About the job

Job summary

Estates Directorate is responsible for the supply, management, and maintenance of HMRC’s operational estate and the provision of associated support services. Its purpose is to ensure they are safe, secure and provide the best environment possible for our people, and that they support the delivery of business objectives and represent good value for money for taxpayers.​

​Estates is at the forefront of delivering and improving the departments future buildings, a critical success factor for HMRCs evolving operating model and the Government’s wider agenda for the Civil Estate. With 13 no. new modern office facilities already delivered and 5 no. still to deliver, the new estate is well on its way to being delivered whilst there are some smaller legacy sites that will remain as part of the estate, with sites being spread across the UK.​

​The Deputy Director leads the Professional Services & Digital Estates (PS&DE) Team, an integral part of the continued successful delivery of all Estates project work through the provision of technical advice and guidance, as well as supporting the operational teams on day-to-day items. The other critical element of the role is responsibility for the further development of the Digital Estate, expanding the use of BIM in both the delivery of projects and day to day operations, and improving the efficiency of our buildings through the use of technology.

Job description

You will provide strategic direction and leadership to a team of construction, building services, sustainability, and data professionals to support project delivery and building operations. Your work will be underpinned by the Government Property Strategy Mission Statements, the deliverables and KPIs. ​

Reporting to the Director of Estates, key responsibilities include: ​

• Provide Professional Services activities including acquisition due diligence, assurance of design and developers works, input into fit out designs and assurance of delivery of the works through all RIBA Stages Assuring developers works to ensure compliance with our Agreement for Lease and Contract Documents.  ​
• Work with legal teams to deliver robust construction Contractual information and be key adviser in escalations or claims as necessary.  ​
• Provide the Operational Contract Management of Professional Services suppliers including team responsibility for directing their activities at project delivery level.
• The review of both delivery and procurement models with Commercial team to ensure delivery is most effective and responding to both external market conditions and internal requirements.​
• Support the BAU element of Estates through the provision of Policies, Plans and Level 2 Assurance to ensure Statutory Compliance and that we keep our colleagues and other building users safe.​
• Develop and own delivery of Estates Sustainability Strategy including Net Zero ambition and roadmaps, energy strategy and energy reduction plans. 
• Creating and shaping the digital future landscape across HMRC Estates including the creation of the Digital Estate Strategy and Data Analytics Strategy and their ongoing development. ​
• Providing an estates data and analytics service for our buildings to ensure decisions around effective operation can be data-led.  ​
• Exploring opportunities and creating proposals to bring technical innovation to the way our buildings are operated to drive efficiency and provide great customer service. ​
• Developing and shaping an Information Management Framework across estates to facilitate system integration of estate operations. ​
• Build on work already done and embed BIM into our project delivery and operations as part of achieving our digital twin ambition. ​
• Collaboration, engagement and communication across key functions both within HMRC but also with Government Property Agency (GPA), Office of Government Property (OGP), and Other Government Departments (OGDs). ​
• Working across multiple stakeholders to drive change, influencing, and making complex mutually agreeable decisions on direction of travel which may have widespread impact to the operations of HMRC Estates.​
• You will promote the Government Property Profession by ensuring colleagues are driving their development plans and are supported in their accreditation and experience journeys, to improve capability within Estates and Locations Programme team.  

Person specification

We are seeking an experienced leader and manager. As part of the Estates Senior Leadership team, we are looking for someone who will provide advice, insight, and capability to support the delivery of the Estates and Locations Programme strategies and through collective responsibility, the delivery of the agreed Business Plan and objectives. ​

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

Essential Criteria:​

• Significant experience in a property/construction leadership role in an Estates senior team. ​
• Experience in the delivery of multi-site programmes of property works in a complex stakeholder environment​
• Leading a team of professionals of various skill sets, working in a matrix environment and building strong relationships across team, business area and departmental boundaries​
• Strong commercial experience in delivering and enhancing value through continuous improvement​
• Good knowledge of Smart Buildings and Digital Twins​
• Proficient in preparing and presenting options papers and Board Reports.​
• Developing and delivering change in the public sector ideally central government with experience of approvals and governance requirements. ​

Desirable qualifications and professional memberships:​

• A degree in a property related discipline along with relevant other experience and qualifications.​​
• Chartered membership of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors or Chartered Institute of Building 

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:​

1. 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.​
2. 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 Dale Robinson at  scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk 

Shortlist​

An application pre-sift will be conducted by the SCS Recruitment Team followed by an in-depth review by the Vacancy Holder and Panel.​

The panel will assess and select applicants who demonstrate the best fit with the role by considering the evidence provided against the criteria set out in the Person Specification. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application. The closing date for applications is  19 February 2024 and a shortlist decision is expected to be made by week commencing 26 February 2024. All candidates will be notified of the outcome shortly afterwards.​

All shortlisted candidates will be offered an opportunity to have an informal conversation with the vacancy holder, Colin Cassé. This is not an assessment phase but is an opportunity for each candidate to gain greater insight into the context of the role. This is optional, but highly recommended.​

Disability Confidence Scheme (DCS)​

Candidates applying under the Disability Confidence Scheme are guaranteed an interview if they meet the minimum criteria outlined in the person specification. This scheme works in conjunction with the Great Place to Work for Veterans, for former members of the armed services, and the Redeployment Interview Scheme for existing Civil Servants at risk of redundancy. Each scheme works in the same way.

Use of Data​

As part of the recruitment process, we may share your data and assessment results internally with our SCS Talent team. ​This will provide insight into how to support your development and wider talent management, should you be successful in your application.  If you do not want your data to be shared, please email scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk 

Assessment

You will be asked to attend an interview for a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence. ​We will also ask you to prepare a 5-minute verbal presentation. Details will be issued in advance of your interview.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 11th March 2024 and will be held in person at Leeds Regional Centre (full instructions will be issued prior to interview).​ Regardless of the outcome, we will notify all candidates as soon as possible once all interviews have concluded.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

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. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). 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.