Tax Planning Specialist - Croydon

Tax Planning Specialist - Croydon About the job

Job summary

Discover what it's like to work in a compliance role that makes an impact. Could you help us shape a stronger, fairer future? Your next career move starts here.

HMRC is one of the UK's biggest government departments. Almost everyone in the UK has some interaction with us. Each year, we collect over £800 billion from millions of people and businesses. This money helps pay for public services in the UK.

Large Business (LB) is responsible for over 2,000 of the largest businesses that pay a significant proportion of the total business taxes and duties that HMRC collects. Each business has a Customer Compliance Manager (CCM) who is responsible for managing the overall relationship with the customer and all aspects of the customer's tax affairs.

LB London is specifically responsible for businesses engaged in the banking and asset management sectors. LB employs tax, accountancy, audit and other specialists and works collaboratively with colleagues across HMRC in tackling risk and providing customer service.

HMRC is seeking a Tax Planning Specialist to join our dynamic team, where you will play a vital role in supporting the nation through expert tax guidance and technical consultation. This position offers the opportunity to work on complex tax planning matters involving multinational groups, providing strategic advice to senior corporate tax specialists whilst engaging with major financial institutions to assess risks and deliver solutions that matter.

Job description

The Tax Planning Specialist serves as a technical authority on complex corporate tax matters affecting multinational groups. This role requires an individual who can combine deep technical expertise with strong stakeholder engagement skills to provide authoritative guidance on intricate tax planning arrangements. The successful candidate will act as an internal consultant to senior corporate tax specialists, providing expert analysis on corporation tax compliance and international tax issues.

The Tax Planning Specialist plays a vital role in leading on all avoidance risks in the region and working with Customer Compliance Managers (CCMs) and tax specialists in identifying and developing challenges to emerging avoidance areas. In addition to leading on and raising awareness of avoidance, you will assist with working some of the most complex cases in the region. The role primarily has a direct tax focus, you will be responsible for ensuring that colleagues across Corporation Tax, Capital Gains Tax and Employer Duties are aware of the need to record avoidance and follow the avoidance handling processes.

This is a technical leadership role with no line management responsibilities.
Travel within UK may be required from time to time to fulfil this role.

Responsibilities

• Raise awareness across the region of direct tax avoidance, providing the knowledge to ensure that risks are identified, and deliver high quality relevant advice.

• Act as the single point of contact between the Counter Avoidance Technical Team and caseworkers/Customer Compliance Managers for direct tax avoidance matters, liaising regularly to inform them of significant cases and emerging risks.

• Lead, support, and coach International Tax Specialists, Financial Product Theme Specialists, and others working on complex avoidance risks, encouraging collaboration on unusual issues.

• Provide training and support for CCMs and tax specialists to ensure avoidance issues are recognised and properly recorded early. Assist case teams with risk assessment and handling of complex avoidance cases, ensuring adherence to departmental processes.

• Share best practices and knowledge within the Tax Planning Specialist national team and across the Customer Compliance Group.

• Collaborate with policy colleagues to influence proposed legislation, sharing tax planning expertise and previous commercial experience to achieve optimal outcomes.

• Deliver expert technical consultation on complex corporate tax planning matters to senior tax specialists within HMRC.

• Engage with major banks and multinational corporations to assist case teams in the working of potential tax risks.

• Analyse complex international tax arrangements, applying relevant legislation and judicial precedents.

• Support corporation tax compliance activities by offering specialist guidance and contribute to the development of HMRC's approach to emerging tax planning strategies and commercial structures.

Person specification

In addition to their professional qualifications, the successful applicant will need to demonstrate relevant experience and effective delivery of the following essential criteria:

Essential Criteria

• Extensive experience in complex tax planning for multinational groups, gained either as an external adviser or in a senior in-house tax role.
• Comprehensive corporation tax compliance expertise with proven technical proficiency.
• In-depth technical knowledge of corporate tax legislation, including relevant case law.
• Strong stakeholder communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively at senior levels.
• Sound understanding of international tax and cross-border issues.
• Ability to assess tax risks and deliver clear, practical advice to tax teams.

Qualifications

You must hold at least one of the following qualifications:


• Chartered Tax Adviser (CIOT)
• Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (CIOT)
• AIIT (including Paper 4*)
• A Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) membership qualification including:
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales (ICAEW),
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (ICAS)
• Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland (ICAI)
• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Post Graduate full legal qualification - in taxation matters.
• For previous or existing HMRC employees TSP or predecessor qualification (TPDP, IDP, ITS2, CPT FT2) - (note - existing HMRC employees would only be eligible if they have completed the appropriate course to get them to G7 level (or above) as a tax professional).

Technical skills

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

• Candidates will deliver a presentation demonstrating their technical leadership skills. Further details regarding this can be found in the interview section.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £78,988, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £22,882 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

• Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues' Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it's really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service

Things you need to know

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 Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:

• A name-blind CV detailing your job history and previous experiences based on how you meet the Essential Criteria, covering up to your last 5 roles (max 300 words per role), describing how you fulfilled the responsibilities and highlighting key accomplishments within each role.
• A 500-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement (max 500 words) should detail how you meet the key responsibilities and essential criteria for this role as outlined in the person specification part of the advert.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your CV.

At full sift your CV and personal statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

During the panel interview, you will be assessed on Experience, strengths and a Technical Presentation.

You will be asked questions with reference to the job specification and essential criteria, to assess your experience and key strengths to explore in detail what you are capable of, and this is an opportunity to evidence your expertise.

Candidates will also be asked to deliver a presentation demonstrating their technical leadership skills. Candidates will be provided with 10 minutes to deliver a presentation with a further 5 minutes for follow up questions. The presentation topic will be provided to candidates 1-week in advance to the interview.

Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: [email protected] - Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - 'Please re-open my application - [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]'.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

The HMRC app can help you with your application

The HMRC app can provide you with your past 5 years' employment history, making the process of filling in your application quicker and easier.

If successful in your application, you will need your National Insurance number for the onboarding process.

Download the HMRC app now and save your National Insurance number to your digital phone wallet.

How to download the HMRC app and sign up for an account

Download the free HMRC app from the App Store or Google Play store.

If you have an HMRC online account already, sign straight in using your ID and password. If not, you can prove your identity by answering some questions or providing your photo ID.

You'll then be able to access the app quickly and easily by signing in using a 6-digit PIN, your fingerprint, or facial recognition.

You can find guidance for technical issues on GOV.UK: Technical support with HMRC online services.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for up to 12 months from which further appointments may be made for the same or similar roles - if this applies to you, we'll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Hybrid working at HMRC

HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).

Reasonable Adjustments

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact the UBS Recruitment team via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the "Assistance required" section in the "Additional requirements" page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the 'location preferences' section that you can travel to.

Terms and Conditions

Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process.

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations (opens in a new window).

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

For more Information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - GOV.UK.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

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.

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).