This Team Specifically deals with -

These vacancies are for G7 Litigators in HMRC Legal Group in the Tax Litigation Function within the Litigation Directorate. Specifically, the vacancies are in the First-tier Tribunal Litigation and Strategic & Counter Avoidance Litigation teams. Successful candidates may be offered a position in either of these teams.

The successful applicants will work with team colleagues to deliver an effective and professional litigation service that supports and continuously improves the work of compliance, whilst safeguarding the rights of taxpayers and the reputation of HMRC. This will include representing HMRC at the First-tier Tax Tribunal (FTT), liaising with Decision Makers, Review Officers and Policy specialists whilst also championing HMRC's commitment to customer focus, continuous professional development, equality & diversity and health & safety.

G7 Litigators will be expected to develop a high level of knowledge, skills and understanding and work as part of a fast-paced Litigation team but may also be asked to support colleagues in other parts of HMRC Legal Group and the wider HMRC.

Advocacy is an important part of being a litigator and successful candidates will be expected to advocate in the Tribunal.

G7 Litigators are also expected to lead on projects, including group litigation and wider pieces of work which support HMRC Legal Group and the wider HMRC.

Specific duties include:
• Working a wide range of standard and complex / challenging tax appeals that require an in-depth analysis of the issues and the ability to be able to research and interpret the relevant legislation underpinning the decision.
• An ability to understand and interpret large amounts of information, drawing conclusions on litigation strategy and legal risk.
• Making detailed written submissions to the Tribunal outlining HMRC's case.
• Presenting hearings at the FTT (in person or via video) and/or supporting colleagues who are presenting at the FTT.
• Undertaking application hearings before the FTT.
• Working to and complying with Tribunal Directions.
• Ensuring the Decision Maker is kept up to date at all times, especially if they are to be called as a witness.
• Checking the Decision Maker's witness statements.
• Identifying and collating bundles of evidence for hearings and managing bundle preparation.
• Attending case conferences, face to face and by telephone.
• Liaison with and coordination of paralegal support.
• Robust organisation and management of litigation caseload including file management, management information systems and processes.
• You will be a strong leader with the ability to work independently and at pace to lead wider projects in a well-structured and organised manner, impacting across HMRC Legal Group and wider HMRC.

Please note this isn't a gateway role into the wider Government Legal Profession.

Person specification

Grade 7 Litigators are well rounded professionals with experience in managing and resolving disputes in an effective, results oriented fashion. They may be tax professionals, legal professionals or both in combination.

They will typically have the following key skills:
• Communication - Have excellent written and verbal communication skills. This role requires Litigators to advocate complex litigation appeals before the First-tier Tribunal (Tax Chamber).
• Influencing Stakeholders - Adept in communicating with and influencing internal stakeholders confidently, with proactivity. Litigators are often required to confidently convey complex principles, fact patterns, points of law and Tribunal procedure to internal stakeholders.
• Working under Pressure - Litigators are often required to balance competing workloads and pressures, including Tribunal deadlines.
• A strong leader with the ability to lead on projects and wider work across HMRC Legal Group. Litigators may be required to undertake 'wider roles' in HMRC Legal Group, including leading Knowledge Management subjects, partaking in corporate activities, and assisting other Litigators.
• Adept in analysing large amounts of complex information (which may include case papers, legislation, and case law) and identifying points of relevance. Litigators are required to hold cases throughout the litigation process, including the analysis of case papers and preparation of pleadings.

There will be a need to travel across the UK for hearings with occasional overnight stays being required and there may be a need for occasional travel for business purposes.

Grade 7 litigators routinely deal with cases where there is significant ambiguity, novelty or complexity about the matters under dispute. They take leadership on resolution of issues and liaise with stakeholders to ensure Departmental objectives are met, resolving competing priorities without losing confidence and buy-in. The ability to manage multiple competing deadlines and re-prioritising workload when called for is critical to success in the role.

Candidates must have experience of dealing with complex tax matters and/or conducting complex litigation which demonstrates capability for this role.

Essential Criteria

For this post you must be a confident and skilled tax professional or litigator including:

1. A relevant tax or legal qualification (defined below)

And

2. Suitable experience in handling challenging and complex litigation or tax issues that demonstrates capability for this role as defined in the Person Specification.

Qualifications

A legal qualification and be already qualified as a solicitor, barrister, chartered legal executive, or have completed LPC, SQE (with Qualifying Work Experience signed off) or BPTC/BVC (or equivalent in Scotland or Northern Ireland) or

A tax qualification (CTA/AIIT etc.) or internal HMRC tax qualification (Direct or Indirect Tax) at level of TSP or predecessor qualification.

Successful candidates may also demonstrate that they have completed the HMRC Legal Group Quality Assessment Framework (QAF) and learning routeway to at least level 3 or have successfully completed the HMRC Legal Group practical assessment framework (PAF).

Successful applicants may be required to complete a Training Assessment Period; further information will be provided to the successful candidate(s)

Please note that there will be a requirement to undertake extensive training for a period of 24 months. The training will consist of: -

Tax Routeway.

Litigation Skills Training.

Full completion of the Quality Assessment Framework.

Further details will be provided to successful candidates upon appointment.

Please note that we won't be able to provide you with a supervisor for CILEX training.

Transitional Sites

For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations .

If your location preference is for the following site, it's important to note that this is not a long-term site 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.

• Benton Park View, Newcastle - moving to Pilgrims Quarter, Newcastle

You will be given more information about what this means at the job offer stage

Behaviours

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

• Delivering at Pace
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £58,541, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £16,959 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, 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, qualifications and previous experiences.
• A 1000-word Personal Statement should include why you are interested in the post, what you can bring to the role and why you are suitable linking back to the Job Description and Person Specification.
• A 500-word statement on how you meet the Essential Criteria.

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 for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Sift

A preliminary sift on the Essential Criteria statement will be conducted and only candidates meeting the criteria will progress to the full sift.

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.

Candidates will also be expected to give a ten minute oral presentation in respect of a legal issue on a subject given to the candidate the day prior to the interview. Full details will be provided to those candidates invited to interview.

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, merit lists will be created for each location advertised within the vacancy. If you are successful at interview, you will be placed on the merit list for any locations you have expressed an interest for. Appointments from each merit list will be made in strict merit order.

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

Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.

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 .

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 : Ross Kernohan
• Email : ross.kernohan@hmrc.gov.uk
• Telephone : 03000 594 858

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.