Policy Advisor - International Social Security Policy

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This is an exciting and challenging role in the International Social Security Policy Team which leads on HMRC’s involvement in international social security matters.
This role provides an excellent opportunity to develop policy making skills within the Civil Service, and to develop a deep understanding of social security.
The team leads on various aspects of social security coordination and works closely with other Government departments to implement the UK’s social security agreements with other countries.
You will play a leading role in how the UK responds to the challenge of coordinating its social security system with more than 30 countries around the world. You will advise on the implementation and delivery of the social security aspects of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement, the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the social security agreements with the EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway).
The International Social Security Policy Team sits within the Individuals Policy Directorate (IPD). The directorate brings together all the policy and technical aspects of taxes and benefits that have an impact on individual customers., The key responsibilities of the post will vary in response to changing priorities and emerging issues but will include:
+ Supporting the UK’s engagement with the EU and EFTA countries including the international social security committees set up under the Withdrawal Agreement, the Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the social security agreements with EFTA countries;
+ Providing administrative support to the Secretariat of the Joint Administrative Committee established under the Convention on Social Security Coordination between the UK and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway;
+ Driving the delivery of social security coordination, including reporting on the UK’s obligations under international treaties; supporting the delivery of changes to HMRC internal guidance and processes;
+ Providing written and oral briefing for officials representing the UK in international meetings, as well as contributing to briefings for senior officials and Ministers;
+ Helping to deliver the team’s engagement with a range of stakeholders within and outside government, maintain strong stakeholder relationships on social security matters;
+ Working with operational and technical colleagues in HMRC to ensure correct implementation of the UK’s social security agreements with other countries;
+ Preparing high quality responses to Ministerial correspondence, Parliamentary Questions and Freedom of Information requests. Contribute to external communication products, including those for specialist stakeholder groups, such as employment agents, and coordinate the team’s communication activities with key stakeholders;
+ Supporting the team’s commitment to excellence in knowledge management and identifying areas for improvement.
+ Playing a wider corporate leadership role in addition to your role as a member of IPD., We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
+ Communicating and Influencing
+ Making Effective Decisions
+ Working Together, Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.
Sift
A full sift will assess the Personal Statement.
Candidates who pass the sift will be 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, your experience will be assessed, and you will be asked behaviour-based questions to explore in detail your capabilities.
Interviews will take place virtually 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. 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, please contact us via:
ubsrecruitmentexcellence@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – 369123 & vacancy closing date 27/09/2024
To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.
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.
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.
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.
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 Excellence Team via ubsrecruitmentexcellence@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., 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.
If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
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 counter-terrorist 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 the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window)., 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. 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.

The successful candidate will have excellent drafting skills with great attention to detail, and can work in compliance with policies and processes.
Essential Criteria:
+ Experience confidently communicating with senior leaders to provide information and advice which will assist in understanding and decision making.
+ Experience of stakeholder management and excellent communication skills to persuade and influence others, with a proven track record of building good working relationships across boundaries. You should be comfortable engaging with multiple stakeholders with different levels of seniority and with maintaining long-lasting working relationships.
+ Demonstrable commitment to working in compliance with policies and processes, including knowledge management.
Desirable Criteria:
+ Experience of tax, National Insurance or benefits would be beneficial but not essential.
+ Experience of working with domestic and international law, for example in the context of bilateral or multilateral agreements, or EU law is also desirable but not essential., Combined TC and OGD Pay - English - July 2024 Opens in new window (docx, 129kB)

Alongside your salary of £35,092, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £10,166 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 HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service