Skip to main contentMinisterial Correspondence Officer
HM Revenue and Customs
Apply before 11:55 pm on Thursday 28th September 2023
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About the job
Job summary
About SOLS:
Across Solicitor's Office and Legal Services (SOLS) 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.
Role of the team:
The team has a crucial role in influencing and quality assuring the writing style of the department, as well as identifying key correspondence trends and building statistical data for stakeholders. The team also handles operational correspondence sent to the Treasury.
What you can expect:
Are you keen to be involved in decision making at the highest level?
As a Ministerial Correspondence Officer, you will make sure that all incoming letters and emails are sent to the correct business areas and that the responses are appropriately drafted for the Chief Executive and ExCom to sign.
Would you like to influence how the department communicates with MPs and the general public?
You will play a crucial part through proofreading and quality assuring drafts. You will also join the team in visiting complaint teams across the country and deliver bespoke writing skills quality workshops.
See what it’s like to work at HMRC: find out more about us or ask our colleagues a question. Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.
Job description
The Post Holder will;
- Classify daily post, check for existing or duplicate records and meet 24 hour deadlines for getting correspondence onto the complaints system
- Proofread letters for the Chief Executive and Director Generals’ offices and in line with HMRC writing style guide. Correct errors, make amendments and raise issues when necessary, liaising with Private Offices to agree changes and return drafts within deadline
- Liaise and coordinate with Private Offices on all ministerial correspondence issues
- Prepare and deliver bespoke training workshops for complaints team stakeholders throughout HMRC on drafting; visit teams throughout the country and host interactive workshops and Q&A sessions.
- Liaise with stakeholder business areas to assist and give advice; coordinate responses to meet KPI deadline of 80%
- Action emails queries received from drafters, Treasury and MP offices
- Handle telephone calls and queries from MP Offices, customers and stakeholders
- Carry out quality measures in all processes
- Produce monthly, aged case and ad hoc stats for the Hub, management chain and stakeholders
- Analyse and scrutinise monthly statistical data for issues and trends to support and improve target deadlines with stakeholders
- Provide support to other business areas on an ad hoc basis
- Support the Operational Manager, Quality Manager and Senior Data Analyst when required
Person specification
Essential Criteria
The role requires excellent proofreading skills - letters on behalf of the Chief Executive.
There may be a need to travel across the UK with occasional overnight stays being required and there may be a need for occasional travel for business purposes.
This vacancy is only available at the specified locations, alternative locations are not available.
Your office location is contractual so if you are successful, there is an expectation that you will attend that office location as required by the business. You need to consider how you will meet this requirement before you apply and discuss any concerns with the vacancy holder before accepting any role.
Due to space restrictions, posts advertised in Nottingham are only available to existing HMRC staff already based in that location. HMRC candidates should specify within the Essential Criteria box that they are an HMRC employee based in Nottingham.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Making Effective Decisions
- Managing a Quality Service
- Delivering at Pace
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- We’ll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process: Spelling, punctuation and grammar. There will be a test following the interview which will take 30 minutes.
Benefits
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%
Find more about HMRC benefits in 'Your little extras and big benefits handbook' for further information or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
All Criminal Record Checks applications are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.
As part of the application process you will be asked to complete;
- A CV detailing work experience in the last 4 years and other relevant experience.
- A 250-word Personal Statement on what can you bring to the role and why you are suitable for the role.
- A 250-word Behaviour Statement on Making Effective Decisions,
- A 250-word Behaviour Statement on Managing a Quality Service.
- A 250-word Behaviour Statement on Delivering at Pace.
- A 500-word statement on the Essential Criteria.
SOLS use the Success Profiles framework for its recruitment. Your application will be assessed against the Experience and Behaviour elements of the framework. The Behaviour and Strengths element of the framework will be tested at interview, along with a technical test.
Selection will be by sift and (if required) interview.
A preliminary sift on the Essential Criteria will be conducted and only candidates meeting the criteria will progress.
We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process in order to manage numbers.
In the event of a high number of applications, an initial sift will assess the lead behaviour ‘Making Effective Decisions’,
Those applications progressing to a full sift will be assessed using the CV, Personal Statement (The CV and Personal Statement will be given a combined score) and Behaviours: Managing a Quality Service and Delivering at Pace.
If an initial sift is not required, applications will be assessed using all elements of the application: CV, Personal Statement (The CV and Personal Statement will be given a combined score) and Behaviours: Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service and Delivering at Pace.
Candidates who are successful at the sift stage and progress to interview will be interviewed online (Microsoft Teams).
The interview process will include: Behaviours (Making Effective Decisions, Managing a Quality Service and Delivering at Pace) & Strengths-based questions. Full details will be provided to those candidates invited to interview. Following the interview, a technical test will be conducted.
Interview dates to be confirmed.
Start dates may not be agreed straight away but this will be discussed further with successful candidates.
A reserve list may be held for a period of 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.
Eligibility
To check that you are eligible to apply, review this eligibility information
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, so please review the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you are able to travel to.
Reasonable Adjustments
We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition, or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate.
If you need a reasonable adjustment or a change to be made so that you can make your application, review this information on reasonable adjustments, and contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible.
Diversity and Inclusion
At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues and creating an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.
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. We’re committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues here at HMRC. We want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential at HMRC.
For more information on how we make this happen, review this information on our culture and values
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.
We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible after considering operational and customer service needs. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer.
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.
The Civil Service runs 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.
Locations
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.
Security Update
For more information on the level of security checks we will carry out, review this information on security checks
Further Information
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.
Duplicate applications for the same vacancy will also be withdrawn.
Transferring into HMRC from Civil Service If you are currently working for an ‘Other Government Department’ (OGD) and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document "Combined T&C and OGD Pay English”, found at the bottom of this advert. Further information on staff transfers can be found on gov.uk
Problems during the application process
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
If you think you’ve made a mistake on a short application form (e.g. you’ve ticked the incorrect eligibility box), please contact hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk at least two working days before the vacancy closes. After this, we won’t be able to reopen your application.
Please use the subject line to insert appropriate wording e.g. Please re-open my application - 310462 - and vacancy closing date 28/09/2023. Please note that we cannot amend or re-open your application if you have submitted your full application in the interests of fair and open recruitment.
For reasonable adjustments queries or requests, please see details within reasonable adjustments section above.
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Security
Nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
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).
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Emdad Haque
- Email : Emdad.haque1@hmrc.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email : hmrcrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Further information
