Senior VAT Legal Interpretation Tax Specialist - Belfast
11 hours ago
Belfast
Senior VAT Legal Interpretation Tax Specialist - Belfast About the job Job summary Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether youre 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 its really like to work at HMRC.Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.Large and complex businesses play a pivotal role in the UK economy. They are broadly defined as having an annual turnover of more than £200m or £2bn in assets. HMRC also considers a range of other factors such as complexity, level of risk, or global mobility in addition to those criteria. Within HMRCs Customer Compliance Group, Large Business Directorate (LB) is responsible for and works with around 2,000 of the UKs largest businesses to support their compliance across all taxes and duties. A Customer Compliance Manager (CCM) is assigned to each business to make sure businesses pay the correct amount of tax at the right time. The CCM is supported by tax professionals and other specialists within LB and works closely with other Directorates across HMRC. In Spending Review 2025, HMRC successfully made the case to HM Treasury to recruit an additional 5,000 Compliance Officers (Tax Specialists) to increase compliance activity across a range of priority risk areas to effectively drive down the Tax Gap. One of the highest priority risk areas where additional Tax Specialists will be deployed is Legal Interpretation. Legal interpretation (LI) risks occur when businesses interpretation of legislation, case law, or guidance differs from HMRCs view. Businesses may seek clarity about HMRCs view, or challenge HMRC to achieve a more favourable treatment than Parliament/Policy intended. Legal Interpretation remains a significant risk to VAT collection and significantly contributes to the UK Tax Gap. It is the role of LI Tax Specialists to identify and consider the impact of LI risks, and work with stakeholders to implement appropriate responses to such challenges across the wider VAT population to ensure VAT principles are protected and the right tax is collected. LB successfully secured agreement to recruit VAT LI Tax Specialists at several grades to specifically tackle VAT LI risk in LB.Job description This is a high-profile Grade 7 LI VAT Specialist role within HMRC and is a chance for you to add value to LBs strategy to tackle VAT legal interpretation. The role requires strategic and commercial thinking, and technical capability to help influence and develop compliance approaches to address areas of LI VAT risk. We are looking for dynamic individuals to lead areas of risk and to work collaboratively with CCMs, Tax Specialists, and stakeholders across LB to drive down VAT LI risk. You will provide technical leadership and support to colleagues regionally, nationally, and at customer level. Highly confident and credible, youll share your knowledge, expertise, experience, and skills gained in a senior VAT professional environment with senior stakeholders across HMRC. Successful candidates will also be encouraged to develop their VAT knowledge and leadership skills through relevant and appropriate learning opportunities within HMRC.Candidate Information Session We are holding information sessions about this role on Tuesday 11th November 2025 at 1pm. To register, please visit: Candidate Information Session - Senior Legal Interpretation VAT Specialist - 11/11/25 @1pmPerson specification Core responsibilities include: Leading teams to address key VAT LI risks and driving forward other technical VAT risks identified by LB CCMs, National and Regional VAT Regime Leads, and Strand Leads. Play a significant role in the development and delivery of VAT compliance strategies with a focus on innovation and continuous improvement. Build and maintain effective collaborative relationships with senior stakeholders across Customer Compliance Group (CCG) and other HMRC Directorates. Work closely with CCG colleagues to ensure alignment between HMRC risk strategies in terms of risk prioritisation, governance and reporting, and to provide technical leadership. Positively interact and influence behaviours internally and externally, to identify LI VAT risks and develop appropriate responses. Set clear direction and communicating in an honest, confident, and consistent way to build trust both internally and externally. Carefully manage complex, sensitive, and potentially challenging reputational issues. The ability to prioritise and deliver high quality work. Being able to consider all options, make sound decisions in uncertain circumstances and be accountable for them. Positively leading change, being flexible and able to move to, or lead on, new work or projects at short notice. Leading colleagues through the reasons for, and effects of, change, providing support and clarity where needed. Occasional travel and overnight stays will be required with this role.Essential Criteria: All applicants are expected to clearly demonstrate their suitability against the essential criteria within both their application and any subsequent interview. Substantial VAT-specific experience in a professional tax environment with demonstrated expertise in complex VAT legal interpretation, legislation analysis, and case law application Proven track record of leading teams and providing technical leadership to colleagues at various levels, including experience managing sensitive or reputational issues requiring careful stakeholder management Strong capability in identifying, assessing, and managing complex VAT risks whilst developing and implementing innovative compliance strategies with measurable outcomes and continuous improvement focus Demonstrated ability to build and maintain collaborative relationships with senior stakeholders, influence decision-making, and communicate complex technical VAT matters clearly to diverse audiences both internally and externally Strategic and commercial thinking capabilities with proven ability to work effectively under pressure, manage multiple competing priorities, and make sound decisions in uncertain circumstances regarding tax interpretation matters All applicants must confirm in their application that they hold one of the following recognised professional qualifications:Chartered Tax Adviser - CIOT. AIIT (including Paper 4*) or a Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies membership qualification e.g. Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales (ICAEW), Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (ICAS) Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland (ICAI). Chartered Institute of Public Finance Accountancy (CIPFA). Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Holders of an Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (ADIT). Post Graduate full legal qualification - in taxation matters. For previous or existing HMRC employees, TSP or predecessor qualification (for example IDP or TPDP):In October 2023, a decision was made that applicants for G7 Tax Professional roles must have successfully completed the Tax Specialist Programme or hold an equivalent qualification.To enable career development for experienced colleagues already in Tax Professional roles, if you have been successful in gaining a G7 Tax Professional role through open competition prior to October 2023, and you are not subject to any Performance Management action, you are now able to apply on level transfer for other G7 Tax Professional roles.Please note that if you applied for a non-tax professional role on promotion to Grade 7 prior to October 2023 but have tax experience, you would not be able to apply on level for tax professional roles."Transitional Sites For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.If your location preference is for the following site, its important to note that these are not long-term sites for HMRC and we will require you to move to a new building in the future, subject to our location strategy and the applicable employee policies at that time.The site is: Benton Park View, Newcastle - moving to Pilgrims Quarter, Newcastle You will be given more information about what this means at the job offer stageLeeds Locations Moves Adjustment Payment will be available for this role, provided the successful applicant is a current HMRC colleague in Bradford and meets the eligibility requirements outlined in the HMRCs Moves Adjustment Payment guidance.Benefits Alongside your salary of £58,541, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £16,959 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.Pension - We make contributions to our colleagues Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary. Family friendly policies. Personal support. Coaching and development. To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what its really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil ServiceThings you need to know Selection process details How to Apply As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:A name-blind CV including your job history (Last 5 roles). For each job role included, please provide a brief description of the role, key responsibilities and key achievements (max 300 words per role). Please reference how you meet the essential criteria and display your qualifications. Sift At full sift your CV will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.Interview During the panel interview, you will be asked questions with reference to the job specification and essential criteria, to assess your experience and explore in detail what you are capable of, and this is an opportunity to evidence your expertise. Eligibility 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 with your eligibility form, please contact us via: - Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example - Please re-open my application - (insert vacancy ref) & vacancy closing date (insert date). To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.Reserve List 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, well let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.Merit List After interview, merit lists will be created for each location advertised within the vacancy. If you are successful at interview, you will be placed on the merit list for any locations you have expressed an interest for. Appointments from each merit list will be made in strict merit order. Criminal Record Check 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.Hybrid working at HMRC HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time). 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 team via 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 youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.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. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the location preferences section that you can travel to.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 applicants 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.Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the Contact point for applicants section.For more Information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - 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 Commissions 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).