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 in line with Government priorities and Ministerial objectives. This is a high-profile leadership role within CP&S. The successful candidate will lead a large team responsible for policies covering the core determinants of arriving at the correct customs duty: the classification, valuation, and origin of goods. The team works with other government departments to design and implement changes to the UK Global Tariff and provides detailed customs tariff information to millions of traders and intermediaries.
The Opportunity
The Role Offers The Opportunity To
- Lead a team of approximately 115 staff, including a large classification service.
- Collaborate across government to develop trade policy that takes operational considerations into account.
- Deliver innovations and improvements to the UK tariff and how HMRC engages with customers.
- Work across HMRC and the wider Borders & Trade group to drive delivery of customs policy priorities.
We are looking for a strong and collaborative leader with experience leading complex policy portfolios, building relationships at senior levels, and managing large, multidisciplinary teams.
Job Description
Working directly to the Director of Customs Policy and Strategy (CP&S) within HMRC's Borders & 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 policies covering the core determinants of arriving at the correct customs duty: the classification, valuation, and origin of goods.
The breadth of the team's responsibilities includes involvement in critical government policy such as sanctions, trade defence policies, and significant involvement in trade agreements.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide strategy and policy leadership, as well as delivery oversight, across a wide range of priorities.
- Lead and manage several G6-led teams, including a large, public-facing classification service team.
- Work closely with HM Treasury policy partners, other government departments, and key internal and external stakeholders.
- Work with other parts of the Borders & Trade Group to ensure customs policy objectives are reflected in and aligned with wider Group and departmental strategies.
- Work as part of the wider CP&S senior leadership team to manage the Directorate and make CP&S a great place to work.
People Management
- Manage a team of approximately 115 staff, split between a policy function and more operational teams.
Person Specification
- Significant leadership experience within the trade or customs sphere.
- Strong ability to influence and build relationships at all levels and 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, motivate people towards stretching goals, and inspire teams and delivery partners to engage fully with business plans and HMRC's long-term vision.
- Strong communication skills, with the ability to communicate with conviction and clarity and influence a diverse range of stakeholders, including colleagues across Whitehall and the Borders & Trade community.
- Strong focus on delivery, with the ability to respond quickly to changing circumstances and tight timescales as priorities evolve and accelerate.
- Excellent written and oral briefing skills, with the ability to confidently and concisely brief senior officials and ministers.
Compensation & Benefits
Salary:
£86,000 per year.
HM Revenue & Customs also contributes £24,914 towards membership of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension Scheme.
Pension
- Access to the Civil Service Alpha pension.
- Employer contribution of 28.97%.
Annual Leave
- 25 days of annual leave.
- Increasing to 30 days after five years of service.
- One additional day's paid privilege leave to mark the King's Birthday.
- Public holidays are provided in addition to annual leave.
Security & Eligibility
- Open to UK nationals only.
- Successful candidates must undergo a standard or equivalent criminal record check.
- Candidates must meet the required security requirements before appointment.
- People working with government assets must complete Baseline Personnel Security Standard checks.
Additional Information
The role has a minimum assignment duration of three years. This is an expectation for Senior Civil Servants to remain in the same post long enough to deliver agreed key business outcomes and build depth of expertise.
Artificial intelligence may be used to support applications, but all examples and statements submitted must be truthful, factually accurate, and based directly on the applicant's own experience.
Contact
Job Contact: Louise Nisbet
Email:
Recruitment Team:
Application
The vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
Candidates should retain a copy of the job advert for their records, as it will no longer be available once the vacancy closes.
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