Policy Adviser, Asset Management

Are you looking for an exciting and stretching role that provides the opportunity to see a policymaking process through from beginning to end, developing, testing, and implementing proposals ? If so, we’d love to hear from you !

About the Team

Personal Finances and Funds team brings together the strategic oversight of the asset management and consumer credit sectors in the UK, with responsibility for the protection of consumers to whom they provide services. Our work is challenging, fast-paced and high profile, but we are a fun, friendly and inclusive team with consistently high staff engagement. The team consists of three units:

The Consumer Credit Unit, which leads government policy towards the £200bn consumer credit market.

The Financial Inclusion, Capability and Consumer Debt Unit, which ensures that financial services are available and affordable to all, consumers are equipped to navigate them, and appropriately supported where they fall into debt.

The Asset Management Unit, which sets HMT’s strategy for the UK’s £10.3 trillion asset management industry.

The asset management sector is critical to the UK’s economic success. With £10.3 trillion of assets managed in the UK it’s the second largest sector of its kind globally, and it plays a central role in growing the savings of UK citizens, and channelling investment into key Government priorities such as major infrastructure projects, innovative growing companies, and the transition to Net Zero. The role of the Asset Management Unit is to ensure this sector continues to flourish and work effectively in the best interests of consumers and the economy.

About the Job

In this role, you will be:

·        Designing and implementing policy to ensure the UK has a robust and internationally competitive framework for alternative fund managers. This will involve developing expertise on relevant asset management regulation, conducting analysis and undertaking engagement to test proposals, as well as providing clear and comprehensive advice to Treasury seniors and ministers.

·        Leading on scoping and delivering this ambitious and cross-cutting programme of reform for asset management regulation, from consultation to legislative phase, working closely with lawyers and ensuring key milestones are mapped out and adhered to.

·        Leading on engagement with the Bank of England, Financial Conduct Authority and industry stakeholders, to ensure the Government’s approach to asset management regulation is effective and proportionate. This will involve forging close relationships to build consensus across organisations acting as a credible partner and challenger to deliver policy in areas where there are competing objectives and interests.

·        Maintaining an international outlook, closely tracking international developments related to the asset management sector, engaging on an international level with your policy counterparts and overseas delegations, and co-ordinating the Asset Management Unit’s input into set piece international events to ensure the UK’s interests are best represented.

For a full list of accountabilities please review the advert on Civil Service Jobs.

About You

You will lead the delivery of flagship reforms to regulations apply to alternative asset managers (including managers of hedge funds and private equity funds), and work across a range of other exciting policy areas affecting the asset management sector, including regularly advising senior civil servants and ministers on a range of policy areas. This role entails core civil service policy-making skills. It would suit someone who is familiar with managing a busy workload, is comfortable delivering a project through from beginning to end and can communicate complex concepts easily to non-experts. The role does not require any previous experience or knowledge of financial services.

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.

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