Operational Manager - Valuation Support Unit

About the job

Job summary

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This role is part of HMRC Valuation Office, formerly known as the Valuation Office Agency. We have recently integrated into HMRC.

HMRC Valuation Office are the public sector's property valuation experts and advisers with a vision to be a world-leading provider of public sector valuations. Our work is vital to the collection of over £60 billion of revenue which goes back into communities, touching every citizen and every business across England and Wales.

Job description

Role Overview

The Valuation Support Unit (VSU) sits at the heart of our operations here in the Valuation Office. The VSU is the first point of contact for our customers, and you will play a crucial role leading our colleagues to support our customer's needs and upholding the agency's reputation.

As an HEO Operational Manager, you will lead a team to deliver operational services within the Valuation Support Unit (VSU). The role provides direct leadership to colleagues delivering customer-focused, professional and responsive customer-centred services in a dynamic operational environment.

The role involves being responsible for operational performance, setting clear priorities, organising workloads and supporting colleagues to deliver business objectives. You will be effective in planning, communication and people management, including coaching, performance conversations and applying HR policies appropriately.

We are looking for someone who has a real passion for providing an exceptional Customer Service and is able to work at pace. The Operational Manager should have a good understanding of their own work area, using their ability and flexibility to switch between various tasks at short notice. You'll be flexible and adaptable but above all personable with the ability to put the needs of our customers first.

Key responsibilities

• Lead a team of EO's and AO's, setting clear team performance goals and identify risks, monitoring them in line with KPI's, demonstrating accountability and using feedback and performance conversations to support colleagues and address delivery issues.
• Manage resource planning and deployment, including forecasting of work and accurate recording of Activity Monitoring and Costing data(AM&C).
• Collaborate with other Managers across the unit to manage work allocation and meet business needs, ensuring most efficient use of resource whilst balancing competing demands, quality expectations and available capacity.
• Apply HR policies confidently and consistently when addressing people management issues, handling sensitive matters impartially to achieve effective resolutions.
• Identify, assess and resolve operational issues and emerging risks, escalating significant concerns where appropriate and ensuring timely implementation of solutions.
• To create and promote an inclusive working environment that values everyone for their individual contributions.
• Support change by communicating clearly, engaging the team and encouraging continuous improvement, helping colleagues understand business priorities and embed new ways of working.
• Develop colleagues through regular coaching and constructive conversations to support their capability, confidence and engagement.
• Build effective relationships with stakeholders across business areas to resolve emerging issues and support business needs.

There may be a need for occasional travel across the UK with some overnight stays required to support business needs.

Person specification

We are looking for an effective operational leader who has a real passion for leading people and inspiring others to deliver excellent customer service. The ability to work collaboratively within a team is essential, communicating clearly with colleagues and stakeholders to manage competing priorities, driving continuous improvement, and creating a culture of accountability and excellence.

The role requires strong organisational and planning abilities to ensure effective business performance, working proactively to prevent and mitigate risks while working effectively at pace.

You will be adaptable and comfortable balancing operational priorities with managing people effectively, setting clear objectives in line with operational goals and supporting staff to achieve their full potential.

Essential Requirements

• Demonstrating strong leadership skills when leading, managing or coordinating operational delivery. Ability to engage, motivate and build cohesive teams to achieve business objectives and improve performance.
• Excellent organisational skills to manage competing workloads, resource planning and performance against business objectives. Assessing workloads regularly to support colleague wellbeing and enable sustainable delivery.
• Ability to analyse information and performance data under pressure to make the right operational decisions, managing any risks effectively.
• A clear understanding of wider HR policies and their practical application, including effective attendance management and maintenance of a healthy work-life balance across the team.
• Strong people management skills, supporting individuals to enhance their performance, growth and development through positive engagement and constructive feedback.
• Ability to communicate and influence effectively with a broad range of people, both verbally and in writing, building trusted relationships.
• Flexibility to respond to changing priorities, lead continuous improvement and help embed changes ensuring sustained team engagement in a dynamic customer service environment.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,682, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £10,916 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

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 that starts at 25 days, increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days and a Civil Service Pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.

• 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 Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply

If you can meet our person requirements above, we are keen to hear from you.

To apply for this post, you must complete an online application with the following:

A Personal Statement (maximum 750 words) please outline your suitability for the role. Please pay particular attention to the 'Essential Requirements' and 'Person Specification' outlined in the advert when providing your answer.

Sift (7th - 9th October 2026) Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change.

We will assess you on your Personal Statement.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead essential criteria: Demonstrating strong leadership skills when leading, managing or coordinating operational delivery. Ability to engage, motivate and build cohesive teams to achieve business objectives and improve performance. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to interview.

Interviews (W/C 26th October 2026) Please note these dates are provisional and may be subject to change. These will be confirmed should you be invited to interview.

Interviews are currently taking place using Face to Face. We will provide more detail if you are shortlisted for interview.

We will assess you on the Behaviours listed in the job description and Strengths.

At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may 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: resourcingteamvo@hmrc.gov.uk - 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.

Application Hints and Tips

For more information on Success Profiles, tips on how to write a successful application and find out more about what's involved in the application process please visit About the application process , Civil Service Careers (civil-service-careers.gov.uk).

Further Information

Sponsorship

We have assessed this role against both Home Office and HMRC criteria and we are unable to offer sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa. This means the vacancy is not open to applicants who require visa sponsorship.

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 resourcingteamvo@hmrc.gov.uk 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.

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.

Locations

As part of the application process, you will be asked to tell us which of the locations available you can work in. You will be able to specify up to 1 option. Please be aware that you can be posted to any location that you put in your preferences. If you would only like to be posted to one location, please confirm one location only.

Successful candidate must select one of the locations noted in this advert as their base office and will be expected to undertake regular travel to this location under HMRC hybrid working policy.

Terms & Conditions

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.

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.

Reserve Lists

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 3 month reserve list as standard .During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order.

Concerns/Complaints

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Principles, you may make a complaint, by contacting the Central Recruitment Team at the following address: resourcingteamvo@hmrc.gov.uk.

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

Security
Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) 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).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Tyler Thom
• Email : vsurecruitmentteamplymouth@hmrc.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : voarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via resourcingteamvo@hmrc.gov.uk Please note that we do not accept complaints or appeals regarding scoring of outcomes of campaigns, unless candidates can provide clear evidence that the campaign did not follow the Recruitment Principles.