About the job

Job summary

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it’s really like to work at HMRC.

Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential

It’s a very exciting time to join HMRC.

HMRC’s Agents Technical Compliance (AT&C) business area forms part of a wider Customer Compliance Group and is home to our Systems & Data Compliance (S&DC) operational teams.

Our S&DC operational teams consist of Systems & Data Auditors, who provide our Compliance Caseworkers with support interrogating data and sophisticated accounting systems, to tackle tax non-compliance and electronic sales suppression.

Job description

As a Higher Systems & Data Auditor, you will be supporting our Compliance Caseworkers in carrying out Tax Investigations.

You will be providing technical systems and data interrogation support, with the intent of tackling non-compliance and electronic sales suppression. To do this, we need to you to analyse and understand customers computerised systems, software, and data in relation to their accounts.

You will mentor and coach junior colleagues, building their confidence and skills using your leadership qualities. As this is a vital role within tax compliance, we will provide you with the necessary support and learning needed. Should you have the desire to progress further, we are committed to supporting your personal development. The role of a Higher Systems and Data Auditor is varied and involves:

• interviewing customers and their representatives as part of supporting investigations, either virtually or face-to-face by visiting customers premises across your region and at times outside of your region, including overnight stays
• identifying and documenting systems and audit trails, including details of the different software used by the customer
• lead on in-depth analysis of complex systems and data, using a variety of tools and producing audit reports
• testing accuracy of customers' financial accounting and tax liabilities
• creating, reviewing, and approving system internal guidance, knowledge on systems, audit techniques and best practice
• reconstructing partial data records using best judgement, logic, and available evidence
• supporting and coaching junior auditors with the more complex and technical aspects of their role

Training

All new audit trainees will be placed on the audit learning routeway, which may take up to 18-months to complete. During the initial part of the training period, we will need you to work full-time Monday to Friday within HMRC standard operating hours, for a period of 12 weeks. This is even if you have an agreed Flexible Working Arrangement in place.

Due to the training programme in place, no leave will be granted for the first two weeks in the role, following this, any annual leave is at HMRC’s discretion.

Watch our video below to get an insight into our roles:

Watch our other video to find out more about Systems & Data Auditors at HMRC:
Working as a Systems & Data Auditor at HMRC - Konrad

You can find out more about what it’s like being a Systems & Data Auditor at HMRC on the Civil Service Careers website.

Person specification

You don’t need any existing knowledge or experience of tax to apply, but we are looking for the following skills and personal qualities:

• a good level of computer literacy
• an interest in solving IT issues
• confidence when using unfamiliar software
• ability to handle difficult conversations
• good ability to document and maintain a robust audit trail
• good organisational skills to enable you to effectively prioritise and manage your workload
• good verbal and written communication skills

There will be two virtual events held at 12pm on Friday 31st May and Monday 3rd June. You’ll be able to learn more about the role of Systems & Data Auditor and can ask any questions prior to the closing date.

If you wish to attend, please enter your email address and preferred date on the following form:
https://forms.office.com/e/bJ04w9MpWs

Working Arrangements

Here is how we work in Customer Compliance Group (CCG):

• 37 hours between 7am to 8pm Monday to Saturday
• There will be a requirement for frequent travel within your region and occasional travel outside of your region, including overnight stays.
• There are several business areas within CCG. You may be required to work outside of these hours if you are allocated to a specific business area.
• If you are posted to an area with working arrangements that fall outside of our standard hours, you may be eligible for flexitime.
• Further information will be provided during training if this affects you based on the role allocated
• Your working arrangement may change in-line with business needs, and that could include increased weekend or evening working. We will always give you reasonable notice of any changes to your working arrangement.

Flexible Working Arrangements (FWA) and Part-time working

As mentioned previously, most posts are full-time but there may be the opportunity for you to work part-time or have a flexible working arrangement.

If you are successful at interview and receive a conditional offer, it will explain how to give the details of your preferred working hours. There is an expectation for part-time staff to cover the working arrangements as above.

You’ll need to inform us of your part time or flexible working arrangement request at the conditional offer stage, even if you told us about this earlier in the application process.

Confirmation of the offer will depend on business need, so we can’t promise that your request will be accommodated.

Please note that if you are already working for the Civil Service and have an agreed FWA, there is no guarantee we can honour this in a new role. Therefore, you will still be required to submit your request as per the above.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £35,092, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £9,474 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 Strengths and Experience.

The application process is made up of 4 stages:

Online Tests

You will then be required to take 2 tests, and you must pass the first one before being invited to the next:

• Civil Service Numerical Test
• Civil Service Verbal Test

Examples and a practice test are available when you log in, to help you familiarise yourself with the process and types of questions.

For more information on what to expect from the tests go to preparing for the Civil Service Verbal and Numerical tests.

Please give yourself enough time to complete the tests and the ‘technical statement’ as there will be no technical help with online tests after 10.00am on 06/06/24.

We will then review the number of candidates who have passed all two tests. As we often receive a very high level of applications, we may raise the pass mark on the online tests to determine how many candidates we invite to interview.

Anyone who meets the minimum score, but not the newly raised score, will be kept in a ‘holding pool’ for up to 12 months.

Application Form and Job History

You will be asked for some basic personal details and a CV which should include details of your job history for the last 3-years and a summary of what you delivered and any key achievements in each role (up to 100 words).

Statement of suitability

We’ll ask you to describe why you enjoy working with data, and what are the key things to consider when analysing a large amount of information (up to 250 words).

Interview

If you are invited to interview, we will contact you via your Civil Service Jobs account or email to arrange a suitable date and time.

We will ask questions to test the following behaviours:

1. Leadership
2. Making Effective Decisions
3. Communication and Influencing

We will ask questions to demonstrate your technical skill and capability in data interrogation. For this question you will be expected to provide an example where you have interrogated complex data.

We will also be asking some ‘strength-based’ questions which demonstrate the things you do well and/or are motivated by.

Detailed information on our interviews, how to prepare and the ID documents you will need to provide will be issued to candidates who reach this stage. For more information about Civil Service assessment methods can be found here, please read our Success Profiles guidance.

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, please contact us via: ubsrecruitmentexcellence@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – 355467 & vacancy closing date 10/06/24’.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Please ensure that any technical issues with the test are reported - with supporting evidence - prior to 10am on 06/06/24. There will be no extension to the deadline for completing the test. Please also be advised that Online Tests may only be one element of the application process. You should ensure you set aside plenty of time to undertake the full application process for this role. Late applications will not be accepted.

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

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.

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 Excellence Team via ubsrecruitmentexcellence@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.

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 and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success at HMRC, and we welcome applications from all people, from all backgrounds, with the experience and skills needed to perform this role. We’re committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues, and we want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential. Click here for more information on how we make this happen.

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.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

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.