Summary At HMRC 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 and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

Job description About the Role

Our Expert caseworkers provide specialist advice to support business managers and employees across HMRC on a full range of complex HR issues in accordance with HR policies and guidance, to assist resolving workplace matters quickly and proportionately.

These are important posts in a busy, demand led telephony based and digital environment. We are looking for motivated, confident and enthusiastic individuals.

You will be placed in one of 2 distinct roles. A mediation and resolution (Adviser) role supporting restorative approaches to workplace conflict or a caseworker role focused on supporting the formal HR processes. Due to the nature of our work we need the successful candidate to be flexible, willing to cover all elements of HR Casework and advice as required.


You will primarily support HMRC's People Strategy to;

• Deliver the workforce we need through expert support for employees, managers and senior leaders.

• Improve people engagement and leadership capability.

• Improve the employee experience for all our people.

The role is suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers with occasional attendance to the office.

Responsibilities Caseworker role:

• Providing expert advice to managers with complex HR formal decisions, up to and including dismissal and into formal litigation as needed. This will include supporting decision manager in drafting key decision documents.

• Managing a range of complex HR cases effectively, encouraging decision managers to progress their case to completion timeously.

• Encourage decision managers to communicate with all parties throughout the case, treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Restorative role:

• Supporting all employees in resolving workplace issues quickly to ‘nip it in the bud’, adopting a range of Dispute Resolution options to resolve concerns without recourse to formal grievances.

• Mediating and facilitating conversations using a restorative approach that repairs and rebuilds working relationships. This may also be at the conclusion of a formal grievance process.

Accountabilities (across both roles)

• Improving manager/business confidence and capability by coaching through workplace issues. Providing complete, accurate and timely HR advice to managers and employees.

• Ensuring cases are handled consistently and appropriately across HMRC, escalating where concerns arise, and ensuring advice provided to our people supports HMRC aims of improving the employee experience.

• Planning, controlling and managing a range of work, often with competing priorities and tight deadlines, whilst maintaining agreed quality standards.

• Supporting employees to assist early resolution of workplace issues in a timely, supportive manner and ensuring recommendations from formal grievances are implemented

• Quickly analysing a range of information/complex issues, ensuring clear understanding and effective support – both verbally and in writing. Understanding and interpreting legal requirements to develop a range of options and associated risks in respect of HR issues.

• Supporting HMRC handling of Employment Tribunal claims, liaising with relevant internal and external stakeholders, representing HMRC at Employment Tribunals as required.

• Participate in continuous improvement of professional delivery to enhance our service provision, and undertake learning and development to ensure advice is compliant with policy and employment legislation.

Key Interactions

• Your key relationships will be with employees, managers, decision and investigation managers in HMRC. To be successful you will need excellent communication, listening and mentoring/coaching skills to support all employees. You will need to be resilient as some conversations will be difficult and sensitive.

• You will need to be able to work effectively with, and positively influence, operational managers to develop their confidence in dealing with complex HR management issues, while demonstrating an understanding of operational drivers and priorities.

• You will work with HR Shared Services, other Civil Service Departments, Business managers, Solicitors (Government Legal Department), HR Business Partners, HR Directors, Chief Digital Information Office and Estates & Support Services as well as other professional teams in HR such as Learning, Well-being and HR Policy.

Essential Criteria

You are required to demonstrate experience of the following within your application:

• Working in a busy, fast paced HR team providing professional support to decision managers making decisions on complex and formal HR processes and/or recent experience of direct line management of people.

• A working knowledge of HR policies and employment legislation and experienced in providing coaching, supporting and building confidence to all grades, ensuring people deliver in an autonomous but supported environment.

• Excellent communication skills, an ability to organise and work accurately to tight deadlines. You will be working with multiple stakeholder so you need the ability to work collaboratively with others and build consensus.

Desirable Criteria

• CIPD qualification or willing to work towards obtaining the qualification.

• Experience of delivering workplace mediations or facilitating conversations between parties to resolve workplace issues.

• Knowledge of representation and/or a working knowledge of Employment Tribunals.

Additional Information

• Travel and overnight stays may be required across the UK.

• Completion of e-Learning relating to HR matters/policies. Attendance at various technical workshops as and when deemed necessary. There may also be the option of undertaking CIPD qualifications subject to business need and after you have become established in the post.