HM Revenue & Customs
Deputy Director Classification, Origin, Valuation & Tariff
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About The Job
Job Summary
Borders & Trade (B&T) is at the heart of developing the UK's customs system of the future. It is responsible for high-profile work within HMRC to support the Government's ambition to create the world's most effective border.
Customs Policy and Strategy (CP&S) is responsible for policy development, implementation, maintenance, and improvement of the UK customs regime inline with Government priorities and Ministerial objectives.
This is an exciting and high-profile leadership role in CP&S. You will lead a large team responsible for policies covering the 'core determinants' for arriving at the correct customs duty: the classification, valuation, and origin of goods. The team is responsible for working with other government departments to design and implement changes to the UK Global Tariff and provide detailed customs tariff information to millions of traders and intermediaries.
This Role Offers The Opportunity To
- Lead a team of around 115 staff, including a large classification service.
- Collaborate across government to develop trade policy that takes account of operational considerations.
- Deliver innovations and improvements to the UK tariff and how we engage with customers.
- Work across HMRC and the wider Borders & Trade group to drive delivery of customs policy priorities.
Job Description
Working directly to the Director of Customs Policy and Strategy (CP&S) within HMRC's Borders and Trade Group, the successful applicant will be responsible for leading the Classification, Origin, Valuation and Tariff team.
The successful candidate will also sit on the Directorate's senior leadership team and can expect to regularly brief the Director General of Borders and Trade, permanent secretaries, and ministers.
The Classification, Origin, Valuation and Tariff team is responsible for the policies covering the 'core determinants' for arriving at the correct customs duty: the classification, valuation, and origin of goods. The team is responsible for working with other government departments to design and implement changes to the UK Global Tariff and provide detailed customs tariff information to millions of traders and intermediaries. The breadth of the responsibility includes involvement in critical government policy, such as sanctions, trade defence policies, and significant involvement in trade agreements.
- Strategy and policy leadership as well as delivery oversight across a wide range of priorities.
- Leadership and management of several G6 led teams, including a large, public-facing classification service team.
- Working closely with HM Treasury policy partners, other government departments and key internal and external stakeholders.
- Close working with other parts of the Borders & Trade Group to ensure customs policy objectives are reflected in and aligned to wider Group and Departmental strategies.
- Working as part of the wider CP&S senior leadership team to manage the Directorate and make CP&S a great place to work.
Management of People
This role involves the management of a team of around 115 staff, which is split between a policy function and more operational teams.
Person Specification
The successful applicant will need to demonstrate relevant experience and effective delivery of the following essential criteria:
- Significant leadership experience within the trade or customs sphere.
- A strong ability to influence and build relationships at all levels, and to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders to deliver joined-up outcomes.
- Excellent leadership skills with the ability to nurture and build capability within teams, the ability to motivate people towards stretching goals, and to inspire the team and delivery partners to engage fully with our business plans and HMRC's long term vision.
- Evidence of strong communication skills with the ability to communicate with conviction and clarity to ensure you can influence and take a diverse set of stakeholders including colleagues across Whitehall and the borders & trade community with you.
- Strong focus on delivery with the ability to respond quickly to changing circumstances and tight timescales as priorities evolve and escalate.
- Excellent written and oral briefing skills, with the ability to confidently and concisely brief senior officials and ministers.
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Benefits
Alongside your salary of £86,000, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £24,914 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Pension
Your Civil Service pension is a valuable part of your total reward and is one of your biggest benefits.
When you join the Civil Service, you get access to the alpha pension with a generous employer contribution of 28.97% and some of the lowest member contributions in the public sector.
Please visit Civil Service Pension Scheme for more information.
Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Allowance
25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service (allowance pro-rata for part-time colleagues).
This is complemented by one day's paid privilege leave to mark the King's Birthday and is in addition to your public holidays.
Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
The Civil Service values and supports all its employees. At HMRC we want to create great places to work that are welcoming to all - where there is a strong sense of belonging and community.
We embed inclusion in everything we do. Senior Civil Servants play a crucial role in promoting and maintaining inclusive behaviours, addressing disparities and reporting progress.
Our HMRC equality objectives 2024-2028 describe how we are working to become a more inclusive and representative organisation reflective of our values.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
All Criminal Record Checks applications are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
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As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check.
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
Open to UK nationals only.
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.
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 (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).
Apply and further information
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
Name: Louise Nisbet
Email: scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk
Recruitment team
Email: scs.resourcing@hmrc.gov.uk
Further information
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned. If you are not satisfied with the response, you may bring your complaint to the Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/
Attachments
Deputy Director Classification, Origin, Valuation & Tariff - Candidate Pack Opens in new window (pdf, 1077kB)
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