Lead Policy Advisor

Locations: Liverpool, Manchester or Newcastle
Would you like an exciting career crafting and developing key government policies?
Do you want to make a real difference to ordinary issues such as the price of a tank of petrol, how we administer income tax and welfare payments, or reducing the use of plastic packaging?
If you do, then Customer Strategy & Tax Design (CS&TD) 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.
Customer Strategy and Tax Design (CS&TD) sits at the heart of HMRC and lead on HMRC’s strategy, policy, guidance, analytical, customer, business architecture and design functions. In CS&TD, we work to build a trusted and valued, modern tax administration system that brings in revenue for public services. We’re responsible for the policy which underpins the delivery of VAT, Income Tax, National Insurance Contributions, Pensions, Business Taxes, Environmental Taxes and more. We have a wide remit, working in partnership with teams across the department and with the Treasury to develop new tax policies. Those policies help deliver government priorities, maintain the tax system and customs regime, and ensure that our legislation continues to achieve its intended outcomes.
Job description
We are recruiting across Customer Strategy and Tax Design policy teams to support our key priorities. Taxation and benefit issues are often high-profile, fast paced and politically sensitive so our policy roles offer the chance to work collaboratively across government departments, engaging with senior stakeholders, HM Treasury ministers and external stakeholders.
As an HMRC policy official you’ll be at the forefront of country-shaping events such as 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 and will deliver clear, succinct, and comprehensive proposals across complex and inter-related areas. Within this role, you will likely be involved in commissioning research, analysing data and information to build evidence to support policy development, working with lawyers to create and defend legislation, consulting external stakeholders, and supporting ministers with some of their priorities.
Our roles are high-profile and will require you to engage confidently with some of our most complex customers, our partners within HMRC, HM Treasury and other government departments – but 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.
If you are interested in learning more about Customer Strategy & Tax Design and the work we do, we are holding Policy Drop-in sessions on:

26 October 11:00 – 11:45
1 November 14:00 – 14:45

If you would like to attend one of these sessions, please contact Jennifer.lee1@hmrc.gov.uk with your preferred date and time to attend.
Key responsibilities
We are looking to fill a variety of policy roles in this exercise. If successful, your role will be in one of the Customer Strategy and Tax Design Directorates: Indirect Tax, Individuals Policy, Business Assets & International or Tax Administration. This list is not exhaustive.
Below are some examples of the type of work you may be involved in and what key responsibilities are likely to include:
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.
Undertake research and detailed analysis of policy options, including consultation with internal and external stakeholders.
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.
Working with technical, operational and compliance colleagues to deliver policy changes and identify areas for improvement to existing rules, processes and guidance for HMRC users, taxpayers and their advisers.
Some roles may also include line management responsibilities.
Person specification
We need results-orientated professionals with outstanding communication skills who can confidently engage with senior stakeholders, identify and analyse complex options, and design effective and innovative solutions. Successful candidates will be adaptable, able to respond to a constantly evolving environment, and will also need to be comfortable dealing with complex information, guidance or legislation.
Essential Criteria:
You do not need previous experience in Policy/Government to apply for this post. Instead, we are looking for candidates who are able to demonstrate experience of the following:

Developing and driving forward solutions whilst bringing others with you
Building and maintaining effective relationships, including with senior leadership and external stakeholders
Quickly developing a strong grasp of the end-to-end requirements of a piece of work/project
Considering a range of options for creatively solving problems, assessing the implications and risks of each option and taking into account wider strategic objectives
Excellent communication skills, with an ability to engage, influence, and advise senior stakeholders, basing advice on the analysis of incomplete or complex information.

Desirable Criteria:

Tax expertise, and/or an ability to grasp complex guidance or legislation

Job Types: Permanent, Part-time, Full-timePart-time hours: 37 per week
Salary: £54,439.00-£60,183.00 per year
Benefits:

Flexitime
Work from home

Schedule:

Flexitime
Monday to Friday

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Manchester, Greater Manchester
Reference ID: 316170