Working directly with senior leaders across HMRC and across government, you will:

• Understand business problems, challenges and how technology can transform policy or ways of working to meet strategic objectives.
• Explore how the economy and working practices are changing, working collaboratively with policy, strategy futures and OGD colleagues to bring together user needs, design and technology that demonstrate how HMRC can transform.
• Lead multi-disciplined teams, investigations, research and analysis i.e. through proof of concepts, hackathons, etc, you will demonstrate how technology solutions (including new and unconstrained) can be applied in an HMRC environment.
• Ensure the Innovation team deliveries value-focused, with a clear, prioritised backlog to achieve the vision of each initiative. You will provide direction to rapidly deliver and using agile methodology to adapt to user needs.
• Lead engagement with HMRC IT partners and industry leading SMEs to get a solid understanding of the value offered by emerging technologies, being able to expertly communicate this potential to influence directors, strategy and policy makers.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the strategic direction and the key challenges facing HMRC and customer needs as the economy develops and ways of working change.
• Identify and prove that technology can provide appropriate solutions enabling HMRC to continuously adapt and stay up to date with technology advancements.
• Stakeholder Engagement & Innovation Leadership:
• Act as the key liaison for senior leaders and directors across customer and functional units within CDIO.
• Translate business needs into technology solutions, providing evidence-based recommendations that influence departmental strategy and service delivery.
• Lead innovation engagement by fostering a culture of experimentation, providing access to tools and resources, and guiding ideas from concept to implementation through appropriate delivery teams.
• Represent HMRC in engagement with academia, technology companies, events and groups to understand technology advancements and to encourage organisations to engage with HMRC to drive transformation.

Develop innovative ideas in to propositions that demonstrate an understanding of the actions required (i.e. analysis, trials, proof of concepts, supplier input) leading a team to develop recommendations on how to proceed or deliver a viable solution.

Person specification

The successful applicant will need to demonstrate relevant experience and effective delivery of the following:

Essential Criteria

• Strategic Thinking: Understand key challenges and constraints, and explore innovative solutions to support HMRC's transformation. Thrive in fast-paced environments, embrace experimentation, and make decisions grounded in user needs and value.
• Innovation Experience: Hands-on experience with emerging technologies such as AI, Cloud, Geospatial, or Synthetic Data. Make informed tech choices balancing user needs and value for money, with awareness of digital contexts and the wider tech landscape.
• Leadership and User-Centred Delivery: Translate user needs into deliverables, define MVPs, and prioritise effectively. Proven ability to maintain momentum, resolve blockers, and coordinate across teams and departments to meet commitments.
• Tech-Driven Alignment: Align business needs with technology services using product management principles to maximise value.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work effectively with multidisciplinary teams, stakeholders, and service providers, with strong communication across boundaries.
• User Advocacy: Build trust through clear communication, manage competing priorities, and engage meaningfully with users based on evidence.
• Vision & Influence: Gather broad requirements, identify problems, and shape ambitious strategies that gain organisational buy-in and translate into actionable goals.
• Team Leadership: Lead multi-functional teams effectively, champion cultural change, and act as a credible, influential role model.
• Team Collaboration: Skilled in building and motivating high-performing teams, fostering transparency, and promoting a collaborative, adaptable work culture.
• Product Management: Proficient in product ownership, translating user needs into deliverables, defining MVPs, and prioritising effectively.

Desirable Criteria

• UK Tax Domain Insight: Understanding of HMRC tax regimes to identify opportunities for tech-driven solutions.
• Software Development: Knowledge and practical skills of software development and Cloud platforms.
• Agile Expertise: Apply agile methodologies and user-centred design to enable rapid, iterative delivery.

Transitional Sites Information

If your location preference is for one of the following sites, it's important to note that these are not long-term sites for HMRC and we will require you to move to a new building in the future, subject to our location strategy and the applicable employee policies at that time.

For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations (opens in a new window)

These sites are:

• Telford Plaza, Telford - moving to Parkside Court, Telford

Leeds Locations

Moves Adjustment Payment will be available for this role, provided the successful applicant is a current HMRC colleague and meets the eligibility requirements outlined in the HMRC's Moves Adjustment Payment guidance.

Behaviours

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

• Changing and Improving
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £71,725, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £20,778 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

Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours 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 your last 5 roles, detailing your responsibilities and key achievements (Max 100 words per role).
• A 1000-word Personal Statement. Your personal statement should include evidence of any Essential Criteria, past experience and skills and suitability for this role.
• Separate 250-word statements addressing the specified behaviours.

Please complete a separate statement (Max 250 words) for the Desirable Criteria where applicable. This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy-holder where candidates have the same scores at sift or interview.

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

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.

Sift

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

At full sift all behaviour statements, 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, your behaviours will be assessed, in order to determine your suitability for the role

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, 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 .

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.

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.

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) .

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 : Dave Johnson
• Email : david.johnson3@hmrc.gov.uk
• Telephone : 03000 536611

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.