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Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
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Senior leadership
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About the job
Job summary
This is a challenging and high-profile role which will be pivotal in transforming HMRCs approach to intermediation in the tax system, as custodians of that system. Through driving and co-ordinating activity within HMRC and other parts of government it will help ensure that we create the right environment and structures to prioritise changes that protect customers and improve the efficiency of the tax system.
As Deputy Director for Tax Agent Policy, you will be responsible for the direction and activities of the Agent Policy Team currently 28 FTE with additional priority project resource attached.
You will be required to drive forward activities that support HMRCs Agent Strategy, collaborating with colleagues from across the department to identify opportunities to deliver reforms and transform agent services and uphold agent standards.
You will also play a key leadership role as part of the Intermediaries Directorate senior leadership team, and as a senior leader in CSTD.
Job description
Key Responsibilities
- Lead HMRCs work to strengthen the regulatory framework for tax advice and deliver on Ministerial commitments;
- Set and promote HMRCs Standard for Agents, and provide technical advice to operational and compliance colleagues to resolve issues related to breaches of standards;
- Lead HMRCs work to define the future operating model for agent services, ensuring alignment with the Future Operating State and wider service transformation;
- Work with key delivery programmes (incl. MTD, ITST, CA) to ensure intermediaries requirements are incorporated into design of future services;
- Identify and deliver reforms to tackle harms caused by repayment agents, working closely with operational, compliance and technology colleagues;
- Working with Transformation colleagues, provide policy leadership to the Agent Programme, responsible for delivering a SR-funded proof of concept, repayment agent registration, and improvements to HMRCs approach to agent/client authorisation;
- Represent HMRC with senior stakeholders across the tax and accountancy profession, providing a clear account of how HMRC is developing agent services and standards.
Key Interactions
- Direct Line Management 3 x Grade 6s
- Indirect line management: Design and Digital Services (12), Policy and Technical (5), Reform Policy (8)
- Teams situated in multiple locations including Birmingham, Cardiff, Croydon, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Salford, Stratford
- ID Senior Leadership Team (SLT)
- CS&TD SLT
- Permanent Secretaries
- Executive Committee (ExCom)
- HMRC Transformation Group, CDIO, Customer Services Group and Customer Compliance Group
- HMT and DBT
- Public Bodies and other external Intermediaries Groups
Performance Metrics
- HMRC Business Plans
- CS&TD Business Plans
- ID Strategy
- People Survey
Person specification
We are seeking a visible, persuasive leader and strong collaborator who is delivery-focused and able to support and build capability within multifaceted programmes. They will be a strategic problem solver, with the ability to provide structure and direction in ambiguous and complex environments.
The ideal candidate will also be experienced in gathering and using evidence from a broad range of sources to support policy decision making
The successful applicant will need to demonstrate relevant experience and effective delivery of the following essential criteria.
Essential Criteria:
- A visible, persuasive and delivery-focused leader and strong collaborator capable of working across organisational boundaries and externally to build consensus and drive forward a multifaceted programme of work at pace.
- A track record of solving complex strategic challenges, turning strategic solutions into practical deliverables and operating models.
- Experience of gathering and using evidence and insight from a wide range of sources to support policy decision-making.
- Excellent leadership skills, with the ability to confidently lead and inspire teams across multiple locations. You will be able to set direction, vision and goals while also nurturing and building capability within and across teams.
- A strong influencer, with excellent communication skills. You will be able to work collaboratively with senior internal and external stakeholders, providing high quality briefing (written and oral) on a range of sensitive and complex subjects
Desirable knowledge/experience:
- An understanding or knowledge of HMRC and the tax system.
Benefits
£20,250 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously, and want to enable you to build a successful career with the department and wider Civil Service.
It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and youll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing.
As a Civil Service employee, youll be entitled to a large range of benefits.
This includes:
- 25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years service. This is in addition to your public holidays.
- This will be complemented by one further day paid privilege entitlement to mark the Kings Birthday.
- Interest-free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle.
- Flexible working patterns and access to Flexible Working Schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours.
- A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join and where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension. Your contribution comes out of your salary before any tax is taken and will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.
- Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers.
- Use of onsite facilities (where applicable).
- Occupational sick pay.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
To apply for this post, you will need to complete an online application by submitting the following:
- A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
- A Statement of Suitability explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the criteria in the person specification.
Your CV and Statement of Suitability should reflect your most relevant and recent skills and experience in relation to the role. Therefore, we recommend that each document is no more than two A4 pages long.
By not submitting a CV and a Statement of Suitability will mean we only have limited information to assess your application against the person specification. Please ensure both documents contain your full name.
If you encounter any issues with your application or dont receive an acknowledgement within 48 hours, please contact Robert Gavin at scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk
Shortlist
An application pre-sift will be conducted by the SCS Recruitment Team followed by an in-depth review by the Vacancy Holder and Panel.
The panel will assess and select applicants who demonstrate the best fit with the role by considering the evidence provided against the criteria set out in the Person Specification. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application. The closing date for applications is Monday 6th November 2023 and a shortlist decision is expected to be made by w/c 13th November 2023. All candidates will be notified of the outcome shortly afterwards.
All shortlisted candidates will be offered an opportunity to have an informal conversation with the vacancy holder, Rob Jones. This is not an assessment phase but is an opportunity for each candidate to gain greater insight into the context of the role. This is optional, but highly recommended.
Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS)
Candidates applying under the Disability Confidence Scheme are guaranteed an interview if they meet the minimum criteria outlined in the person specification.
This scheme works in conjunction with the Great Place to Work for Veterans, for former members of the armed services, and the Redeployment Interview Scheme for existing Civil Servants at risk of redundancy. Each scheme works in the same way.
Use of Data
As part of the recruitment process, we may share your data and assessment results internally with our SCS Talent team.
This will provide insight into how to support your development and wider talent management, should you be successful in your application.
If you do not want your data to be shared, please email Robert Gavin at scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk
Assessments:
If shortlisted for interview, you will be asked to take part in an Individual Leadership Assessment (ILA).
Assessments dont result in a pass or fail decision. Rather, they are designed to support the panels decision making and highlight areas for further exploration at interview.
Full details of the assessment process will be made available to candidates if shortlisted for interview.
We will send you a copy of any report for any assessment that you may have undergone as part of the recruitment process (where applicable).
Interview:
You will be asked to attend an interview for a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence.
We will also ask you to prepare a 5-minute verbal presentation. Details will be issued in advance of your interview.
Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 4th December 2023 and will be held in person at a location to be confirmed (full instructions will be issued prior to interview).
Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible once all interviews have concluded.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them
to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through
building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above.
This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions.
Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and
conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your
personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any
absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you
to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
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Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Robert Gavin
- Email : scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk
Further information
