UK Debt Management Office (DMO)
Managing Director, Financing Strategy

Person Specification

Candidate Experience

The ideal candidate will have:

• Significant experience of working in a senior position in a financial markets related role in the private or public sector, with a high degree of familiarity with the technical issues associated with fixed income markets and, most importantly, a strategic approach to, and understanding of, factors affecting public debt management, including market conditions and investor developments.
• Excellent analytical skills and demonstrable track record in providing an analytical evidence base and technical insight with practical application to the DMO’s core activities. This is to ensure the provision of high quality, objective policy advice in the public interest on debt financing programmes and their implementation.
• Substantial familiarity with money markets and the implementation of central bank monetary policy and a strategic understanding of liquidity risk and cash flow management as it applies to sovereigns.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, in particular to synthesise complex technical matters for a non-technical readership and audience.
• A strong understanding of the policy context and considerations that government has to navigate. The ability to develop, draft and review policy, with experience of presenting policy advice and analysis of options to a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Excellent management and interpersonal skills, based on experience of having led a team, with the capability to motivate and develop staff and maximise their potential.
• Strong teamwork experience with the ability to work at all levels, in partnership with the other Managing Director, Financing Strategy, as part of the core executive team, as well as leading multiple teams.
• A highly developed appreciation for current strategic issues affecting financial markets, for example, regulatory matters and the increased use of technologies and their application across different areas of finance.
• Commitment to the Principles of Public Life/Civil Service Code, operating to the highest standards of integrity, and a strong appreciation of the DMO’s mandate and ethos as well as the ability to instil the ethos across the teams and their work

Essential Criteria:

• High degree of familiarity with the technical issues associated with fixed income markets and a strategic understanding of factors affecting market conditions and developments.
• Analytical skills and technical insight that can be applied to the DMO’s core activities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, in particular to synthesise complex technical matters for a non-technical readership and audience.
• Experience of developing and providing high quality policy advice on, and the implementation of, debt financing programmes.
• Strategic understanding of drivers which would affect policy advice around the implementation of debt financing programmes. Ability to draft and review policy, with experience of presenting policy advice and analysis of options to a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Broad leadership skills. Able to manage small specialist teams and operate at executive level to set strategy and direction

Desirable

• Experience of managing public sector stakeholders.
• Previous experience of operating collaboratively at senior level.

Experience, Skills and Knowledge

Experience

• Significant experience of working in a senior position in a financial market related role in the private or public sector, with a high degree of familiarity with the technical issues associated with fixed income markets and above all a strategic approach to and understanding of factors affecting public debt management, including market conditions and investor developments.
• A strong appreciation for current strategic issues affecting financial markets, for example, regulatory matters and the increased use of technologies and their application across different areas of finance.

Technical

• Excellent analytical skills and demonstrable track record in providing an analytical evidence base and technical insight with practical application to the DMO’s core activities, to ensure the provision of high quality, objective policy advice in the public interest on debt financing programmes and their implementation as well as other policy matters arising.
• Substantial familiarity with money markets and the implementation of central bank monetary policy and a strategic understanding of liquidity risk and cash flow management as it applies to sovereigns.
• Strong oral and written communication skills, in particular to synthesise complex technical matters for a non-technical readership and audience.
• A strong understanding of the policy context and considerations that government has to navigate. The ability to develop, draft and review policy, with experience of presenting policy advice and analysis of options to a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Excellent management and interpersonal skills, based on experience of having led a team, with the capability to motivate and develop staff and maximise their potential. Strong teamwork experience with the ability to work at all levels, in partnership with the other Managing Director, Financing Strategy, as part of the core executive team, as well as leading multiple teams.

Management/Leadership

• Senior level experience in financial markets, including successful experience in managing a small team and/or market specialist staff.
• A track record of successfully influencing stakeholders.
• A track record of working collegiately in teams in a fast-paced environment; particularly relevant is experience of leading teams delivering time critical, high-profile transactions.
• Demonstrable experience of leadership for staff and managing/supporting their development.

Conduct

• Commitment to the Principles of Public Life/Civil Service Code, operating to the highest standards of integrity, and a strong appreciation of the DMO’s mandate and ethos as well as the ability to instil the ethos across the teams and their work.
• Understand implicitly the importance of, and always adhere strictly to, confidentiality, given the sensitivity of DMO information.
• Fully appreciate the need for scrupulous fairness and objectivity in all DMO relationships and decisions, and demonstrate a consistent, diplomatic approach, as well as always upholding the principles of public service.
• Demonstrate allegiance to objectivity and an evidence-based approach to decision making, in particular a focus on considering the long-term implications of decisions and fairness across stakeholder groups.
• Possess a clear focus on delivery and working at pace with complete accuracy, as well as being able to inspire this in a team.