External Affairs Officer
HM Revenue and Customs
Apply before 11:55 pm on Tuesday 19th November 2024
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About the job
Job summary
Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it’s really like to work at HMRC.
Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.
The Communications and Guidance Directorate at HMRC manages one of the largest and busiest communications teams in government. We deliver a wide range of functions, including internal and change communications, press, digital communications, brand and campaigns, strategic communications, external affairs, tax policy updates, customer support and compliance, borders and trade, transformation initiatives, and guidance.
Our team is focused on building professional skills across areas like data insights, digital channels, stakeholder engagement, and business partnerships. We are a creative and fast-paced team that values collaboration, striving for innovation and excellence in everything we do. As part of our team, you’ll contribute to communication efforts that impact millions of lives across the UK.
In this role, you’ll be crucial to maintaining strong relationships with HMRC’s key stakeholders. You’ll gather insights, address concerns and identify new ways to enhance our visibility.
Please note that our team provides 24/7 support to the media, with an on-call service outside of regular working hours (9 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday). Colleagues at grade HO and above in the Press, Digital and External Affairs team may be required to join this on-call rota.
Job description
As an External Affairs Officer, you’ll support various communication activities to ensure the smooth running of the directorate. You may also be asked to assist with priority projects as they arise.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Creating and distributing monthly stakeholder and parliamentary newsletters.
- Organising and supporting stakeholder events and engagements.
- Collaborating with Press, Digital, Campaigns and Communications teams to develop and deliver targeted strategies aligned with HMRC priorities.
- Managing the External Affairs inbox.
- Evaluating the outcomes of your activities and applying lessons learned to improve future efforts.
- Proactively identifying potential issues and developing solutions.
- Keeping the Press Office Planning team informed of relevant events.
- Monitoring media for stakeholder-related coverage.
- Helping HMRC respond to emerging issues and influencing public commentary and sentiment.
- Managing briefing notes and narratives to support stakeholder relationships.
- Promoting best practices in stakeholder engagement and communications across the organisation.
You may also be required to join the out-of-hours on-call rota.
Person specification
Essential Criteria:
- Excellent writing skills with the ability to craft engaging content.
- Experience working collaboratively across teams and with external stakeholders.
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, unpredictable environment and prioritise work under pressure.
- Strong interpersonal skills, with the confidence to challenge senior colleagues when needed.
- Ability to simplify complex policy information for non-expert audiences.
The successful candidate should be a member of the Government Communications Service (GCS) or be willing to join.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Working Together
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- You will also be asked Technical based questions on the 3 Government Communication Services (GCS) Competencies of Insight, Ideas and Implementation.
- You will be required to carry out a written exercise, details of which will be provided at the interview.
Benefits
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 27% 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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
How to Apply
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:
A name-blind CV including your job history. This will be for information only and will not be scored.
A 500-word personal statement - this should demonstrate how your skills and experience would be suitable for the advertised role, making reference to the essential criteria outlined in the advert.
A 250-word statement to demonstrate the behaviour - Working Together.
Your writing skills will be tested during the interview, and your application will be reviewed for accuracy in grammar, punctuation and content. Only candidates demonstrating these high standards will be invited for interview.
To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.
Sift
In the event of a large number of applications being received, an initial sift may be held on the behaviour - Working Together.
A full sift will be carried out on your Personal Statement and Behaviour statement, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.
Interview
During the panel interview, you will be asked questions based on the behaviour listed in the advert to explore in detail what you are capable of.
You will also be asked Technical based questions on the 3 Government Communication Services (GCS) Competencies of Insight, Ideas and Implementation.
Further information about these can be found here:- Competency Framework - technical specifications - GCS (civilservice.gov.uk) https://gcs.civilservice.gov.uk/publications/competency-framework/
Additionally, you will be required to carry out a written exercise, details of which will be provided at the interview.
Interviews will take place via video call.
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: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]’
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 unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@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.
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. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the ‘location preferences’ section that you can travel to.
Terms and Conditions
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
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).
Diversity and Inclusion
Apply and further information
Contact point for applicants
Job contact :
- Name : Clare Merrills
- Email : clare.merrills@hmrc.gov.uk
- Telephone : 03000 513706
Recruitment team
- Email : unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk
Further information
In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@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.
