HMRC Legal Director: Personal Tax and Cross- Cutting Advisory

Bristol, Croydon, Leeds, Manchester, Stratford Job summary

HMRC Legal Group is an outstanding legal function, recognised for our commitment to the highest standards of professionalism, customer service, and the rule of law.

Our approximately 2,000 strong multi-disciplinary team plays a key role in delivering HMRC’s purpose –collecting the money that funds public services – and in achieving the government’s growth ambition. In particular, we support HMRC and Treasury Ministers on the annual Budget and Finance Bill, conduct litigation that protects billions of pounds in tax a year, and provide commercial advice on HMRC’s ambitious digital transformation programme.

As Legal Director responsible for Personal Tax and Cross-cutting Advisory, you will lead a team of over
120 highly skilled lawyers who deliver legal services across a wide range of high-impact areas, including all taxes concerning individuals, benefits and credits, commercial law (including procurement, estates, and digital and technology), and criminal law. The directorate plays a key role in overseeing and drafting a significant volume of secondary legislation and working with Parliamentary Counsel on the annual Finance Bill and other primary legislation.

The Legal Director is also responsible for advising myself and the Permanent Secretary on a range of sensitive matters relating to departmental governance and accountability.

As a member of the Legal Group Senior Leadership team, you will work across the Legal Group to deliver our change priorities: investing in our people and culture, embracing digital innovation, and strengthening partnerships with stakeholders, so that we continue to deliver a quality service to HMRC and its customers. You will also contribute to the leadership of HMRC, the Government Legal Profession and the wider Civil Service.

This is a pivotal leadership role at the heart of government. The legal work is complex, intellectually stimulating and fascinating. It presents a unique opportunity to influence major policy and legislative developments while collaborating extensively across government and beyond. This role offers exceptional scope for leadership, impact, and professional challenge.

Reporting directly to the General Counsel and Director General of the Legal Group, you will have overall responsibility for ensuring provision of the directorate’s advisory legal services, through direct management of six SCS1 deputy directors and wider command of over 120 highly skilled legal professionals. You will also be a member of the Legal Group Senior Leadership Team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Provide visible leadership to the directorate, communicating a compelling vision for the future and connecting the work of the directorate to HMRC and the government’s purpose.
• Ensure the provision of consistently excellent legal advisory and legislative services to HMRC, HM Treasury and Treasury Ministers (as part of the ‘policy partnership’ between HMRC and HM Treasury).
• Provide personal leadership and oversight on the most strategic and important legal advice and legislation, including membership of HMRC governance boards, and assurance to senior stakeholders.
• Lead the directorate’s support for HMRC’s Transformation Roadmap, focusing on tax compliance, policy, disputes and the commercial aspects of HMRC’s digital ambition.
• Ensure systems are in place that set professional expectations and standards, assure performance and quality, and surface and address issues and risks.
• Promote an open and inclusive culture, in which skills and careers development are prioritised.
• Role model and promote the development of strong working relationships with colleagues in HMRC, HM Treasury and across government, as well as with external stakeholders.
• Effective selection and management of external legal providers, where appropriate.
• Provide strategic direction to Legal Group as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the collective leadership of HMRC more broadly, and making a proactive and constructive leadership contribution to the Government Legal Profession and wider Civil Service.

The successful applicant will…