Senior IT Service Manager

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As an IT Service Manager within CDIO, you will be working on services that are actively being modernised, including moving away from legacy systems towards more flexible, cloud-based solutions. There is real opportunity to be involved in improving live services while they are evolving, not just maintaining them. The environment is increasingly data-led and technology-driven, giving you exposure to modern tools, automation, and new ways of working.

You’ll gain experience in complex, high-volume services (like Corporation Tax) that have a direct impact on HMRC operations. CDIO offers the chance to develop service management skills in a large-scale, nationally critical environment.

You’ll be part of a culture that encourages continuous improvement, innovation, and learning as transformation progresses., Working as part of the Business Tax team, you will operate within CDIO’s Live Service function, supporting incident response, change delivery, and service improvement activities across complex, high-volume services., We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing, It is often said that the customer’s needs should come first. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?”

There is no expectation or requirement for you to prepare for the strengths-based questions in advance of the interview, though you may find it helpful to spend some time reflecting on what you enjoy doing and what you do well.

Interviews will take place via video link. Sift and interview dates to be confirmed. Please note that circumstances may arise that require the planned interview format to change. We will endeavour to provide you with as much notice of any change as possible.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may not be able to reopen your application for you. If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: unitybusinessservicesrecruitmentresults@hmrc.gov.uk – Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording for example – ‘Please re-open my application – [insert vacancy ref] & vacancy closing date [insert date]’.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application.

Exceptionally, candidates who are not successful at this grade may be considered for appointment to similar roles at a lower grade where the eligibility criteria are met. If this applies, we will contact you directly.

Sponsorship

We have assessed this role against both Home Office and HMRC criteria and we are unable to offer sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa. This means the vacancy is not open to applicants who require visa sponsorship., If you have an HMRC online account already, sign straight in using your ID and password. If not, you can prove your identity by answering some questions or providing your photo ID.

You’ll then be able to access the app quickly and easily by signing in using a 6-digit PIN, your fingerprint, or facial recognition.

You can find guidance for technical issues on GOV.UK: Technical support with HMRC online services.

Reserve List

A reserve list may be held for 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.

Merit List

After interview, a single merit list will be created, and appointments will be made in strict merit order until the set demand is filled. If successful, you will be informed when we reach your position on the merit list.

Criminal Record Check

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.

Hybrid working at HMRC

HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction, collaboration which aids learning and development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).

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., * 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)
• 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

• Strong analytical and problem solving skills, especially under operational pressure.
• Confidence engaging at senior stakeholder level, including clear written and verbal communication.
• A proactive, accountable mindset with a focus on service reliability and user impact.
• Ability to operate effectively in environments with legacy technology, complex dependencies and external suppliers., * Experience working in an IT Service Management Function, in particular practical knowledge of managing risks, continual improvement, incident management including business critical issues, and understanding their impact.
• Shows aptitude for analysing and managing problems arising from incidents in the operation of information systems.
• Experience of understanding the principles and processes of implementing, delivering and decommissioning of IT services.
• Ability to work with a high degree of autonomy and resilience, under ambiguous and fast paced circumstances, with the ability to manage the priorities of services, stakeholders and suppliers.
• Shows experience of understanding services and products, and the tools, methods, procedures, equipment and software used in the operation and management of the service.
• Experience of managing stakeholders at all levels, clear understanding of roles and responsibilities within a service management function. Dealing with competing priorities, resource constraints, and managing expectations.
• Experience of using your expertise to manage your services through suppliers enabling high availability and performance.
• Demonstrable experience of applying structured governance, risk and assurance, reporting practices, within a live service and delivery environment. Including maintaining service documentation, managing risks and issues, producing clear management information, and supporting senior leaders in effective decision making across service, delivery and commercial stakeholders.

Desirable Criteria:

• ITIL v4 certification (or willingness to work towards)., Customer facing roles in HMRC require the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English and/or Welsh where required. Where this is an essential requirement, this will be tested as part of the selection process., Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Alongside your salary of £45,544, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £13,194 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.

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles.

In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via ubsrecruitmentcomplaints@hmrc.gov.uk . Please note that we do not accept complaints or appeals regarding scoring of outcomes of campaigns unless candidates can provide clear evidence that the campaign did not follow the Recruitment Principles.

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 website.