Lead Policy Advisor – Indirect Tax, HMRC, Liverpool, £52, 077 + civil service pension

Summary

At HMRC, we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues; a broad and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us so we offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make an exciting career at HMRC accessible to everyone.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

About the Team

Would you like an exciting career crafting and developing forward-thinking key government priorities?

Do you want to make a real difference to ordinary issues such as the price of a tank of petrol or reducing the use of plastic packaging?

If you do, then Customer Strategy & Tax Design - Indirect Tax is the place for you.

We are looking for talented and enthusiastic individuals to join our friendly teams. We’ll help you develop your understanding of the relevant subject area to inform your thinking, as well as building your broader capability to help you develop your career.

Taxation and benefit issues are often high-profile, fast paced and politically sensitive so our roles offer the chance to work collaboratively across government departments, engaging with senior stakeholders, HM Treasury ministers and external stakeholders.

Indirect Tax Directorate are responsible for the policy which underpins the delivery of VAT, Insurance Premium Tax, Environmental Taxes, Transport Taxes (Oils and Air Passenger Duty), Alcohol, Tobacco and Gambling Duties, and the Soft Drinks Industry Levy.

We are also HMRC leads on the development and delivery of new indirect taxes, such as the Plastic Packaging Tax.

Job description

We are recruiting across Indirect Tax to support our key priorities. We need results-orientated professionals with outstanding communication skills, who can identify and analyse complex options, design effective and innovative solutions, and work with lawyers to create and defend legislation. You'll be at the forefront of country-shaping events such as UK Transition and the Chancellor’s Budgets and represent HMRC’s interests across Government, influencing and brokering effective outcomes.

On a day-to-day basis you will evaluate and monitor the operation of existing tax policy and develop new policy options as the needs of our customers, and the Government, change. You will work closely with a range of partners to ensure these policies are deliverable on the ground. Within this role, you will likely be involved in commissioning research, analysing data and information to build evidence to support policy development, creating new legislation, consulting external stakeholders and supporting ministers with some of their priorities.

Our roles are high-profile, you will need to be able to respond to a constantly evolving environment, engaging confidently with some of our most complex customers, our partners within HMRC, HM Treasury and other government departments. You'll deliver clear, succinct and comprehensive proposals across complex and inter-related areas.

We’ll support you all the way and offer you broad exposure to exciting, varied and high-profile portfolios, in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Responsibilities

We are looking to fill a variety of roles in this exercise. Below are some examples of the type of work you may be involved in and what key responsibilities are likely to include. You do not need previous experience in Policy/Government to apply for this post.

• Develop and deliver policies at pace aligned with HMRC’s strategic objectives and government priorities, working in partnership with HM Treasury and other government department officials

• Manage the research and analysis of policy options.

• Create new legislation to deliver your policies and facilitate its progress through Parliament including speaking notes for your minister, and Budget and Finance Bill documents.

• Advise on the accurate application of HMRC policies, including briefing senior officials and ministers.

• Draft and approve ministerial submissions and responses to Parliamentary Questions and replies to ministerial correspondence.

• Manage the development and maintenance of guidance and other material for HMRC users, and for taxpayers and their advisers.

• Some roles may include line management.

Essential Criteria:

The successful candidate will be able to:

• Develop and drive forward solutions whilst bringing others with you and managing multiple competing priorities.

• Build and maintain effective partner relationships including with senior leadership and external stakeholders

• Quickly develop a strong grasp of the end-to-end requirements of a piece of work/project, consider a range of options for solving problems in a creative way in line with wider strategic objectives

• Write clearly to engage, advise, and influence senior decision-makers. Analysing and presenting incomplete or sophisticated information in a succinct and effective manner.

Behaviours

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

Leadership
Making Effective Decisions
Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension