Job details - Tax
Meet someone doing the job Alan Chambers
What does this involve?
There are many types of tax, and we have people who specialise in them.. If you think this is dull work, involving balance sheets, spreadsheets and calculators, you are wrong.
Our administration teams oversee much of the calculation leaving our tax inspectors free to interpret the figures. Many inspectors say the job is a bit like being a detective, they are presented with evidence and need to decide if there is something worth investigating.
Tax professionals have a varied role and spend much of their time in meetings with customers or liaising with accountants and solicitors, often at the customers’ premises.
They could be:
- a caseworker, involved in complex projects as part of a team
- an investigator, looking into challenging cases of fraud,
- a technical adviser, offering specialist advice on complex cases.
Most Tax Professionals join us through our graduate development programme. This is also open to people working HMRC, even those who do not have a degree.
The programme is in modular format. Core modules will provide you with a range of essential skills and knowledge that all tax professionals within HMRC need, this includes:
- practical work experience, on live assignments, as part of a team
- formal study days at one of our training centres
- tutor-led sessions, self-study and office work, as well as exams and practical work assessments designed to build up your knowledge of tax law and practice.
- regular reviews and appraisals.
Throughout the programme, you will be working as part of an experienced team where you will be able to learn from the knowledge and experience that the other team members have.
Your responsibilities will increase as your knowledge and confidence develops. You will carry out interviews and site visits, and perhaps even start leading teams.
The Development Programme usually takes about four years to complete and at that point you will be ready to work in a technical/ investigative role or in a customer relationship management leader role that requires a broad range of knowledge and skills.
What are the career prospects?
At the end of the programme you will be fully prepared with the skills and experience to move up to senior level. From there, where you go is up to you. You can, for example, specialise in an area of taxation or move into taxation policy.
Where are the jobs?
Tax professionals work in most of our offices which are located in major towns and cities in the UK.
What is the rate of pay for the programme?
If you join the Programme, the starting pay is £23,929 (national), £26,010 (London), rising, after completion of the Programme, to a salary band starting at £42,586 (national), £47,735 (London).
What qualifications or qualities are needed to apply?
The usual way to enter as a trainee tax professional is via our graduate development programme for which you need a 2.1 honours degree . We recruit for this every autumn.
We occasionally recruit for tax professionals outside the programme and when we do, we advertise the vacancies on our current vacancies page and in the national press.
When filling tax professional posts, we look for people who enjoy tackling complex issues, using their intellect and solving problems. You need to be confident when dealing with figures. You also need to work well in teams and have an interest in finding out how businesses function.
