About the job

Job summary

HMRC is the UK’s tax, payments and customs authority, we have a vital purpose, and we collect the money that pays for public services and help families and individuals with targeted financial support. 
 
Large Business (LB) Audit comprises of over 100 Auditors at HO and SO level. You will have a customer facing role working together with Tax Specialists and Customer Compliance Managers to ensure an effective audit function is delivered. 
 
Auditors in LB form judgements on the systems and processes used by LB customers to mitigate their inherent tax risk or to support known risks by developing and communicating audit options. The role requires the individual to support the LB strategic risk-driven work from a cross-tax perspective.

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

A fascinating and varied role reviewing the systems and processes of the largest UK businesses, often at the forefront of new technological innovation. With the ongoing rise of digital tax technologies, this cross-tax role is an integral contribution to our compliance approach, and you will be at the heart of the HMRC customer tax team, advising tax specialists in a variety of potential activities from mapping tax and accounting systems, walkthroughs of the operation of the systems, assessing control activities in place to ensure they are accurate, to the review of methodology applied to adjustments and corrections made by our customers. 

Employing critical thinking to identify potential risk areas and highlighting errors, you may be called in to review any of the duties, taxes, and levies HMRC is responsible for to confirm the accuracy of tax submissions and returns. Whilst you will not need expert tax knowledge in any particular area, you will be learning and refreshing your knowledge based on current demands and compliance themes. 

As part of a small team of Auditors in our regional centres, you will work with HMRC Large Business tax specialists to interview business representatives from all levels of their organisation, both virtually and face-to-face. Strong communication skills, both written and oral, will be required to report findings and recommendations through a variety of presentations and formal audit reports. 

This role will give you the opportunity to work with a range of people and discuss tax and technology subjects on a day-to-day basis. You will travel to meet representatives from diverse businesses across the UK with some overnight stays. 

Organisational skills are key, with the need to coordinate and progress an ongoing caseload of work and communicate with relevant stakeholders. 

You will complete the audit learning routeway, which takes 12 to 18 months and includes passing the Interactive Data Extraction and Analysis (IDEA) learning check. Training may fall on any day Monday to Friday so you may be asked to adapt any non-working days for a short period of time during the training.

This is an exciting opportunity for self-motivated people with an analytical mind and a thirst for learning, to explore the world of tax and technology.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities 

• Systems & Processes – Be responsible for discussing and interpreting known and common risks with Tax Specialists, creating a programme of audit work in line with our Audit methodology to provide assurance over the accuracy of the process.
• Data Analysis – You will arrange for relevant data to be extracted from customer systems and analyse this within IDEA (data interrogation software used in audit.) You will present findings in a variety of methods from table summaries to charts and graphs as appropriate.
• Governance – You will consider how customers manage tax risks within their organisation, and how this may impact on accurate tax submissions.

Essential Criteria

Successful candidates will need to: 

• analyse data and other information critically, making logical conclusions
• be able to communicate complex information to a wider audience 
• manage and progress a caseload, keeping senior colleagues informed
• be confident in the use of Office 365 tools such as Outlook, SharePoint and Teams
• professionally present findings in Excel and Word

Desirable Criteria 

Experience and understanding of: 

• information systems and accounting software 
• governance and risk management 
• data extraction, manipulation and analysis techniques

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 Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

Application & Selection Process Details 

As part of the selection process, you will be asked to complete: 

• There will be a numerical test which should be completed before the CV
• Your CV should detail your job history  
• Your Personal Statement (maximum of 750 words) which should illustrate why you think you meet the essential criteria, desirable criteria, knowledge, and experience for this role. The desirable criteria will not be sifted on, but may be used in the event of a tie-break.

You must pass the numerical test for the application to progress further.

If a large number of applications are received, an initial sift will take place on the personal statement followed by a full sift against the CV and Personal Statement, and interviews. 

Technical 

You will be asked to demonstrate your approach to a hypothetical scenario at interview. 

Interview Process Details 

During the panel interview, you will be asked Experience, Technical and Strength based questions (how you meet the essential criteria) which will demonstrate the things you do well and/or are motivated by.  

Please Note: The successful applicant for this role will need to be eligible for and willing to undergo standard BPSS Checks following appointment into the post. 

Sift and Interview details 

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed. 

If interviews are required, they will be conducted over Teams. 

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

A reserve list may be held for a period of 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.

After submission of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical Test.

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 23:55 on 29/01/2024. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Eligibility

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

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need, so please review the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you are able to travel to.       

 

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 - 333465 & vacancy closing date 29/01/2024. 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.