Summary

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) influences all aspects of society: alleviating child poverty; tackling climate change; making the UK economy a vibrant and attractive place to do business; understanding what drives taxpayer behaviour and, since the beginning of the Covid-crisis, playing a central role in delivering key parts of the Chancellor’s economic support package.

We are currently recruiting Research Officers and are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

•Strong social policy, social research methods and/or analytical, statistical and numeracy skills;

•An interest in the policy process and want to see research having an impact on government decisions.

Job description

HMRC is a mainstream Government Social Research (GSR) department with over 100+ social research posts, from Research Officer to Senior Civil Service grades, working in multi-disciplinary analytical teams.

Regular rotation exercises mean that researchers have the opportunity to work in posts across many of our teams, which include:

Compliance – Our work on tax compliance is split into two analytical teams: Compliance and Debt Operations, and Customer Compliance Strategy. These teams provide analysis across a wide range of compliance areas in HMRC: from analysis to recommend how and when HMRC intervenes with customers to understanding the overall impacts of those interventions on tax receipts and taxpayer behaviour. The team also provides analysis to influence and support HMRC’s strategy on offshore tax evasion and regularly publishes internationally acclaimed ‘tax gap’ analysis.

Business Taxes – Produces analysis for Ministers, HM Treasury and HMRC colleagues covering Corporation Tax for large businesses, including the banking sector, small business taxation issues and research to inform preparation for exiting the EU. We also produce influential analysis on VAT, stamp duties, excise duties (e.g. tobacco & alcohol), and environmental and transport taxes (e.g. climate change levy, fuel duty).

Benefits & Credits – Delivers analysis and research on how to improve the operational delivery of tax credits and child benefit, and on policy reforms including transition of tax credits to Universal Credit.

Personal Taxes – Analyses the impacts of high-profile reforms to the tax system affecting millions of individuals in the UK, developing the evidence base for HM Treasury policy and producing advice for Ministers.

Operations, Strategy and Transformation – Delivers research and analysis for a wide range of HMRC areas including corporate functions, strategy and customer service delivery. We lead on cross-cutting HMRC operations and behavioural analysis and work flexibly to deliver priority projects. The four key priority analytical themes for the team are Customer and Strategy, Customer Service and Efficiency, People and Leadership and Making Tax Digital.

Responsibilities

Person specification

Are you a current member of the Government Social Research profession?” Yes / No

Research Officers must be able to demonstrate:

- strong social policy, social research methods and/or analytical, statistical and numeracy skills;

- an interest in the policy process and want to see research having an impact on government decisions.

GSR requirements

To apply, you either need to be a current member of the GSR profession or fulfil one of the two following criteria:

1. Qualifications: Hold an undergraduate degree at a minimum of 2:1, or 2:2 with a postgraduate degree, in a social science subject. A qualifying social science subject is one which contains substantial social research methods training (comprising around one third of modules taken in the course) including quantitative research methods and three of the following: systematic/literature reviews; qualitative methods; interpretation of data and presentation of results; study design and hypothesis testing; and the application of ethics to research.

OR

2. Experience: Hold an undergraduate degree at a minimum of 2:1, or 2:2 with a relevant postgraduate degree, in any subject, or hold a degree equivalent (for example, an advanced Certificate or Diploma from MRS) and have at least 4 years’ social research practice experience. Social research practice experience consists of experience working in a research agency, market research agency or specialised research team. To enter the GSR through this route you must make explicit the breadth and depth of your research experience and skills, which must include quantitative research methods and three of the following: systematic/literature reviews; qualitative methods; interpretation of data and presentation of results; study design and hypothesis testing.

If you are not a GSR member, please provide a breakdown of your qualification modules and/or experience in the question box in which it is asked for.

Behaviours (learn more through the application form)

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• GSR - Professional Expertise: Technical Skills See: GSR Framework
• GSR - Professional Expertise: Using and Promoting Social Research See: GSR Framework

Please apply through the application form. Make sure you click the links and read the attachments on the application page at the bottom. No agencies please.