VAT Policy and Assurance Lead

Job summary

We are seeking a fully or part qualified accountant or tax specialist with strong VAT technical capability. You will lead the VAT policy function, collaborate widely across Defence and government, and maintain alignment with legislation and best practice.

Job description

The VAT Policy and Assurance Lead is responsible for shaping and maintaining VAT policy across the Ministry of Defence, ensuring compliance with legislation, driving tax efficiency, and strengthening VAT assurance across Defence. The post holder will lead on complex VAT matters, influence senior stakeholders, and act as the MOD’s primary VAT relationship holder with HMRC. This role provides a unique opportunity to apply VAT expertise at scale within one of the most complex and diverse operational environments in government.

VAT considerations are integral to Defence activities — from procurement and contracting, to international operations, estates management, and cross government initiatives. Ensuring accurate and consistent VAT treatment safeguards public money, reduces compliance risk, and supports effective delivery across Defence.

As VAT Policy and Assurance Lead, you will:

• Influence high value and complex Defence decision making
• Shape VAT policy and guidance across the Department
• Build strong working relationships with HMRC and wider government
• Lead improvements in VAT capability, assurance, and process efficiency
• Play a key role in strengthening tax governance and supporting strategic objectives

Person specification

You must be able to demonstrate:

• Strong working knowledge and hands on experience of VAT, including interpreting legislation and managing complex issues.
• Proven experience delivering improvements in VAT processes, compliance, and assurance.
• Confidence in challenging, influencing, and advising senior stakeholders on technical matters.
• Ability to develop constructive relationships with internal and external partners, including HMRC.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex VAT rules in clear and accessible language.
• Capability to assimilate technical information quickly and provide accurate, timely guidance.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high quality outputs to demanding deadlines.
• Willingness to further develop expertise in VAT, Indirect Tax more broadly, and government finance.
• A collaborative, engaging approach to teamwork.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together
• Making Effective Decisions

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £46,040, Ministry of Defence contributes £13,337 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Accountancy and Recruitment & Retention Allowances for professionally qualified staff (CCAB, CIOT)
• Flexible working options, subject to business need
• On site parking, canteen, gym, and nursery (Abbey Wood)
• Generous leave (25–30 days depending on service), plus public holidays
• Special Leave for volunteering or public duties
• Enhanced parental leave
• Access to Defence Discount Service and Blue Light Card
• Hybrid working (typically 60% office based), depending on business need

Please note:

The post does not offer relocation expenses.

External recruits who join the MOD who are new to the Civil Service will be subject to a six-month probation period.

Expenses incurred for travel to interviews will not be reimbursed.

Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.

Any move to MOD from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax-Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.

The Ministry of Defence is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for its staff which includes educating them on the benefits of not smoking, protecting them from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke and supporting those who want to give up smoking. Under the Smoke-Free Working Environment policy, Smoking and the use of all tobacco products (including combustible and chewing tobacco products) will not be permitted anywhere in the Defence working environment however some exemptions are in place, please refer to local guidance. The policy is Whole Force and includes all Defence personnel, contractors, visitors and other non-MOD personnel. All applicants seeking, considering, or accepting employment with the Ministry of Defence should be aware of this policy and that it is already in place at a number of Defence Establishments.

MOD Recruitment Satisfaction Survey – We may contact you regarding your experience to help us improve our customer satisfaction. The survey is voluntary and anonymous. You may however be given the opportunity to provide additional information to help us improve our service which includes the collection of some personal data as defined by the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The MOD Privacy Policy Notice sets out how we will use your personal data and your rights

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 and Experience.

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability (250 words)

At sift, you will be assessed against your CV, Statement of suitability and the following:

Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing (lead behaviour)
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Working Together

At interview, you will be assessed against the following:

Behaviours:

• Communicating and Influencing (lead behaviour)
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions

Additionally, you will be assessed on one technical VAT question, plus questions on your CV.

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk .

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came in to effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category and we will not sponsor a visa. It is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system.

Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

The Ministry of Defence requires all candidates who are successful at interview to declare any outside interests. These declarations will be discussed with successful candidates following the interview process and before a formal offer of employment is made, as some outside interests may not be compatible with MOD civilian roles. This will not, in the majority of cases, prevent employment in MOD, but it is a measure that must be taken to ensure that appropriate mitigations can be put in place to manage any potential, perceived or actual conflicts of interest from the first day of employment.

The Ministry of Defence adopts a zero-tolerance approach to unacceptable behaviours, which includes bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and victimisation. You will not be eligible and will not be considered for this post if you have been dismissed from a role for such unacceptable behaviours within the last five years. This will also apply if you resign or otherwise leave a role but, because of an adverse decision, would have been dismissed for gross misconduct had you continued in that employment. Pre-employment checks will be carried out.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).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 : Paul George, Head of Tax Policy
• Email : paul.george101@mod.gov.uk
• Telephone : +44 303 377 3967

Recruitment team

• Email : DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk

Further information

Please ensure you read the attached candidate information document prior to completing your application. If you are dissatisfied with the service you have received from DBS, or believe that DBS has failed to follow the recruitment process in line with the Civil Service Commission principles of selection for appointment on merit on the basis of Fair and Open competition, you can raise a formal complaint by writing to DBS at the following address: Defence Business Services, Scanning Hub, Room 6124, Tomlinson House, Norcross Lane, Blackpool, FY5 3WP. If after raising your complaint with DBS you remain dissatisfied you can complain directly to the Civil Service Commission at the following address: Civil Service commission, Room G/8, 1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ Or by email: info@csc.gov.uk.

Attachments

20260205 VAT_Policy_and_Assurance_Lead_Job_Description Opens in new window (docx, 35kB)Candidate Information Opens in new window (docx, 32kB)Defence Civil Service Offer Opens in new window (pdf, 1562kB)