HM Revenue & Customs Looking for Surge and Rapid Response – Deployable Operations Team – Executive Officer – 328R at Croydon, Southland, New Zealand Full Time

Location

Birmingham, Cardiff, Croydon, Edinburgh, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Salford

About The Job

Job summary

The Surge and Rapid Response Team (SRRT) is an innovative and unique team, working across government departments to deliver during known peaks in demand for services, and respond to unexpected crises.

The work that the Surge and Rapid Response Team does, extends across all government departments, as well as their agencies and arm’s length bodies.

Some of SRRTs’ biggest customers include the Home Office, Cabinet Office and Department for Work and Pensions, however regular provision is provided to smaller parts of the Civil Service including the National Crime Agency and Animal, Plant and Health Agency.

We pride ourselves on delivering excellent customer service to everyone we support. We are a hugely adaptable and flexible team who can deploy our people where and when they are needed the most, frequently at short notice. This means sometimes staying and working away from home, across the UK and sometimes abroad.

If this sounds like you, then you could be just the person we’re looking for to join us in Surge and Rapid Response Team.

The Surge and Rapid Response Teams are based out of HM Revenue and Customs, and we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues; an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us, and we offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career at HMRC accessible to you.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success in SRRT, and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

You can find out more about what it’s like working in Surge and Rapid Response Team on the Civil Service Careers website .

Watch these videos to see how our team work:

A day in the life of Surge and Rapid Response Team – Katy’s story

A day in the life of Surge and Rapid Response Team – Brian’s story

A day in the life of Surge and Rapid Response Team – Rachel, Winnie and Touhid’s stories

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed to the contact details, as advised later in this advert.

Question and answer session

We will be hosting a virtual event where you can find out more about the application process and what it is like to work in SRRT.

This will take place on Monday 2 October 2023 at 1.30pm. Please visit Surge and Rapid Response Team Recruitment Campaign Q&A to book your place.

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 Surge and Rapid Response Team are looking for flexible frontline operational staff to be deployed as members of our deployment team to carry out various roles across a range of different civil service departments.

You will work as a permanent member of the Surge and Rapid Response Team deploying to provide great customer service and work in a host of different environments.

In this role you will deliver a high-quality service to support the delivery of key objectives, Your work will vary based on the live deployments at the time and there may be times where you will need to support the surge and rapid response team by managing priorities and deliverables where required.

Key Responsibilities

Tasks and responsibilities may include:

• Casework, decision making and data processing across a variety of departments and different IT systems.
• Face to face engagement with the public, such as passport control.
• Responding to priority work requiring training or sometimes travelling at short notice.
• Delivering against timeliness and quality targets, providing excellent customer service.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work with minimum supervision within a dynamic environment.
• Developing and maintaining good working relationships with customers, both internal/external stakeholders to deliver.
• Having responsibility for effective personal and team delivery.

You won’t need previous experience because full training will be provided. Your enthusiasm, willingness to learn and keenness to deliver is what we are looking for.

You will join a network of people in the Surge and Rapid Response team spread across a variety of different locations. The teams are friendly and welcoming and will be there to help you reach your potential.

For any further information on the role please contact the Customer Services Group Recruitment Team on [email protected]

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

We are looking for staff who will uphold the Civil Service values and standards of behaviour and who:

• Are able travel nationally or abroad sometimes at short notice. (The Surge and Rapid Response Team will pay for all travel and accommodation associated with work related activity).

Desirable Criteria:

We are looking for staff who will uphold the Civil Service values and standards of behaviour and who:

• Are flexible, adaptive and can effectively deliver against deadlines.
• Are capable and confident in making decision, in line with training, to deliver.
• Can demonstrate sound interpersonal, communication and relationship-building skills and thrive working as part of a team as well as working autonomously.
• Resilient and prepared to deal with challenge and/or confrontation.
• Comfortable dealing with the public in person, in writing or on the telephone.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension

Team members that are moving offices as a result of the Locations Programme will be entitled to a Moves Adjustment Payment for three years where they incur additional costs. This is calculated based on the difference between the costs of travelling to and from the new and old office, over a weekly period. You will get more detail on this as part of targeted locations move communications.

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

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Ability and Experience.

To apply for this post, you will be required to complete:

• A short application form
• Caseworker Test
• Numeracy Test
• Employment history/CV
• Video interview

Please complete the online tests as soon as possible (within 24 to 48 hours is recommended), the closing date for the tests is 11.30 a.m. on 20th October 2023. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline your application will be withdrawn.

Guidance for the tests will be available when you are invited to take the tests. The tests are administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.

Please ensure that any technical issues with the tests are reported prior to 8:00 a.m. 18th October 2023. There will be no extension to the deadline for completing the tests.

During the interview, you will be asked questions based on the behaviours listed below to explore in detail what you are capable of, and you will be asked strength-based questions to also explore what you enjoy and your motivations relevant to the job role.

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions
• Managing a Quality Service

This is an example of a strengths-based question:

“It is often said that the customer’s needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

Interviews will take place via video. Interview dates to be confirmed.

After interview, a single merit list will be created and appointments will be made in strict merit order until the set demand is filled in each location.

If successful, you will be informed which locations are available when we reach your position on the merit list.

We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process in order to manage numbers.

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:

Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.

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 [email protected] 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 check

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. All Criminal Record Checks applications are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

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 [email protected] 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 – 315246 & vacancy closing date 09/10/2023 . 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

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 security 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.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : CSG Recruitment Team
• Email : [email protected]

Recruitment team

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via [email protected] 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 web pages: Click here