Tax Specialist – Inheritance Tax (Assets)

Job description

About

HMRC’s Wealthy compliance teams (“Wealthy”) are responsible for the tax compliance of the UK’s wealthiest individuals. Wealthy individuals often have complex tax affairs that present significant challenges to an effective tax administration. Given the size and nature of the tax at risk within the wealthy population it increases the opportunities and risks of non-compliance.

Our teams assure the tax paid by wealthy individuals and tackle risks and non-compliant behaviours to ensure that wealthy individuals contribute to the health of the tax system. This involves a strong, policy, technical and data led approach to promoting compliance and preventing non-compliance that encourages and supports the customer to get things right first time.

The Assets Compliance Team is part of the Wealthy Individuals and Mid-Sized Business Compliance (WMBC) division within the Customer Compliance Group. Responsible for resolving tax disputes and preventing non-compliance to close the tax gap for Inheritance Tax, Trusts, Stamp Duty Land Tax & Reserve Tax, Pensions, Savings and Transfer of Assets Abroad. These areas of the UK tax system have a diverse customer base, are governed by complex legislation and are reputationally sensitive areas of WMBC, involving important life events for our customers.

Inheritance Tax [IHT] is a complex and sensitive part of our business where we focus on supporting our customers to get IHT right first time, prevent early mistakes and non-compliance and therefore avoid the need for follow up checks. These activities require comprehensive planning, working closely with stakeholders across HMRC to ensure our compliance activities align with strategic and policy objectives.

Our approach is tailored to the risk that is presented by our customers.

Job description

The role will involve providing a broad range of advice to support colleagues across HMRC who are undertaking enquiries into some of the most challenging IHT cases including tax avoidance and evasion involving often complex structures or other bespoke arrangements.

We are looking for tax specialists with experience of providing IHT advice to clients and Trustees.

This is an interesting and challenging role, and we are looking for individuals who are flexible and adaptable to meet priorities that change at short notice.

You will also need to be innovative, to identify and address new challenges and evolve our approach to the delivery of quality customer service.

You will:

Conduct research to enhance technical knowledge in relevant areas and actively engage in continuing professional development, including staying current with case law and professional literature

Communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences, tailoring both written and verbal communication to meet diverse needs

Analyse and evaluate current legislation, practices, and processes to identify risks to HMRC and propose improvements and practical solutions

Manage workloads independently, demonstrating strong organisational skills and the ability to adapt to business changes and shifting priorities

Demonstrate self-awareness and resilience, working collaboratively to understand and consider the perspectives, motivations, and aspirations of both customers and colleagues

Be part of the WMBC Assets Leadership Team, reporting to the Assistant Director

Support Inheritance Tax compliance caseworkers where compliance checks have reached dispute stage and need to be resolved through agreement, Alternative Dispute Resolution or litigation, acting within HMRC’s Litigation and Settlement Strategy

Own and effectively manage a caseload of complex Inheritance Tax work

Role model Compliance Profession Standards and make a significant contribution to the Professionalism Risk Plans and towards Compliance Professionalism

Establish, build and maintain professional relationships with key senior stakeholders across HMRC, working across grades to influence and negotiate on business issues.

Build capability across the team and directorate, helping to create and embed an environment of continuous improvement, identifying gaps in technical knowledge and supporting development and delivery of learning

Occasional travel (including overnight stays) will be expected as part of the role.