse data and identify trends or risks. You might be asked to solve a hypothetical problem during the interview, so practice articulating your thought process clearly.
✨Understand the Education Landscape
Familiarise yourself with current issues in the education sector, especially those related to funding and policy. Being able to discuss these topics intelligently will show your passion for the role and your understanding of the challenges faced by the DfE.
