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At HMRC, we have a vital purpose. We help people pay the correct amount of tax and provide financial support to families and individuals. We make sure money is available to fund the UK’s public services, such as hospitals and schools, answering around 50 million calls and handling 15 million items of customer correspondence every year.
Our services support customers on behalf of the entire department, dealing with a broad range of different and complex customer enquiries.
This is a great chance to start your career with HMRC, and we offer real opportunities to progress and develop your career with us or the wider Civil Service if you choose.
We’re striving to be the best customer service organisation in the UK, and we need enthusiastic people to help us achieve this.
Job description
Our Customer Service Advisors are the voice of HMRC, using their brilliant communications skills to give our customers the best possible experience.
Your primary role will be handling contact from customers effectively and efficiently across different lines of business.
You'll be the first point of contact for our customers, providing a first-rate service by telephone, email or web chat.
Your duties will depend on the line of business you join; however, all business areas expect your duties will include:
- speaking to customers on the phone, helping them with their questions or issues,
- creating customer records and keeping them up to date,
- helping customers to pay the correct amount of tax at the right time,
- using webchat and email to support our customers online,
- taking payments by phone and via our online services,
The Line of Business you are allocated to is decided at the time a formal offer is made, depending on where resource is needed.
We work a variety of shifts between 7:45 am and 8 pm, Monday to Saturday, to make sure we can help customers when they need us. You will work a maximum of one late shift per week (ending at 8 pm) and a maximum of 6 Saturdays each year. The majority of roles within customer services allow you to work from home two days a week if you choose; this includes Saturday and 8 pm shifts. On the days you attend the office, you will be working in the location shown in the title heading of this advert.
This post is offered on a Fixed Term contract for up to 2 years.
As a Fixed Term employee of HMRC, you will receive: • the same pay and conditions as permanent staff • the same or equivalent benefits package • information about permanent vacancies in the organisation
As a flexible employer, we will consider part-time requests. (Part-time is a minimum of 25 hours per week, covering a variety of shifts. All shift patterns, working days and hours will be discussed with your manager when you join us. Pay and annual leave will be pro-rata if we can agree to your request). However, we do require you to complete your training in the office on a full-time basis, usually 6 weeks, Monday to Friday, between 9 am and 5 pm.
You can find out more about what it’s like being a Customer Service Advisor at HMRC on the Civil Service Careers website.
Watch these videos to find out more about Customer Service roles at HMRC:
Our Professions – Customer Service Advisor at HMRC
Our Professions – Customer Services Group at HMRC
Our Customer Service Advisor role - all you need to know
Person specification
What are we looking for?
No experience is necessary as you will be fully trained, but we would like you to be comfortable talking on the phone and discussing debt with our customers.
You will also need to be comfortable writing up notes, as this is mainly a phone-based role.
We are looking for individuals with the drive and passion to make a difference in people’s lives, and we need people:
- With great communication skills, both verbal and written, in the English language (and Welsh where required)
- Dedicated to providing brilliant customer service
- With a can-do attitude and a real passion for supporting people
- With the personal resilience to work in a demanding and rewarding environment
- Able to provide information both quickly and clearly
- Comfortable handling different types of conversations
- With an ability to do basic math calculations
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £26,637, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £7,716 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.
Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Strengths, Ability and Experience.
To help you prepare, below is a rundown of what to expect during the selection process:
- Eligibility form
- Civil Service Customer Service Skills Test
- Application form
- Video interview
We acknowledge that AI can assist you in your application. Find our guidelines here.
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. If you do make a mistake, please contact us via csgrecruitmentqueries@hmrc.gov.uk– Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording, for example – ‘Please re-open my application – 380881 & vacancy closing date 23rd December 2024. To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.
After submission of the first stage of your application, you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Customer Service Test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stage of the application.
Guidance and details on how to access the test will be given to you before you take it. Please allow yourself plenty of time to complete it, as there will be no technical help or guaranteed assistance after 08:00 am on 23/12/24.
Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24 to 48 hours is recommended); the closing date for the test is 14:00 on 23/12/2024. If you fail to complete the online test before the deadline, your application will be withdrawn.
Please note:
The online tests will not be available at the following times due to routine maintenance:
- Sunday 15th December: Between 5 pm and 8 pm
Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The test is administered online and accessed via the CS Jobs website.
Please ensure that any technical issues with the test are reported - with supporting evidence - prior to 08:00 on 23/12/2024. There will be no extension to the deadline for completing the test.
Please also be advised that Online Tests may only be one element of the application process. You should ensure you set aside plenty of time to undertake the full application process for this role. Late applications will not be accepted. As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV. Further details about what this will entail are listed on the application form.
If you are invited to an interview, it will be a video interview based on Civil Service Strengths. We will send you full instructions on how to access it, what ID you’ll need to show us, and what it involves. Please read through these carefully; it will help you be fully prepared.
After you receive your interview invite, you’ll have 14 days to complete and submit the interview. If you won't be able to do this in time, please contact us with your reasons before the deadline at csgrecruitmentqueries@hmrc.gov.uk. Unfortunately, if you don't contact us in time, your application will be withdrawn.
If a high number of applications are received, we may implement an interview approach whereby if you fail to achieve the minimum standard on any of the questions, the assessors will not mark the remainder of the interview. If your responses consistently demonstrate the required level in these areas, we will continue with a full evaluation.
To help you develop your skills, you will receive feedback on all scored responses.
We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.
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.
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.
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 Team via csgrecruitmentqueries@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 in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at the interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.
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 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 and want everyone to feel valued and supported to achieve their potential.
Click here for more information on how we make this happen.
Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers:
Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to its nature and/or requirements.
Terms and Conditions
Customer-facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurately 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 an 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 the 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 dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against the government.
New entrants will join at the minimum 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.
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 attracting, retaining and investing 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).
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: Volume Recruitment Team
- Email: csgrecruitmentqueries@hmrc.gov.uk
Recruitment team
- Email: csgrecruitmentqueries@hmrc.gov.uk
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. 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: http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/civil-service-recruitment/complaints/
Attachments
Combined TC and OGD Pay - EnglishOpens in new window(pdf, 256kB)
