HMRC Non-Executive Board Member & Audit and Risk Committee Chair
- Body
- HM Treasury (for HM Revenue & Customs)
- Appointing Department
- HM Revenue & Customs
- Sector
- Business, Finance & Skills
- Location
- 100 Parliament Street, Westminster
- Skills required
- Audit and Risk, Business / Commercial
- Number of Vacancies
- 1
- Remuneration
- £25,000 per annum.
- Time Requirements
- 30 days per annum
Campaign Timeline
-
Competition Launched
04/12/2018
-
Closed for Applications
15/02/2019
-
Panel Sift
01/03/2019
-
Final Interview Date
22/03/2019
-
Announcement
Expected w/c 01/04/2019
Assessment Panel
- Panel Member
- Mervyn Walker
- Added
- 04/12/2018
- Panel Role
- Panel Chair
- Positions
- Lead Non-Executive Director
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- Panel Member
- Justin Holliday
- Added
- 04/12/2018
- Positions
- Chief Finance Officer Departmental Official
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- Panel Member
- Ruth Stanier
- Added
- 04/12/2018
- Positions
- DG for Customer Strategy & Tax Design Departmental Official
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Vacancy Description
We are looking for an experienced candidate with a strong understanding of the UK tax system and its administration to take up a Non-Executive role on HMRC’s Board. The successful candidate will also chair the Audit and Risk Committee. This role offers a unique opportunity to advise on, challenge, and scrutinise tax and benefits administration at the heart of government.
The recommended candidate will be subject to security checks and require approval by HM Treasury ministers and the Prime Minister.
Person Specification
Professional Skills and Experience
Candidates for this role should demonstrate as many of the following criteria as possible:
- Extensive experience of operating at senior levels in a major tax focussed or complex organisation- a qualification in accountancy or significant financial management experience is also highly desirable.
- Experience of operating at Board level or equivalent in the public or private sector (or both), within complex organisations, and experience chairing a committee at a similar level.
- Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the issues faced by taxpayers, employers, agents and intermediaries engaging with the tax system.
- Familiarity with current approaches to risk management, internal control and corporate governance and experience of dealing with internal and external audit.
- Ability to think logically and objectively in analysing complex financial and non-financial information in order to identify key issues/implications, make balanced judgments and effective decisions.
- Strong analytical skills, with the ability to quickly distil large amounts of information from a variety of sources into sound recommendations and communicate complex issues clearly.
- An in-depth understanding of public policy, combined with the confidence, presence and impact to operate within a complex environment, and an appreciation of the political context in which we work.
- The ability to work well as part of a diverse team and take collective responsibility for decisions, as well as building and maintaining successful relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, winning the trust of those who may have differing or conflicting views.
Additional Information
HM REVENUE & CUSTOMS (HMRC)
HMRC is the UK’s tax authority and is a non-Ministerial department responsible to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In 2017-18 HMRC brought in total tax revenues amounting to £605.8 billion, generated £30.3 billion of compliance yield and made £229 million in efficiency savings for the UK taxpayer. The total cost of running the department in 2017-18 was £3.5 billion. HMRC paid out £38.0 billion in benefits and credits, including £26.3 billion in Personal Tax Credit payments and £11.7 billion in Child Benefit.
HMRC Board
As a non-ministerial department, the role of the Board is critical to the success of HMRC. The Board, which meets ten times a year, is in place to advise and challenge the management of HMRC, particularly focusing its attention on the performance of the Department and its future strategic direction. This year, that has meant a strong focus on EU exit preparations and the delivery of HMRC’s ambitious transformation plans.
The Non-Executives on the Board bring with them a wealth of experience from a range of backgrounds, including customer service, data analytics, human resources, IT, project management, accountancy and the tax profession. Their skills and professional background bring an external perspective to the advice the Board gives to help shape strategy and challenge performance.
For this role, HMRC is seeking a Non-Executive with a strong background in tax and finance related fields, ideally professionally qualified, with experience of operating at a senior level in a complex organisation.
The Non-Executives may also be involved in working groups or offer advice and support to individual Directors General or Directors, in addition to ad hoc pieces of work across the Department.
The Audit & Risk Committee
The Committee meets 7 times a year with an additional meeting in the April-July period to review and consider the Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) as these are developed. Committee meetings usually last for 4 hours and the chair can expect to spend at least the equivalent time in preparation for each meeting. The Committee also oversees a broad portfolio including reviews of risk management processes, takes reports from internal and external audit; considers governance arrangements; and monitors recommendations for improved controls.
Committee members may be asked to draw upon their expertise and provide advice and guidance on specific finance, risk or control matters outside of meetings.
Role of Audit and Risk Chair
The Audit & Risk Committee Chair reports to the Board and to the Lead Non-Executive Director. The Chair will set the overall direction and have primary responsibility to drive the work of the committee. Along with other committee members, s/he will be responsible for advising the Principal Accounting Officer and the Board on issues including:
- the strategic processes for risk, control and governance;
- the accounting policies, the accounts, and the annual report of the organisation, including the process for review of the accounts prior to submission for audit, levels of error identified and management’s letter of representation to the external auditors;
- the planned activity and results of both internal and external audit;
- adequacy of management response to issues identified by audit activity, including external audit’s management letter;
- assurances relating to the management of risk and corporate governance requirements;
- the report of the Tax Assurance Commissioner; and
- anti-fraud policies, whistle-blowing processes, and arrangements for special investigations.
As chair of the committee, you will confirm the adequacy of the annual report and accounts to the Accounting Officer for sign-off.