TCCA Head of Curriculum Development in Cardiff

This role will report directly to the Deputy Director Curriculum, Design and Content (SCS1). To strengthen HMRC’s strategic capabilities, we have established three Capability Academies: Digital, Leadership and Management, Tax, Customs and Compliance.

The Tax, Customs and Compliance Academy (TCCA) launched in April 2025 to ensure that colleagues have the support necessary to acquire the skills appropriate to their role and build great careers in HMRC. HMRC has a workforce of over 60,000 with over 15,000 tax professionals. They play a vital role closing the tax gap, tackling non‑compliance, improving performance and overall customer experience. Our tax professionals must have the right skills and opportunity to continuously develop their skills and careers, supported by a modern curriculum and clear career pathways.

TCCA is responsible for establishing a sustainable Tax, Customs and Compliance (TCC) curriculum, supported by modernised learning design and content that fills current gaps, and is future proofed to meet changing demand, taking account of tax risk, customer requirements and advances in technology and automation.

The TCCA Head of Curriculum Development will:

• Future‑prove HMRC through developing and maintaining an integrated and cohesive Tax, Customs and Compliance curriculum as a core component of HMRC’s broader curriculum offer.
• Ensure alignment of the curriculum to tax profession strategy, professional standards, and career framework.
• Ensure curriculum maintains relevance to evolving HMRC and tax profession needs, including enabling successful progress against the Tax Profession Capability Programme’s delivery plan.

You will be part of the TCCA extended leadership team, playing a key role in transforming HMRC’s approach to tax, customs and compliance capability, ensuring the Academy enables learning through reforming learning and talent programmes, accelerating curriculum development and improving colleague experience.

The TCCA Head of Curriculum will lead the strategic development and delivery of the HMRC Curriculum framework ensuring it is relevant to tax, customs and compliance professionals. They will ensure that all learning content is aligned to the HMRC curriculum.

The Academy is hosted within Customer Compliance Group (CCG), working closely with the central Learning and Talent Directorate in People and Place Group (PPG) as part of a federated model. An enterprise approach will be taken to set TCCA priorities and outcomes through established governance structures.

Develop, implement and monitor the quality improvement and quality assurance processes and procedures. To monitor and report on the quality of curriculum delivery making recommendations for continuous development. Benchmark and measure curriculum effectiveness through learner data, feedback, and impact measures. Develop a fully rounded HMRC curriculum that encompasses all skills, knowledge and behaviours needed (technical and core) required for tax, customs and compliance professionals.

Lead on the implementation of the right make, buy, curate blend for HMRC curriculum, building and maintaining partnerships with external suppliers. Lead ongoing curriculum innovation, research and development to address current and future skills needs. Commission and evaluate HMRC curriculum against industry and accreditation standards. Manage internal and external stakeholder engagement to ensure curriculum inclusivity and cross‑functional alignment. Build and manage strong relationships within the Academy and HMRC, as well as with external experts and providers, including professional bodies to promote innovation and collaboration in curriculum. Ensure compliance with relevant processes, governance, and best practice in designing and embedding the HMRC Curriculum Framework. Provide support for managers and teams in identification of and delivery of high‑quality curriculum content and ongoing quality improvements.

Key Interactions

• TCCA SLT and key DD functions: Tax Professionalism and Change, and Learning Delivery and Professional Development functions
• Tax Profession Capability Programme
• Learning & Talent Acquisition
• Relevant external bodies
• Government Skills (Cabinet Office)
• Other Business Group Directors/senior leaders/capability and professionalism leads
• Reporting to internal HMRC boards, deputising for the SCS1

Performance Metrics

• TCCA Performance Measures
• Tax Profession Capability Programme Metrics

Essential Criteria

• Proven leadership and strategic experience in designing, modernising, and embedding enterprise‑wide learning frameworks within large, complex, or regulated organisations, including further and higher education.
• Significant expertise in curriculum design and effective implementation, and quality improvement with comprehensive knowledge of accreditation processes, educational frameworks, and regulatory compliance (e.g., CIPD, LPI, Awarding Organisations OFS and Ofsted).
• Exceptional stakeholder engagement and influencing skills across all organisational levels, with the ability to manage delivery partners and assure high‑quality, agile curriculum design.
• Advanced analytical and problem‑solving skills, including the ability to interpret data and insights to drive capability improvements at an enterprise level.
• Demonstrated professional integrity and leadership, evidenced by successful delivery of large‑scale curriculum initiatives in fast‑paced environments.
• Strong team management capabilities, including experience in leading multidisciplinary teams and fostering innovation in curriculum development.