About the job

Job summary

The Treasury is the United Kingdom’s economics and finance ministry.

We are responsible for formulating and implementing the government’s financial and economic policy. Our aim is to raise the rate of sustainable growth and achieve rising prosperity and a better quality of life with economic and employment opportunities for all. 

A Treasury career offers an exciting opportunity to be part of decision making that affects the whole of the UK.

The Treasury plays a critical role at the heart of Government in the UK and, together with the Cabinet Office and Number 10, forms the centre of the Government and wider Civil Service.

The Treasury is a small, agile and professional institution organised around thematic Director-led groups of standing and project teams.

This role can be based in either London or Darlington. Some travel will be expected as part of the role, including international travel.

The Darlington Economic Campus is a pioneering new cross-government hub which bring together departments and public organisations which lead on some of the most important economic issues of the day.

More than 1,200 roles will be based at the Darlington Economic Campus by 2025, across teams from HM Treasury, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the Department for Business Trade (formerly DIT and BEIS), the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (formally DCMS and BEIS), the, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Office for National Statistics, the Competition and Markets Authority and the Departments for Energy Security and Net Zero (formally BEIS). In addition, the Department for Education already have a base in Darlington of c700 people. 

Job description

Role Overview

The Director Business and International Tax is a member of the Tax and Welfare family and a part of the collective leadership of the Treasury, a department of c2000 staff. The Director jointly leads this group with one other director. Together they operate the heart of the Treasury to develop policy and strategy for business and corporation taxes, handling of international tax strategy. As a Group, BIT is responsible for over £400bn of revenue raised each year. The Group works closely with other government departments and is outwards facing towards key stakeholders, including business, industry, interest groups and international counterparts.

The post holder is responsible for 

• International business tax strategy and stakeholder engagement
• Corporation tax
• Technical tax policy support across the wider tax landscape

Key Responsibilities

The post-holder will:

• Provide strong leadership to the 130 employees in the BIT group with your co-director, working together to create a supportive and inclusive environment, promoting wellbeing and developing talent.
• Act as the most senior tax specialist within the Treasury, with proven ability to craft and successfully deliver major tax changes including new and innovative taxes in the business and international tax sphere.
• Represent the UK at high level on cross-border and other international tax, with a track record of influencing at the most senior levels in multilateral and bilateral negotiations to defend and deliver the UK’s interests.
• Explain complex technical issues in accessible terms, both to Ministers and in communications with the public, stakeholders and internationally.
  
• Collaborate effectively with the rest of the Treasury, with HMRC through the Policy Partnership, and with counterparts in other countries.
• Support the Director General for Tax and Welfare to develop and deliver the government’s overall tax strategy.

Person specification

While in post, the successful candidate will be expected to perform well across the full range of Senior Civil Service behaviours set out in the Success Profile framework and demonstrate commitment to the Civil Service values. 

The criteria for the purpose of selection are: 

• Sound judgement and strong strategic vision, with a track record of leading in uncertain and complex policy environments
• Excellent influencing and interpersonal skills with a proven ability to gain the confidence of and work effectively with senior stakeholders such as Ministers (or board-level equivalents) and to work collaboratively across an organisation and with international counterparts
• In-depth knowledge of the UK business tax regime, experience of delivering significant policy change (such as the introduction of a new tax), together with an understanding of tax policy, the Budget process, and/or fiscal and spending frameworks
• Experience of defending and securing the UK’s interests in complex multilateral negotiations and representing the UK at international fora
• Excellent people leadership skills, with experience of setting direction and creating a working environment in which teams deliver at pace in an inclusive way.

To apply for this post, please submit your application through Civil Service Jobs no later than 2nd June 2024 at 23:55. 

Applications should consist of a CV (no more than 3 sides) and a 1250-word personal statement outlining your experience and skills against those detailed in the person specification. 

Information Session

We are holding an information session where you can find out more about the role and the selection process. If you would like to join us, please use the link below to join the call at the right time. 

23rd May 2024 - 14:30 - 15:30

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £97,000, HM Treasury contributes £26,190 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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Recruitment Timeline 

• Closing date: 2nd June, 23:55
• Shortlisting: w/c 3rd June 
• Virtual Staff Engagement Exercise: w/c 10th June
• Informal Stakeholder Conversations: w/c 17th June
• Interviews: w/c 24th June

This timeline is indicative and may be subject to change. We will inform you if there is a substantial change to the recruitment timeline. 

If your contact details change at any time during the selection process, please ensure you update your Civil Service Jobs Profile. 

Please note that only applications submitted through Civil Service Jobs will be accepted.

Eligibility Statement  

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role in the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government. Checks will be performed as part of pre-employment checks in line with this. Please refer to the Candidate FAQ document attached to the advert for more information. 

Individuals appointed to the Treasury Group will be subject to National Security Vetting. To allow for meaningful checks to be carried out applicants will normally need to have lived in the UK for at least 3 out of the past 5 years. A lack of UK residency in itself is not always a bar to security clearance but the Department will need to consider eligibility on a case by case basis using all information that can be obtained following a successful application. 

Everyone working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks.  

For many roles, security clearance is also required. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements of the role before they can be appointed. The level of security clearance required for this role is Security Check (SC) 

Please read the Vetting Charter for information on what to expect during the vetting process and what will be expected from you.  

Many areas of your life may be explored during your vetting journey, and it is important that every individual, regardless of their background and experiences, should feel comfortable going through this personal process, whilst having confidence that it is fair, proportionate, and inclusive.  

These short videos address common concerns and preconceptions which applicants may have about national security vetting.  

If you have questions relating to security clearances, please contact HMTSecurityVetting@hmtreasury.gov.uk

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

Security

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.