Senior Lawyer

Job summary

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're 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 it’s really like to work at HMRC.

Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.

At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues; an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us and we offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career at HMRC accessible to you.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

About HMRC Legal Group:

Across HMRC Legal Group we provide legal services to the whole of HMRC. This includes:

• The conduct of independent reviews of decisions made by HMRC which are requested by customers under the legislative provisions.
• The conduct of tribunal and civil litigation on a full range of services.
• Work on new legislation.
• Drafting of statutory instruments and other legal documents.
• Legal advice to ExCom and staff.

We also provide technical accountancy and forensic services to HMRC, are head of the Compliance Accountants’ and Insolvency Professions as well as handling Ministerial Correspondence and Freedom of Information requests for HMRC.

Job description

We have two vacancies for Grade 6 Commercial Specialist Senior Lawyers in our Commercial legal advisers teams – one in our Digital & Technology team and one in our Corporate Services & Estates team, both available on promotion.

These roles offer an exciting opportunity to lead on strategic commercial legal advice and support to major HMRC projects and programmes and to contribute to the wider leadership of HMRC Legal Group. The successful applicants will be expected to:

- deliver and manage complex, high profile commercial legal advisory work – taking into account wider issues when delivering commercial legal advice, leading and supporting team members, and working collaboratively with senior stakeholders in commercial, policy and operational teams to achieve Departmental objectives; and

- working collaboratively across HMRC, Legal Group, the Government Legal Profession (GLP) and with external stakeholders as appropriate, supporting the management team and contributing to the leadership of our commercial legal teams, the Advisory function and our organisation.

The successful applicants will provide legal advice on public procurement, contracts, intellectual property rights, companies, and subsidies as well as public law in a commercial context. This may include drafting and assisting with the negotiation of contracts and other commercial arrangements; advising on procurement processes and documents, providing contract and supplier management advice; supporting implementation of GDPR requirements in a commercial context; supporting major programmes and projects, including managing external legal advisors; and advising on and drafting Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between HMRC and other government departments.

Our Digital & Technology Grade 6 Commercial Specialist Senior Lawyer will advise on HMRC’s hardware, software and IT services procurements and contracts, and support key transformational IT programmes, Current activity includes procurements for ‘Contact Centres as a Service’ (to modernise our call centres into an omni-channel service), ‘Enterprise Customer Relationship Management’ (to join-up our systems and provide a single, holistic view of our customers and insights into their behaviour), ‘Data Centre Exit’ (to migrate services to a hyperscale cloud-based, automated data centre network) and the re-procurement of ‘National Insurance and PAYE Service’ (which processes PAYE and NICS accounting for over 40% of the cash flow into UK Treasury and is considered critical national infrastructure).

Our Corporate Services & Estates Grade 6 Commercial Specialist Senior Lawyer will advise on a wide range of commercial issues potentially including a number of critical ongoing procurements, the Government’s banking contracts, the commercial arrangements in place to recover tax debt, and on intellectual property rights. They may also be asked to assist with the strategic management of the HMRC estate by advising on site selection processes for future estate, and with contracts and leases. Further, the lawyer may work on negotiations with suppliers, and on the procurement and management of external specialist lawyers. Current projects on which the team is advising include reprocurement of the Trader Support Service (TSS), Locations Programme (HMRC’s Regional Centre network), procurement of a Vaping Stamps supplier and the management of HMRC’s new Facilities Management and Security contracts.

The successful applicants will be required to get up to speed quickly.

Person specification

Our G6 Commercial Specialist Senior Lawyer roles provide an excellent opportunity to develop within two core areas: law and leadership. Whilst not having line management responsibilities, Specialist Senior Lawyers are expected to demonstrate leadership by leading our more complex, high profile and strategically significant legal projects with clients, by influencing senior stakeholders, and by coaching, mentoring and supporting team members. Our Specialist Senior Lawyers are also expected to contribute to the leadership of the teams, the Advisory function, Legal Group and HMRC more widely and to deliver cross-cutting corporate improvements.

Within our lawyer community there are also regular opportunities to broaden skills and experience, switch between specialist and team leader roles and work in different teams. It is expected that during a career within HMRC Legal Group, Senior Lawyers may move between specialist and management roles, depending on business need.

Essential Criteria - general:

You will need to be qualified as a Solicitor, Barrister or Chartered Legal Executive and able to practice as such in England and Wales;

AND

Have significant experience of providing complex commercial legal advice and/or advising on public procurement, and/or providing legal advice to major projects and programmes in a commercial context;

Essential Criteria - technical:

The successful applicants will have:

• Excellent legal professional skills, with some knowledge of public law;
• Demonstrable ability both to provide, and oversee other lawyers in providing, authoritative and robust risk-based legal advice;
• Demonstrable ability to provide legal advice to clients that is creative and constructive in facilitating practical solutions and mitigating legal risk;
• Demonstrable ability to lead both legal projects and wider work engaging, developing and influencing colleagues, clients and stakeholders;
• A strong track record of delivering high‑quality outcomes at pace, showing the ability to prioritise effectively, manage competing demands, and maintain momentum to meet agreed deadlines.

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.

Behaviours

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

• Leadership
• Managing a Quality Service
• Developing Self and Others

Technical skills

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

• The interview process will include Technical. Full details will be provided to those candidates invited to interview.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £71,725, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £20,778 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 Behaviours, Strengths, 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 with any narrative to be limited to the 3 most recent roles, with a maximum 100 words for each role explaining key responsibilities and achievements.
• A maximum 500-word statement on how you meet the general Essential Criteria.
• A 1000-word Personal Statement which should describe how your skills and experience make you suitable for the advertised roles, explaining in particular how you satisfy the technical Essential Criteria and linking to the experience-related aspect of the general Essential Criteria. The Personal Statement should explain and provide evidence to show that the applicant is:
  • A lawyer who can provide quality advice at pace, who can engage and inspire those they are working with to provide an excellent service, and who is comfortable with working in an uncertain environment that changing political priorities may bring.
  • A leader who thinks holistically about the organisation, focussing on organisational outcomes, commanding credibility from senior officials and who can contribute to the effective leadership of their projects and their HMRC Legal Group Team, encouraging a positive, diverse, and inclusive culture that supports wellbeing and learning and development.
  • Demonstrable ability to work collaboratively and think strategically to understand diverse customer needs and cross-government objectives in order to deliver high quality and efficient legal services; understanding issues in their wider context and advising accordingly.

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

Sift

A preliminary sift on the general Essential Criteria will be conducted and only candidates meeting those criteria will progress.

Applications meeting the general essential criteria will then be assessed using the CV and Personal Statement. These will be scored separately.

Candidates who are successful at the sift stage and progress to interview will be given further information about whether the interview will be online or in person at that time.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

The interview process will include Technical, Behaviours and Strengths. Full details will be provided to those candidates invited to interview.

This is an example of a strengths-based question:

“It is often said that the customer's needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

Start dates may not be agreed straight away but this will be discussed further with successful candidates.

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.

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 : Eleanor Beckett
• Email : eleanor.beckett@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.