About the job

Job summary

The Expert Advice Services function has recently moved within CPO to join the HR business partnering function.

Expert Advice Service (EAS) is made up of around 97 HR professionals who provide help and support to HMRC employees with any workplace concerns and to managers regarding complex people issues, through the Mediation and Resolution Support Service (MRSS) and the Casework Support Service (CSS)

MRSS was established in July 2020. The service was introduced in response to Respect at Work findings and is available to everyone who works in HMRC, regardless of role or grade. It aims to help employees resolve workplace issues and concerns informally without the need for difficult and lengthy investigations.

CSS was also introduced in 2020 in response to Respect at Work findings. It aims to provide professional, expert HR advice and support in respect of a range of complex, workplace issues.

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and manage a team providing HR casework support, tackling issues such as performance management, discipline and grievance, and absence management.
• Oversee the development and delivery of mediation services to facilitate workplace conflict resolution.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance service quality, exceed performance metrics, and promote operational excellence. Oversee the delivery of a key operational changes in the way EAS interact with customers by shifting contact channels.
• Advise the most senior stakeholders on how to effectively handle sensitive, contentious HR scenarios.
• Identify systemic workforce issues arising from casework and escalate concerns to shape HR/organisational policy appropriately.
• Display strong leadership qualities to motivate and develop staff in a high-performing team environment.
• Ensure effective working with partners in casework resolution including Decision Managers, Internal Investigation colleagues and legal advisers.
• Lead the effective integration of EAS with the business partner function.
• Operating as a vital member of the leadership team for the HR Business Partner function, contributing strategic insights and operational expertise

Key Accountabilities

• The operational performance of EAS; measured by their speed and resolution of advice and queries, speed and resolution of complex casework and mediation cases, management and response to ET cases. This includes accountability for ensuring the right resources, capacity and capability in the team, that they are managed effectively to respond to changes in demand and that capacity risks are mitigated effectively.
• The quality of advice given by caseworkers, the upholding of professional standards and the handling of the more sensitive and complex cases by independent Decision Managers which give significant exposure to HMRC.

Person specification

We are seeking an experienced HR operations leader with experience of effective casework management, who is strategically adept, with a demonstrable track record of delivering results. We want to hear from candidates with a real passion for HR advice, support and mediation and the role that this important subject plays within a large, complex and high-profile national body.

The successful applicant will need to demonstrate relevant experience and effective delivery of the following essential criteria.

Essential Criteria:

• Extensive experience of leading and building the performance and capability of an HR service function, particularly in providing casework support
• Experience of resolution of complex, sensitive and high-profile HR casework
• A visible and collaborative leader with experience of leading large, geographically disparate teams, building capability and diversity
• Evidence of an ability to build and maintain relationships with senior leaders in a large, complex organisation, quickly establishing credibility, building trust, providing challenge and able to create strategic level relationships
• Demonstrable experience of using data and insight to drive performance and prioritise action

Qualifications and professional memberships:

• Should be qualified to Fellowship CIPD or willing to work towards it

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £75,000, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £20,250 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

To apply for this post, you will need to complete an online application by submitting the following:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years.
• A Statement of Suitability explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the criteria in the person specification.

Your CV and Statement of Suitability should reflect your most relevant and recent skills and experience in relation to the role. Therefore, we recommend that each document is no more than two A4 pages long.

By not submitting a CV and a Statement of Suitability will mean we only have limited information to assess your application against the person specification. Please ensure both documents contain your full name.

If you encounter any issues with your application or don’t receive an acknowledgement within 48 hours, please contact Sarah Hawes at  scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk 

All Criminal Record Checks applications are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

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.