About the job

Job summary

We have an exciting opportunity to join the Financial Accreditation Team (FA Team).

You will work in a fast-paced project environment, building relationships, and providing specialist financial advice and support to assist in driving forward effective transformation of HMRC’s finance systems and processes. You will specify finance requirements for change initiatives and ensure they are delivered.

This will allow HMRC to account for, receive and pay out money in accordance with strategy and Accounting Standards. This role gives an outstanding opportunity to develop key leadership, assurance and collaboration skills.

Important: This vacancy is only available at the specified locations; alternative locations are not available.

Your office location is contractual so if you are successful, there is an expectation that you will attend that office location as required by the business.

You need to consider how you will meet this requirement before you apply and discuss any concerns with the vacancy holder before accepting any role.

The successful candidate will be required to remain in post for a minimum of two years before considering a move within the same grade or to a different business area.

About Risk, Control & Financial Accountant (RFCA)

RFCA fulfils a vital role at the heart of HMRC. We are responsible for ensuring that HMRC plans and manages its performance, makes good decisions, and is held to account on accurate financial and performance data. Our activity helps HMRC account excellently for everything HMRC does!

Our vacancy sits in the Financial Accreditation (FA) Team, which forms part of Finance Systems and Processes in RCFA. Our team plays a key role in HMRC Transformation by ensuring excellent financial management and control throughout the HMRC Change process by accrediting changes to financial systems and processes.

Providing an excellent prospect to work collaboratively across HMRC with change teams; you will work closely with colleagues and stakeholders to ensure that we design the systems and processes to support the delivery of change through key milestones by effectively managing risks, caveats, High Level requirements and produce monthly progress reports through development and production of KPI’s along with looking at ways of innovating our process. 

Our exciting and interesting role would suit anyone who wants to work in a fast-paced Finance, Project working or design environment.

See what it’s like to work at HMRC: find out more about us or ask our colleagues a question. Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Job description

Our exciting and interesting role would suit anyone who wants to work in a Project change environment with a desire to develop their knowledge of HMRC tax systems and processes. 

You will be a critical stakeholder for Corporate Finance representing and working with several finance areas to ensure change requirements are delivered and tested to our exacting standards. You will hold accountability for making sure that the financial journey delivered by the project is safe, secure, auditable and allows HMRC accounts to be produced accurately.  

Whilst this isn’t an accounting role knowledge of accounting and/or accounting systems would be advantageous.     

As a department committed to continuous professional development this role will also provide you with opportunities to learn, expand or further develop your Accounting, auditing and Project Management knowledge to support you reach your potential.

You will join a welcoming and accomplished team of accreditors, who have a wide knowledge of tax and finance accounting systems and processes.

Successful candidates will undertake a bespoke training programme enabling you to:

• Represent corporate finance in a project change environment, introducing and driving forward our requirements.
• Influencing the financial accreditation process as the team adapts to the pace of HMRC Change and the way we deliver Financial Accreditation.
• Develop the skills needed to build co-operative partnerships with project and programs teams to ensure Finance requirements are understood and developed.

Critically you'll then be assuring the subsequent changes made to ensure that they align with internal and external standards.

We do this throughout the project lifecycle process; providing accreditation and assurance for changes to HMRCs financial systems and processes.

Note: This is not an accounts production or budget holder role.

Responsibilities:

• Taking ownership of and leading the accreditation of several complex and high-risk project change initiatives, developing an extensive range of contacts and being involved in a wide variety of subjects, which reach across the whole of HMRC.
• Leading, developing and introduction of finance requirements, delivered by the project, in order to meet Finance standards.
• Ensuring that changes to HMRC accounting systems and processes are robustly tested and test evidence is analysed.
• Maintain engagement with the project team throughout the project change cycle to ensure risks and issues are managed, prioritising your own work so that you meet critical deadlines.
• Ensuring that changes made to Finance systems and processes align with HMRCs Finance strategic vision and objectives.
• Work managing and coaching staff who may be working in partnership with your delivery of accreditation.
• Working with an expert team of accreditors and IT specialists, to continually build capability that will ensure efficient delivery that meets the future demands of HMRC.
• This role may include HR management responsibilities.

You will do this by:

• Working closely with wider Corporate Finance Subject Matter Experts (SME) to ensure their requirements are delivered, drawing on their expertise and keeping them informed of progress.
• Building an extensive knowledge and expertise of financial accounting and system requirements enabling you to support the wider business whilst providing input to a number of changes.
• Using and developing your knowledge and skills to provide accounting advice and support to all those involved in accreditation.
• Working with project teams and influencing change managers to embrace strategic solutions that will meet the future demands of the department.
• Attending and participating in change workshops/meetings, to understand impact of change and provide support and advice on the needs of finance and our strategic aims (travel will be required).
• Inputting financial requirements and influencing design.
• Responsibility for drafting process maps, Business Readiness, producing auditable information, testing preparation and collecting evidence for Go Live.
• Responsible for providing written project updates and summaries of documents to support seniors on Project Boards or when senior decisions are needed.
• Retaining accountability for your own work and the work you may delegate to staff who may be supporting you.
• Working collaboratively from your home office a minimum of 2 days a week; with flexibility to meet the business need.

Important: The role requires frequent travel including overnight stays, sometimes at short notice.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Highly developed interpersonal skills with evidence of influencing and engaging with senior partners in a large dispersed organisation.
• Worked in a Project change environment.
• Demonstrate one or more of Finance, audit or assurance skills.
• Ability to communicate technical concepts clearly and concisely.
• Strong leadership, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and conflicting priorities from multiple sources.
• Ability to analyse information, summarise and use own judgement to make recommendations.

Desirable criteria:

Although the following is desirable there will be on the job learning and development, and therefore not essential:

• Working knowledge of one or more areas of taxation.

Good knowledge of accounting and project management principles, including desirable qualifications as follows:

• Fully/part qualified accountant (CIMA or equivalent).
• Fully/part qualified Association of Accounting Technician (AAT).
• Audit qualification(s).
• Project Management qualification(s).

The Jobholder should be aware of the potential for the risk of financial loss in the day-to-day work and be responsible for taking action when you or your staff identify instances of this. The Jobholder will be accountable for ensuring mitigating action is taken as appropriate.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%.

Find more about HMRC benefits in 'Your little extras and big benefits handbook' for further information 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.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to submit a Personal Statement and CV.

CV - This will be made up of 2 sections:

• One section to outline your career history within the last '10 years' highlighting key achievements.
• One section for you to list your qualifications (if you are part qualified, please indicate to what level/stage).

Personal Statement - Word limit 750 words to include evidence against:

• How you meet the essential/desirable criteria.
• Suitability for the role. 
• What you will bring to the role.

Please note we apply 50/50 weighting to your CV and Personal Statement so please make sure you take full advantage of the word count available. 

Sift

If we receive a large number of applications, we may conduct an initial sift based on the 'essential criteria' within the Personal Statement.

Where there is an initial sift, we will provide scores to people who do not meet the minimum standard.

If your application progresses to a full sift, your full application (CV and Personal Statement) will then be assessed, and scores provided.

Interview

If successful at sift, you will be invited to interview where you will be assessed further on:

• Your experience
• Strength based questions

Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing
• Making Effective Decisions

At interview candidates will also be asked to provide a 5 to 10-minute presentation on the topic:

• Your skills and experience, and how you will add value to this position.

We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process in order to manage numbers.

Interview dates to be confirmed.

Note: Successful candidates will be expected to remain in post for 2 years before considering a move to a new role on a level transfer; candidates will be able to apply for a new role on promotion. 

Where we have offered multiple location choices, a strict merit order will be applied to all candidates regardless of location preference.

A reserve list may be held for a period of up to 6 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.

Desirable Criteria can only be used to determine the best applicant in a tie break scenario but will not otherwise form part of the selection process.

Eligibility

To check that you are eligible to apply, review this eligibility information

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.

Reasonable Adjustments 

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. 

If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application, review this information on reasonable adjustments, and contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.

Diversity and Inclusion

At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues and creating an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success 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 here at HMRC. We want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential at HMRC.

For more information on how we make this happen, review this information on our culture and values

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.

We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible after considering operational and customer service needs. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.

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. 

The Civil Service runs 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. 

Locations 

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.

Security Update

For more information on the level of security checks we will carry out, review this information on security checks 

Further Information

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. 

Duplicate applications for the same vacancy will also be withdrawn.

Transferring into HMRC from Civil Service If you are currently working for an ‘Other Government Department’ (OGD) and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document "Combined T&C and OGD Pay English”, found at the bottom of this advert. Further information on staff transfers can be found on gov.uk

Problems during the application process 

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

If you think you’ve made a mistake on a short application form (e.g. you’ve ticked the incorrect eligibility box), please contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we won’t be able to reopen your application.   

Please use the subject line to insert appropriate wording e.g. Please re-open my application - 330355 & vacancy closing date 29/12/2023. Please note that we cannot amend or re-open your application if you have submitted your full application in the interests of fair and open recruitment.

For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details within reasonable adjustments section above.

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.