Portfolio Planner

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.

Join us at the forefront of HMRC’s compliance transformation, where we are delivering a bold and complex portfolio of change designed to reshape how compliance outcomes are achieved across the organisation. The Transformation Portfolio is strategically aligned to HMRC’s wider objectives and encompasses a diverse range of initiatives—from digitising case management and enhancing risk identification to modernising data infrastructure and onboarding new capabilities. With a roadmap that spans five years, the portfolio is focused on delivering tangible benefits, including improved yield, operational efficiency, and customer experience.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead portfolio planning across one of HMRC’s most complex transformation environments. As Portfolio Planning Lead, you will shape planning and scheduling across the Portfolio ensuring programmes and projects are clearly defined, integrated and deliverable within agreed timelines, resources and governance.

You will hold accountability for assuring integrated portfolio plans, providing clarity on milestones, dependencies and critical paths, and enabling confident, data-driven decision-making.

As the Portfolio senior planning Subject Matter Expert, you will set direction, standards and best practice, providing expert advice and challenge to senior leaders and sponsors. You will lead a high-performing planning community, driving continuous improvement and building capability across the portfolio.

This is a high-impact leadership role combining technical expertise, strategic influence and delivery focus to enable successful outcomes at scale.

Suitability

This role is suited to an individual with demonstrable experience of leading planning and scheduling functions across large and complex projects and programmes, with the confidence and capability to operate at portfolio level and to shape planning practice in a complex transformation environment.

Job description

The Portfolio Planning Lead provides strategic leadership for planning and scheduling across a complex transformation portfolio. Accountable for integrated plans, milestones and schedules, the role ensures robust governance and delivery confidence. As a senior Subject Matter Expert, they drive standards, provide expert advice, and enable data driven decisions to achieve successful portfolio outcomes.

Person specification

Main Responsibilities:

Leadership & Capability

• Lead and develop the portfolio planning function, providing clear direction, task management and building capability across the planning community.
• Champion a high-performance culture, embedding best practice planning approaches, tools, and standards.
• Build and sustain internal and external networks to leverage industry expertise and continually enhance capability.
• Assess future capability needs, implementing strategies to ensure the planning function is equipped to meet portfolio standards.

Portfolio Planning & Delivery

• Lead the development, maintenance and assurance of an integrated Portfolio Plan, ensuring delivery is aligned to key milestones and strategic outcomes.
• Maintain planning baselines and ensure robust application of change control processes across the portfolio.
• Provide early-stage planning guidance to programmes and projects, supporting proportionate and effective planning from initiation through delivery.
Governance, Assurance & Standards
• Define, embed and continuously improve planning and change control frameworks, ensuring alignment with organisational standards and governance.
• Act as the senior planning Subject Matter Expert, providing expert advice, quality assurance, and constructive challenge across the full change lifecycle.
• Ensure consistency, transparency, and quality in planning outputs to support effective decision-making at senior levels.

Insight, Risk & Dependency Management

• Analyse planning and performance data to identify trends, risks, issues, and opportunities, recommending timely interventions to support delivery.
• Work closely with the G7 Portfolio Dependencies Lead to ensure effective identification, management and integration of dependencies across the portfolio, working closely with stakeholders to provide clear and actionable insight.
• Apply advanced planning expertise to proactively manage risks, dependencies and critical path performance, enabling delivery confidence.

Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

• Work closely with senior stakeholders, including programme and project leaders, to ensure alignment on delivery plans and priorities.
• Provide clear, evidence-based planning insight to support strategic decision-making across the portfolio.
• Lead and develop the Planning Community of Practice, promoting collaboration and consistency across teams.

Essential Criteria

Demonstrable experience of complex project, programme or portfolio planning, including developing work breakdown structure, schedule development, critical path analysis, management of dependencies and milestone performance across complex environments.

Proven track record of planning and scheduling on large, high-value, and complex projects/programmes from initiation through to delivery and closure.

Strong analytical capability, with experience using data to identify trends, risks and issues, and providing clear, evidence-based insights to inform senior decision-making.

Ability to lead and develop planning capability, including training and coaching others, applying hybrid methodologies and experience of using Planning and Scheduling IT software such as ServiceNow (HRMC’s Enterprise Change Management Tool), Primavera P6 or MS Project.

Desirable Criteria

• A suitable professional qualification or working towards one within project delivery e.g. APMG Planning and Scheduling, Management of Portfolios, APM Project Management or PRINCE2.

• Possess the ability and aptitude to plan, prioritise and coordinate technical work and to acquire cooperation from others (management by influence).

• Excellent presentation, writing and drafting skills with the ability to work in a fast-paced environment under own initiative.

• Previous experience of working within a complex Project, Programme or Portfolio Management Office environment.

Further Location Information

Please ensure that you only apply for a location that you are willing and able to work from, as we will only make one offer of employment. Any additional notes included in a ‘Further Location Preferences (optional)’ field within the application form, will not be considered. Please be aware that you cannot change your location preference after submitting your application.

Office closures

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
• Telford Plaza, Telford - moving to Parkside Court, Telford

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

Technical skills

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

• Scheduling
• Planning

We only ask for evidence of these technical skills on your application form:

• Scheduling

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 (opens in a new window).

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 up to a maximum of your last 5 roles and up to 200 words per role. Please do not provide any details that will allow us to identify you personally. You should use the following format:
  
  
• Name of employer
  
  
• Dates worked (to and from)
  
  
• Job title
  
  
• Brief description of your main role / responsibilities / key achievements
  
  
• A 1000-word Personal Statement, describing how your skills and experience would make you suitable for the role, and how you meet the Essential Criteria and Person Specification.
  
  
• A 250-word Technical Statement describing an example of when you have developed and maintained a complex project / programme schedule - how did you go about it and what was the outcome?

Please complete a separate statement (Max 250 words) for the Desirable Criteria where applicable. This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy-holder where candidates have the same scores at interview.

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

Sift

In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on your Personal Statement.

At full sift yourTechnical statement, CV, and Personal Statement, 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 Experience-based questions to assess your experience aligns with the job role.

You will also be asked to give a presentation designed to assess your technical competency in Planning and Scheduling, aligned to the Project Delivery Capability Framework (PDCF). Planner G7 - Government Project Delivery.

Please ensure your presentation is clearly presented in 2 parts covering, i) planning and ii) scheduling.

Presentation topic:

“Describe a time when you developed i) a delivery plan and ii) a schedule based on a business case or scoping document.”

Please cover the context, your approach, stakeholder engagement, the outcome and key lessons learned.

Format: 10–15 minute presentation plus Q&A. Slides encouraged; focus on demonstrating applied technical expertise.

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. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may 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.

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.

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 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 : Claire Claessen
• Email : Claire.Claessen@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.