Background

Revenue & Customs Digital Technology Services (RCDTS) are working alongside HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and implementing bold plans to transform our IT and digital services. We are already one of the most digital organisations in the UK, and our aim is even more ambitious: In 2022 we will be one of the most digitally advanced tax authorities in the world.

We are using digital services and smart data to help people deal with us effectively and efficiently, but also allows us to better identify the minority who seek to avoid or evade their taxes. Our IT infrastructure is one of the largest and most dynamic in Europe and we are now one of the most digitally advanced tax authorities in the world.

Our role sits within Chief Digital & Information Group (CDIO), whose vision is to run a secure, flexible, and modern IT estate that enables innovation to meet changing policy needs and evolving customer and colleague expectations.

We work with hardworking, upbeat people who grow with the challenge of delivering transformation on a huge scale, and who already have real hands-on experience of driving through both technical and business changes.

Service Management and Operations (SM&O) are part of CDIO’s Enterprise Platform Services team who are accountable for the end-to-end service for HMRC’s IT Systems & Services, and our focus is on ensuring consistent, excellent Customer Experience. 

We provide the assurance and governance across CDIO by working collaboratively and focussing on developing relationships with other internal technology teams, HMRC departments and external suppliers to support delivery of business processes, via technology.

The Team

As Head of Assurance and Governance role you will lead, manage and develop the A&G Team to ensure the effective planning and execution of SM&O Strategic Objectives, key projects and risks, ultimately to protect and improve ‘live service’ for HMRC.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Service Management and Operations, the Head of the Assurance and Governance is a senior operational role accountable for ensuring that departmental strategies are in line with the future direction of Service Management & Operations, Enterprise Platform Services & CDIO and must be able to articulate this strategy to stakeholders. This role requires a high-level understanding of wider context and priorities and be comfortable working with ambiguity at a strategic level.

Role & Responsibilities

The ideal candidate will understand the platform capability within our strategic solution (Service Central) and how it can be best exploited to the benefit of Service Management & Operations, EPS, CDIO and HMRC. You will be required to coach, lead and inspire multi-skilled teams to benefit the team and its stakeholders.

You will take an active role in the Service Management & Operations Senior Leadership Team, taking a joint responsibility for running and steering the wider SM&O and be a visible leader across EPS, particularly with the operational teams in each area offering active support and engagement to help them deliver excellent IT Services for HMRC.

Duties will include:

• Develop, communicate and implement a clear strategy to achieve the SM&O strategic direction.
• Own the Assurance & Governance roadmap / transformation strategy and commence implementation
• Accountable for multiple disciplines and practices such as Continual Improvement, Supplier Management, Risk Management, Service Level Management, Business Performance Management, Business Reporting, Operational Assurance, IT Service Continuity, Disaster Recovery across EPS and CDIO
• Accountable for driving and completing the deliverables to SMI (Service Management Integration) project which includes oversight of all SMI activity.
• Operational Responsibility for the SMI Project and assure the project deliverables produced by the SMI partner and team.
• Being a visible leader across EPS, particularly with the Operations teams in each Delivery Group offering active support and engagement to help them deliver excellent IT Services for HMRC
• Being an advocate and role model for excellent customer service, demonstrating a passion for continual improvement and thereby positively impacting those around you who deliver those IT services

Requirements:

Essential criteria

• A broad knowledge of the variety of IT Services across the HMRC estate and the organisation structure that supports these, including understanding of the HMRC strategy
• A demonstrable knowledge of the Live Service Lifecycle and the ability to know when to apply ITIL best practice
• Experience of managing within a multi supplier eco system in HMRC, including third parties, for example RCDTS
• Proven experience in developing capability within an organisation, including empowering, supporting and developing staff to achieve the highest performance standards including mentoring and influencing senior individuals.    
• Proven experience of engaging at a strategic level leading on technical and business change and playing a key role in setting organisational objectives, influencing policy and effectively communicating this to both business and technical stakeholders.  
• Demonstrable experience of working with senior stakeholders in a politically pressured environment with the ability to remain calm under pressure and take a holistic approach, to ensure the Live Service is protected
• ITIL foundation as a minimum

Desirable criteria

• Experience in managing IT activities in a large and complex IT environment
• Experience in transformation activities in a Service Management arena
• Experience in leading cultural and technical transformation in operational teams.
• Experience of delivering key IT changes/implementations
  Considerable people-management experience with a varied range of seniority and capabilities
• Experience with guiding a large team and comfortable with leading by example, showing what a high-quality service is
• Firm understanding of how to interact with senior management, including Senior Civil Service grades
• Proficient in strategy creation, aligned to corporate objectives
• Reacting to emergency/high-priority situations appropriately
• Experience of putting the Business at the heart of any requirement
• Experience of managing within a SIAM arena and the responsibility that brings