HEO Policy Advisor – Contingency Planning Unit

This post is only based in 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 policy making 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
Financial Stability Group
The Financial Stability Group advises government on ensuring the stability of the UK financial system and economy. We track new and existing risks to the financial stability of the UK and the global financial system, taking action to mitigate risks and combat these when needed. We intervene directly to manage any public support for the financial services sector – including stewardship of (and exit from) the government's interests in NatWest Bank.

We're also responsible for ensuring that the financial authorities have the appropriate legal powers and resources to deal with future failures in the financial sector, as well as planning for future stability events.

The Group works with the Bank of England, the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority, the intelligence agencies and international partners, to build and maintain systems to monitor assess and deal with financial stability risks

*About The Team*
The Resilience and Resolution team is a friendly and collaborative team, working with Bank of England, Prudential Regulatory Authority, Financial Conduct Authority and security agencies to identify risks to the financial sector, develop policies and plans to mitigate and respond to those risks, and leads the Treasury's response to financial sector crises and operational disruption.

Within the team, the Contingency Planning Unit collaborates with the Bank and the FCA to handle the cross-authority response to failing financial services firms. We work with other teams in Financial Stability Group and across HMT to plan for market-wide stresses and idiosyncratic risks to the stability of the financial system. The unit is friendly and supportive, with significant opportunity to get involved in the wider work of the team.

The Role
Part of your job will be to support a Senior Executive Officer (SEO) to lead on monitoring and addressing risks to non-bank financial firms, providing updates and advice to seniors and ministers as is required. To do this, you will work closely with our partners at the Bank of England and the FCA, as well as other parts of HMT including the Financial Services Group, Fiscal and EGU.

You Will Also Lead On Work Beyond This In Line With Priorities For The Contingency Planning Unit And Wider Resilience And Resolution Team. The Exact Nature Of The Projects Will Be Confirmed Once In Post - And Can Be Flexed Based On The Interests And Skills Of The Postholder - But Examples May Include:

• An ongoing project on the impact of cross-border payments innovation on financial stability and national security.
• Organising crisis simulations to ensure the financial stability group and HMT more broadly is prepared to deal with financial stability events such as bank failures.
• Work to strengthen the operational resilience of the finance sector, such as preparing for a wide range of domestic, international and cyber threats.

*Key Accountabilities For The Role Include:*

• Contingency planning for distressed non-bank financial firms, such as investment firms, non-bank lenders, payment firms, insurers and central counterparties. Work with the Bank of England, PRA and FCA to understand the impact on financial stability, consumers and any wider implications - updating seniors and ministers on the situation and advising them on how to respond.
• Supporting live crisis management. The team works flexibly to respond to financial stability events as they arise. Your role will help to support colleagues in contingency planning, providing additional capacity and expertise as required.
• Projects. As described above, leading project work in line with priorities for the Contingency Planning Unit and wider Resilience and Resolution team.

The role portfolio and responsibilities may change to reflect any changes in the team's priorities and areas of focus.

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

*Key Accountabilities For The Role Include:*

• Contingency planning for distressed non-bank financial firms, such as investment firms, non-bank lenders, payment firms, insurers and central counterparties. Work with the Bank of England, PRA and FCA to understand the impact on financial stability, consumers and any wider implications - updating seniors and ministers on the situation and advising them on how to respond.
• Supporting live crisis management. The team works flexibly to respond to financial stability events as they arise. Your role will help to support colleagues in contingency planning, providing additional capacity and expertise as required.
• Projects. As described above, leading project work in line with priorities for the Contingency Planning Unit and wider Resilience and Resolution team.

The role portfolio and responsibilities may change to reflect any changes in the team's priorities and areas of focus.

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

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 form effective partnerships and relationships with a range of stakeholders to achieve your goals (Working Together)
• Ability to evaluate complex information and evidence, balancing trade-offs to develop evidence-based policy advice, and communicate a recommendation in an accessible way to senior decision makers (Making Effective Decisions)
• Ability to manage competing priorities to deliver high quality work across short and long-term objectives (Delivering at Pace)

The lead criterion is:
Ability to form effective partnerships and relationships with a range of stakeholders to achieve your goals
(Working Together)
If we receive large volumes of applications, we will conduct an initial sift on the lead criterion only.
Behaviours

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

• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

Alongside your salary of £34,820, HM Treasury contributes £10,087 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.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

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

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing date: 15th January 2026
• Shortlisting: Week commencing 16th January 2026
• Interviews: From week commencing 26th January 2026

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 Security Check (SC)

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

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 and Strengths.

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 security 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 security 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 : Thomas Wright
• Email :
• Telephone : Thomas Wright

Recruitment team

• Email :

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: If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Salary : $34,820