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Executive Assistant

Executive Assistant

  • Greater London
  • Flexible working
  • Full-time
  • Job share
  • Part-time

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  • Closing on: Sep 2 2026
  • £42,631 - £46,077
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About the job

Job summary

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.

Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.

Are you a natural organiser and do you want to work for an organisation that values its people? Then look no further, this job could be just what you're looking for!

At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues; an inclusive 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 and we offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career at HMRC accessible to you. Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success, and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

We have a vacancy for an executive assistant to the Deputy Director of our Finance Systems Strategy and Change (FSSC) team within the Risk, Control and Financial Accounting (RCFA) Directorate. The FSSC team performs vital work at the heart of HMRC, and our core mission is to help make tax management systems better and smoother for users and safer for HMRC by supporting the modernisation and optimisation of those systems.

The postholder will work closely with many stakeholders including:
  • G6 and G7 team leads across the Finance Systems Strategy and Change team.
  • Senior Leadership Team and their Private Offices from across HMRC.
  • Other government departments that we work with including HM Treasury.
  • HMRC Shared Service partners.
Job description
This is a really exciting opportunity to play a key role directly supporting the Deputy Director, working closely to manage the day-to-day monitoring and organisation of their diary and inbox, and also provide business support for the team as a whole.

The environment is fast paced and the role is multifaceted; requiring someone who can work flexibly, learn quickly, act on their own initiative and be comfortable working with ambiguity and change in a dynamic environment.

Person specification

The successful candidate will be a proactive and organised individual, ideally with experience of working in a diary management or business support role. You will be expected to prioritise your own workload and working responsibilities in line with your principal and your teams' priorities, ensuring work is actioned in a timely manner to agreed deadlines. You'll have a "can do" attitude and flexible approach.

Key responsibilities:
  • Effective management of the Deputy Director's diary and inbox, including prioritising, planning, negotiating, and making decisions where necessary.
  • Support with responding to requests / queries from other parts of HMRC, developing reports and liaising with colleagues at all levels to resolve issues.
  • Collating papers / briefing packs and being responsible for coordinating meeting papers, ensuring the Deputy Director is provided with the relevant information in advance of meetings.
  • Researching specific issues on behalf of the Deputy Director - some of which may be of a highly technical nature.
  • Preparing / commissioning bespoke presentations for speaking engagements.
  • Support key Senior Leadership Team and Wider Leadership Team meetings, ensuring agendas reflect priorities and support effective decision-making. You will coordinate forward looks and papers, take minutes, track actions, and issue clear and timely readouts.
  • Administrative responsibilities for meetings with senior leaders from across HMRC and across government, including taking minutes at meetings, representing the Deputy Director at certain meetings, acting as Network Secretariat, arranging room bookings and travel for the Deputy Director as needed.
  • Building up a good knowledge of the range of activities handled across the team and developing relationships with team members including but not limited to rewards management, SLT recruitment, coordination of learning & development bids, people, and customer surveys, and supporting the delivery of team events.
  • Assisting the Finance Director's Private Office when needed.
  • Any other duties assigned by the Deputy Director, Finance Systems Strategy & Change.
Essential Criteria
  • Proven experience of communicating and building effective working relationships with both peers and senior colleagues.
  • Experience of working in a fast-paced Private Office or similar environment, managing your own time and that of the Director or Deputy Director in a highly organised manner, prioritising multiple demands and negotiating deadlines.
  • Experience of handling confidential information and dealing with HR related activities.
  • Enthusiasm to build a good understanding of your principal's priorities and the work of the directorate.
  • The ability to work collaboratively and flexibly with others and within a dynamic team, often to short deadlines, to achieve common goals.
  • Good judgement and a considered approach to situations, tasks, and problems.
  • Experience of working with Office 365 (SharePoint, Outlook, OneNote, Word, PowerPoint, Copilot and Excel).
Desirable Criteria
  • Experience of preparing reports and analysis
Further Location Information

Please ensure that you only apply for a location that you are willing and able to work from, as we will only make one offer of employment. Any additional notes included in a 'Further Location Preferences (optional)' field within the application form, will not be considered. Please be aware that you cannot change your location preference after submitting your application.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
  • Managing a Quality Service
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Delivering at Pace
Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,631, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £12,350 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, 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 Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:
  • A name-blind CV including your job history and previous experiences. Your CV should cover up to a maximum of your last 3 roles within the Job History box.
    In the Previous Skills and Experience box, describe in up to 500 words how you meet the Person Specification outlined in the advert.
    .
  • A 500-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should be used to describe how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, making reference to the Essential Criteria outlined in the advert.
Please evidence any Desirable Criteria where applicable. This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy holder where candidates have the same score at interview.

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 your 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 asked Behaviour-based questions to explore in detail what you are capable of, and you will be asked Strength-based questions to also explore what you enjoy and your motivations relevant to the job role.

This is an example of a strengths-based question

"It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?"

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

Interviews will take place face to face in Stratford Regional Centre. 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. 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: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@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 .

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 unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@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.

Technical Support

If you are experiencing problems that cannot be resolved by our ' help ' section, then technical support is available. You will receive a reply in 2 working days.

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 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 : Chantale Joynes
  • Email : chantale.joynes@hmrc.gov.uk.
Recruitment team
  • Email : unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@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 there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@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. 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 website.

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