About the job

Job summary

CDIO are delivering a major operating model transformation – one that seeks to pivot their operation to focus more on services, delivering value and consistency in customer experience. Chief Digital Product Office will play a key role in delivering this change, with Service aligned teams collaborating across CDIO and the business to define the future technical roadmap and transformation plan. The CDPO leadership will ensure services are transitioned in a strategic and managed way, moving us in a systematic way to an efficient Product Organisation. CDPO will have 3 groups - Business Digital Value Stream Service Owners looking at services end to end. Driving maturity, running, and improving their services and identifying opportunities for efficiencies to consolidate the technical landscape. The second is the Cross-Cutting Digital Product group, who will run and improve cross cutting IT capabilities, as well as own these opportunities for consolidation. These capabilities will increasingly underpin the Business Value Stream Services and will deliver the efficiencies and consistency in customer experience. The third group will oversee and assure the delivery of Product operations, as well as Policy Driven and Transformation Change. This group will mature the function across Practices, ensure compliance with all corporate governance and drive the future operating model change for CDPO.

At HMRC, we’re committed to creating a workplace that you can be proud of. Our diverse and inclusive culture helps prioritise your potential, offering a range of benefits including flexible hybrid working, special leave privileges, an excellent pension scheme and opportunities for development. With us, your career is in your hands – come and discover a place where you truly belong.  

Job description

The SCS1 Service Owner owns the strategic roadmap and delivery of the end-to-end lifecycle of a Portfolio of IT Services. They influence and set the IT Service strategy with the Business. They are responsible for effective IT Service functional and non-functional performance. They are a key member of CDPO leadership and will lead a team of Service Owners to define their Technology Service strategy and roadmaps, embed continuous improvement, drive consistency in approach and harness shared capabilities.​

Key Responsibilities:​

• Interpret and influence business strategy, translate and influence business needs to drive change and innovation that transforms the business.​
• Influence and collaborate with the business at Director General Senior Management level, Service Owners in their teams and across government when appropriate to drive change and ensure the Portfolio is being managed and developed in line with this roadmap.​​
• Own the strategic roadmap of the end-to-end lifecycle of a portfolio of IT products and capabilities that underpin business services, be responsible for ensuring the maintenance of the live service occurs and their continuous improvement; based on the architectural frameworks from Chief Technology & Design Office, the wider business strategy, and the future Target Operating Model. ​​
• Lead and mobilise groups of Service Owners/Product Managers in the delivery of their end-to-end lifecycles, roadmaps, and budgets across a collection of IT Products and Services. Define and implement growth strategies that support new ways of working, aligning, and driving consistency across Products and Platforms.​
• Own the delivery, optimisation, and strategic performance of the end-to-end lifecycle of a Portfolio of IT Services to the customer, including balancing competing priorities, ensuring design and delivery is customer led, delivering measurable business value and making the best choices for HMRC in line with business objectives.​​
• Forge relationships and collaborate with other government departments, industry experts, wider ITILv4, IT4IT, COBIT and other practice owners to share knowledge and drive continuous improvements in working practices​​
• Drive strategic supplier relationships providing a senior interface to support partnership working, driving innovation and additional value from contracts whilst managing ongoing service and delivery performance, promoting mutually beneficial partner relationships – forging strategic relationships and resolving contractual disputes.​​
• Set clear objectives and stretching targets for direct reports and agreeing and creating career development plans.

Person specification

We are seeking a skilled and compelling leader with knowledge of ITILv4 and Agile, and a demonstrable track record of leading Digital, Product and IT teams through major change and transformation. We want to hear from candidates with a real passion for building a customer-centric, innovative and secure IT estate, and the role that this important subject plays within a large, complex and high-profile national body. We require someone who is a forward thinker, innovator, and natural relationship builder.​

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

Essential Criteria:​

• Substantial prior experience of developing strategic technical solutions for an end-to-end organisation, navigating ambiguity, and operating at a strategic level within a complex organisation.​
• Extensive experience of complex contract and service management. ​
• Experience sitting on an executive board or similar and contributing to corporate governance, business planning, and chairing oversight boards and having the demonstrative ability of successful stakeholder management and building relationships across a range of senior communities, internal and external, often without direct authority. ​
• Proven track record of delivering case management capabilities, risk-based modelling and automation initiatives in a valuation organisation or similar environment. ​
• Deep applied understanding and experience of emerging trends around approach and technologies.  ​
• Proven track record in defining, managing, and then delivering technical IT organisational change programmes, including capability and professional development, within a large and complex organisation and with significant budget responsibility.    ​
• Demonstrable experience of anticipating major change and then preparing the product team to meet the change, balancing the needs of the business with the integrity of the product & it’s roadmap.  ​
• A track record of providing empowering leadership of multiple disciplines to teams dispersed across multiple locations. Leading teams through times of change and fostering a positive and inclusive culture of trust and autonomy.  ​
• Ability to respond to change with agility and lead teams with a strong and compelling vision for the future. ​

Desirable qualifications and professional memberships:​

• Degree level education in relevant subject​
• Awareness and knowledge of ITILv4 and Agile​

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

Application:​

To apply for this post, you will need to complete an online application by submitting the following:​

• 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.​
• 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 Robert Gavin 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 Tuesday 28th May 2024 and a shortlist decision is expected to be made on week commencing 3rd June 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, Sarah McMann. 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 Robert Gavin at scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk ​

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.