As an elected politician he was a member of the executive committee of Bærummunicipal council from 1967 to 1971.
Sand returned to the Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions as chief economist from 1977 to 1983. He returned to national politics in 1979, when he was appointed Minister of Finance in the cabinet Nordli. He retained his job when the cabinet Nordli was followed by the first cabinet Brundtland in 1981. However, this cabinet only lasted until October 1981, following the Norwegian parliamentary election, 1981.