Tax Specialist Programme 2027

About the job

Job summary

Do you enjoy analysing complex information, solving difficult problems, working with people and making evidence-based decisions?

You'll join HMRC in a permanent role from day one and develop the skills, knowledge and experience needed to become a Senior Tax Specialist.

As part of HMRC's Tax Specialist Programme (TSP), you'll help ensure the right amount of tax is collected, supporting the funding of vital public services such as schools and hospitals across the UK.

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it's really like to work at HMRC.

Programme at a glance

• Permanent role from day one
• Structured 3 to 4 year development programme
• Open to graduates and eligible existing Civil Servants
• No previous tax experience required
• Minimum 2:2 degree (or equivalent Level 6 qualification), or eligibility as a current Civil Servant recruited through fair and open competition
• Real responsibility from an early stage
• Automatic promotion on successful completion of the programme
• Clear route into a specialist professional career

Job description

What you'll do

From early in the programme, you'll work on real tax cases involving individuals, businesses and professional advisers.

You'll:

• Manage your own workload and priorities while working with complex information and developing professional judgement;
• Work directly with customers, accountants and tax advisers through face-to-face meetings, telephone calls, video calls and written correspondence;
• Gather and evaluate evidence to build an understanding of complex situations;
• Review evidence and resolve tax enquiries, helping customers get their tax right and ensuring the correct amount of tax is collected, including statutory interest and penalties where appropriate;
• Build specialist knowledge across a range of tax areas, including Corporation Tax, Personal Tax, VAT, Employment Duties and Customs; and
• Develop communication, negotiation, influencing, decision-making and leadership skills as your experience grows.
• You'll play an important role in helping customers get their tax right while supporting a fair and effective tax system.

What you can expect from the programme

The Tax Specialist Programme combines workplace responsibilities with structured learning and assessment.

You'll balance:

• Customer-facing tax casework;
• Formal learning and development;
• Independent study;
• Written and verbal assessments; and
• On-the-job learning supported by experienced tax professionals.

The programme is demanding and requires commitment, organisation and resilience. You'll be expected to take ownership of your development and demonstrate progress throughout the programme while meeting the required standards in both workplace performance and formal assessments.

You'll be supported throughout by experienced tax professionals, Business Learning Managers, learning specialists and fellow trainees, helping you develop the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to succeed.

As a Tax Specialist, you'll work directly with customers and their representatives through a range of channels, including face-to-face meetings, telephone calls, video calls and written correspondence. You may be required to attend meetings away from your home office location and undertake face-to-face visits as part of your tax work and professional development.

The role cannot be carried out entirely from home, and successful candidates must be able to meet the programme's 60% office attendance, travel and customer engagement requirements.

Contractual homeworking will not be considered unless you are already an HMRC homeworker, in which case a one-to-one discussion will be held at the offer stage to assess your ability to meet the programme's requirements. Additionally, not all Grade 7 roles that trainees may progress into are suitable for homeworking.

Flexible working

HMRC supports flexible and hybrid working arrangements where business needs allow.

As a trainee on the Tax Specialist Programme, you'll be expected to balance workplace learning, customer engagement and professional development activities. Due to the nature of the programme:

• A minimum of 28 working hours per week is required;
• You'll be expected to work from an HMRC office for at least 60% of your working time;
• Attendance at classroom-based learning events and programme activities is required;
• Travel may be required where business needs require it, including attending meetings and visits away from your home office location; and
• Part-time working may increase the overall duration of the programme.

Person specification

What we're looking for

We're looking for people who are curious, motivated by complex analytical work and interested in building a long-term career in tax.

You'll need to demonstrate:

• The ability to work with complex information and competing viewpoints;
• Curiosity and a willingness to learn;
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;
• Professionalism and sound judgement;
• Effective organisation and time management;
• Resilience and determination;
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team; and
• Commitment to a structured professional development programme.

You do not need

• Previous tax experience;
• An accounting qualification; or
• A finance-related degree.

We welcome applications from a wide range of educational and professional backgrounds.

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).

As part of HMRC, you'll have access to a range of benefits designed to support your wellbeing, development and career, including:

• • Civil Service Pension with employer contributions of at least 28.97%;
  • Annual leave starting at 25 days and increasing to 30 days with qualifying service;
  • Flexible and hybrid working options where business needs allow;
  • Learning and development opportunities;
  • Family-friendly policies and wellbeing support; and
  • A diverse and inclusive working environment.

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 Ability.

Before you apply

The Tax Specialist Programme is a structured route into a long-term career within HMRC's tax profession.

We strongly encourage all applicants to explore our careers site, trainee stories, videos and programme resources to gain a realistic understanding of both the opportunities available and the commitment involved. These resources provide valuable insight into the role, learning journey and what it's like to work as a Tax Specialist.

Before submitting your application, please read the accompanying TSP Recruitment Process Candidate Guide.

The guide contains important information about:

• Key recruitment dates and deadlines;
• Eligibility and choosing a location;
• Whether the programme is right for you;
• Reasonable adjustments and support available;
• Each stage of the recruitment process;
• How candidates progress through the campaign; and
• Frequently asked questions.

This vacancy is using Success Profiles. During the recruitment process you'll be tested against all 9 Behaviours, during the CS Styles Assessment, 4 of which will be additionally tested if you are invited to the final assessment centre.

Information about assessment centre attendance requirements, reasonable adjustments and Disability Confident Scheme arrangements can be found in the accompanying TSP Recruitment Process Candidate Guide.

Eligibility

To apply, you must:

• Have, or expect to achieve by September 2027, a minimum 2:2 degree (or equivalent Level 6 qualification); or
• Be a current Civil Servant recruited through fair and open competition who has successfully completed probation before September 2027 if you do not hold a degree-level qualification.

Civil Servants at risk of redundancy may declare this during the application process.

You will not be eligible to join the programme if you are subject to a Conduct and Discipline sanction.

This role is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.

Locations

You will be asked to select one location preference when applying.

Your chosen location will remain with you throughout the recruitment process, so please only select a location that you would be able to travel to and work from if successful.

Other tax professional opportunities in HMRC

Where candidates perform strongly during the recruitment process but are not offered a place on the Tax Specialist Programme, we may consider them for other tax professional opportunities within HMRC at Higher Officer and/or Officer grade, where appropriate.

Repeat applications

You cannot submit more than one application for the same year's intake. Any duplicate applications will be removed from the recruitment process.

If you are unsuccessful, you may apply again in a future Tax Specialist Programme campaign, provided you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.

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.

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 : TSP Recruitment Team
• Email : tsprecruitmentteam@hmrc.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : volumespecialistrecruitment@hmrc.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 a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/

Attachments
TSP2027 Candidate Guide Opens in new window (pdf, 477kB)