Senior Sanctions Adviser (FullTime)

The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) within HM Treasury has been operational since March 2016 and in its first six years quickly established itself as a world-leader in financial sanctions, a key area of financial, foreign and national security policy. It then became, and remains, front and centre of an unprecedented financial sanctions response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. OFSI is the UK’s Competent Authority for financial sanctions. It leads on the implementation of UN and UK financial sanctions and domestic terrorist asset freezing, providing a high-quality service to the private and third sector, and mentorship to help them follow the law.

We work closely with law enforcement, intelligence agencies and strategic policy colleagues throughout Government to help ensure that financial sanctions are accurately understood, implemented and carried out. We are a diverse and friendly team, offering an outstanding environment to broaden your experience and develop new skills, whilst working on some of the highest profile international issues the UK faces.

As part of this position, you will:

• Leadership: act as a leader on areas of policy specialism throughout the licensing division. Potential line management responsibility for 1 EO.
• Case management: coordinating a portfolio of licensing cases, utilising case management and prioritisation techniques, and ensuring compliance with internal policies and procedures. Keeping the Case Management system up to date to ensure data is detailed and delivered in a timely manner.
• Case assessment: Leading on sophisticated licensing cases; acquiring and assessing evidence and intelligence gathered through multiple channels in a structured and ordered way to make licensing recommendations. In many of these cases the individual in this role will be required to operate independently in areas with limited mentorship or precedents.
• External engagement: negotiating with external partners where appropriate, and representing OFSI’s Licensing Unit more widely in external engagements. Interacting with licence applicants and their representatives through clear written and oral communications.
• Policy development: Policy scoping, research and development on licensing policy projects, including in relation to technical sanctions issues and licensing capabilities, using licensing data to support recommendations.
• Collaboration: with a diverse set of stakeholders including senior colleagues in policy, litigation, legal advisory, enforcement, intelligence and across HM Government, particularly with FCDO, to implement effective and legally compliant licensing.
• Advice and recommendations: Providing concise, accurate and timely advice and recommendations on complex matters to Ministers and senior officials, after taking into account legal, political and operational risk.
• Flexibility: Work flexibly within the Licensing Unit and OFSI more widely, supporting other areas of OFSI in their work and assisting with high priority urgent workstreams.

This is an exciting, fast-paced, diverse role, that will provide opportunities for the post holder to work on high-profile financial sanctions issues. The Licensing Unit assesses applications and offers mentorship on whether licences should be issued. These licences allow transactions which would otherwise be blocked by financial sanctions. This involves working with colleagues across OFSI and across government to progress individual cases, identify trends, assess risks, and handle legal challenges. Licensing colleagues must work quickly and stay focused. They rely on the expertise of colleagues with a diverse set of backgrounds. They provide recommendations to senior decision makers, such as Senior Civil Servants and Ministers. These recommendations impact applicants, third parties, and our sanctions regime's success. We are seeking people with the appropriate skills for the role. They must show an ability to quickly develop understanding of a complex and sensitive area.

You have the ability to analyse and use an assortment of relevant, credible information drawn from various sources to support meaningful decisions. You’re able to handle a complex workload in a fast-paced environment, balancing proactive project work and reactive tasks in order to meet immediate and longer term goals. You consider how your role fits within the wider organisation’s priorities and broader work, and ideally have experience of casework, investigation, or policy implementation (although this experience is not crucial).

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 28.97%.
• 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.

If you need any reasonable adjustments to take part in the selection process, please tell us about this in your online application form.