Policy Adviser - Higher Education

We are recruiting a Higher Education Policy Advisor to join the Education and Skills team. This is a pivotal role covering a range of high-profile and fast-moving policy areas. You will contribute to the management of the student loan book (valued at around £266.7bn), support the implementation of the new international student levy, and help design and deliver reforms to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the sector.

The Education and Skills team is responsible for spending control of one of the largest and most high-profile budgets in government. We lead HMT’s relationship with DfE at a time when the department is delivering several radical reform programmes. We are also at the forefront of the Treasury’s work to boost productivity, by ensuring that we have an education system which meets the needs of the future economy.

This is an exciting time to join higher education policy - the scale of the loan book and the breadth of live policy issues mean you will work closely with a wide range of stakeholders across the university sector, the Department for Education, and HM Treasury to deliver reform to strengthen and improve the sector.

We strongly encourage candidates from a diverse set of backgrounds to apply. We are looking for people who have the right set of skills, who demonstrate the values of our organisation, and who are motivated to come and work with us on a range of issues that are at the heart of how we spend money and deliver public services. This role requires a grasp of budgetary frameworks and as such spending experience would be helpful (but not essential).

Responsibilities

• Leading on managing the student loan book. Given the scale of the loan book, it is vital that HM Treasury maintains effective control over spending across England and the Devolved Administrations. Through the bi-annual Estimates process, you will work closely with DfE and other HM Treasury teams to use analysis to set targets - such as the level of student loan debt that can be written off - to support effective monitoring of this spending. You will also lead on providing advice to senior officials and ministers on novel, contentious, repercussive, or otherwise complex spending issues that require HM Treasury approval.
• Helping to implement DfE’s Spending Review settlement and the Post-16 Skills White Paper. The role involves working with DfE to determine the level and distribution of Strategic Priorities Grant funding, balancing competing objectives and managing complex trade-offs. You will help develop policy interventions to address financial sustainability risks, providing clear advice that reflects ministerial priorities. The Post-16 Skills White Paper introduced a wide range of ambitious measures, including changes to tuition fees and action to address poor-quality provision, aimed at placing the sector on a more sustainable footing. This role will oversee the effective and fiscally responsible implementation of these reforms, working closely with DfE, legislative teams and colleagues across HMT to ensure coherent delivery aligned with departmental priorities.
• Devising a Higher Education Strategy for the next spending review. Working with colleagues across HMT and DfE to develop a strategy for the next Spending Review on Higher Education. This will include addressing key questions such as how to encourage a subject mix that best supports economic growth, and how to strengthen the long-term financial sustainability of universities.

About You

We are looking for people who have the ability to use relevant, credible information from both quantitative and qualitative sources to support decisions. You will also have the ability to communicate complex information clearly and with purpose to influence others. While at the same time be able to build professional relationships with a range of stakeholders to deliver shared objectives, even when you have differing points of view.

Benefits

• 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.