Payroll Compliance Lead

Job summary

Discover what it’s like to work in a compliance role that makes an impact. Could you help us shape a stronger, fairer future? Your next career move starts here.

Large 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 HMRC’s Customer Compliance Group, Large Business Directorate (LB) is responsible for and works with around 2,000 of the UK’s largest businesses to support their compliance across all taxes and duties.

As a Payroll Compliance Lead, you’ll apply your payroll and Real Time Information (RTI) expertise to help manage complex tax risks across some of the UK’s largest and most diverse businesses. You’ll provide specialist technical support to colleagues and Customer Compliance Managers (CCM’s), advise on payroll-related issues and engage confidently with customers to ensure tax risks are understood and addressed.

While the internal title is Employer Duties Payroll Specialist, this role is fundamentally a payroll compliance lead position.

Job description

The Payroll Compliance Lead will act as a subject matter expert for Large Business (LB), providing technical leadership on payroll and Real Time Information (RTI) risks. The role will design and support the delivery of compliance projects, manage complex Payroll/RTI issues, and help shape LB’s strategic approach in this area.

Working alongside the LB Employer Duties National Regime Lead, the postholder will develop and drive forward the national strategy for Payroll/RTI risks within Large Business compliance activity. They will work closely with key internal and external stakeholders to ensure effective compliance outcomes and influence relevant policy and legislative developments.

The Payroll Compliance Lead will be required to:

• Identify payroll and RTI compliance risks across the LB population, using a range of data sources, and determine the most appropriate compliance interventions.
• Provide technical advice and guidance to LB Employment Duties compliance colleagues.
• Act as a key point of contact for Payroll/RTI matters, representing LB’s position across HMRC’s Customer Compliance Group (CCG).
• Build and advance the LB strategy for managing Payroll/RTI risks.
• Use payroll expertise to strengthen the capability of tax specialists and support customer understanding.
• Collaborate with internal teams (including Policy, Technical, Communications and Digital) and external stakeholders to support compliance delivery and contribute to legislative improvements.
• Identify and consider the impact of Legal Interpretation behaviour, working with stakeholders to promote compliance and implement appropriate responses.
• Develop capability across LB teams, champion continuous improvement, and support others to deliver high quality work.

The role may require some travel within the UK and occasional overnight stays. The successful applicant will be expected to be flexible regarding this.

There will be no direct line management responsibilities.

Person specification

Applicants must show their suitability for the role by evidencing the essential criteria in their application and interview, even if they only meet some of those criteria.

The payroll compliance lead role will require strong leadership, organisational abilities and the flexibility to respond quickly to differing customer needs. The successful candidate will build and maintain effective relationships with complex customers and key internal and external stakeholders.

Essential Criteria

• Excellent leadership and communication skills with the ability to influence senior stakeholders and provide expert guidance on complex Payroll/RTI matters in a large business environment.
• Proven experience delivering complex Payroll and Real Time Information (RTI) reporting for large organisations (1,000+ employees), ensuring accurate real time submission of pay, tax and NI data.
• Demonstrable in depth understanding of major payroll systems to manage high volume, technically complex payrolls.
• Experience handling or advising on advanced payroll scenarios. For example benefits processed through payroll, termination payments, TUPE transfers, IR35, and share based remuneration.
• Demonstrable experience considering tax implications in relation to payroll, identifying tax risks within payroll processes, and applying a strong understanding of National Insurance classes and the correct treatment of taxable and non-taxable items with appropriate compliance controls.
• Proven capability of understanding payroll for globally mobile employees or cross-border workers, including modified payrolls and RTI linked processes such as Appendices 4/5/6/7a/7b/8 and s690 directions.
• Strong experience conducting payroll related reviews or audit activity, identifying compliance risks and driving appropriate corrective action.

Transitional Sites

For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations.

If your location preference is for one of the following sites, it’s 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.

These sites are:

• Benton Park View, Newcastle - moving to Pilgrims Quarter, Newcastle

You will be given more information about what this means at the job offer stage.

Leeds 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 HMRC’s Moves Adjustment Payment guidance.

Qualifications

Please confirm on your application which qualification/s you hold:

It is essential that you are a qualified Tax or Payroll Professional. You MUST also hold one or more of the following:
•Chartered Tax Adviser (CIOT)
•Advanced Diploma in International Taxation (CIOT)
•AIIT (including Paper 4*)
•A Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) membership qualification including:

· Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales (ICAEW),

· Institute of Chartered Accountants in Scotland (ICAS)

· Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland (ICAI)

· Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)
•Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
•Post Graduate full legal qualification - in taxation matters
•Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals (CIPP)
•Institute of British Payroll Management

For previous or existing HMRC employees TSP or predecessor qualification (TPDP, IDP, ITS2, CPT FT2) - (note - existing HMRC employees would only be eligible if they have completed the appropriate course to get them to G7 level (or above) as a tax professional).

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 successfully for a non-tax professional role on promotion to Grade 7 prior to October 2023, whether or not you had had prior tax experience, you would not be able to apply on level or promotion for tax professional roles.

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• You will be asked to deliver a presentation demonstrating your technical leadership skills, which must relate to a real example.

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 it’s really like to work for HMRChear from our insiders or visitThinking of joining the Civil Service

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Experience and Technical skills.

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 and qualifications.When preparing your CV, please read and understand the Essential Criteria and qualification requirements thoroughly (found in person specification section) You should limit your CV to your last 5 roles and the word count to 300 for each role you include.

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Sift

At 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 assessed on Experience and a Technical Presentation.

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.

Candidates will also be asked to deliver a presentation demonstrating their technical leadership skills, which must relate to a real example. The presentation should draw out candidates’ experience of resolving complex technical issues, their leadership skills and their ability to work collaboratively, build strong relationships across business groups, delivering through others, and ability to work under pressure. Candidates will be provided with 10 minutes to deliver a presentation with a further 10 minutes for follow up questions from the panel. Presentation details will be provided in advance of the interview.

Interviews will take place via video link.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

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, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – 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.

The HMRC app can help you with your application

The HMRC app can provide you with your past 5 years' employment history, making the process of filling in your application quicker and easier.

If successful in your application, you will need your National Insurance number for the onboarding process.

Download the HMRC app now and save your National Insurance number to your digital phone wallet.

How to download the HMRC app and sign up for an account

Download the free HMRC app from the App Store or Google Play store.

If you have an HMRC online account already, sign straight in using your ID and password. If not, you can prove your identity by answering some questions or providing your photo ID.

You’ll then be able to access the app quickly and easily by signing in using a 6-digit PIN, your fingerprint, or facial recognition.

You can find guidance for technical issues on GOV.UK: Technical support with HMRC online services.

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, we’ll let you know via your Civil Service Jobs account.

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.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

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 unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk 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 you’re 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 applicant’s 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 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 theCivil 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 : Naomi Donaldson
• Email : naomi.donaldson@hmrc.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@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 there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk. Please note that we do not accept complaints or appeals regarding scoring of outcomes of campaigns, unless candidates can provide clear evidence that the campaign did not follow the Recruitment Principles. 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 website.