HMRC is the UK's tax and customs department. We collect the money that pays for the UK's public services and give financial support to people. Our work is central to the business of government and we're proud of our track record. We're an historic and yet modern department, undergoing ambitious transformation which affects all our colleagues and customers.
Borders & Trade (B&T) is at the heart of developing the customs system of the future. Following the UK's exit from the EU, it is responsible for high‑profile work within HMRC to support the Government's ambition to create the world’s most effective border.
We are looking for an experienced, collaborative leader to lead the Business Capability Development Team within the Customs, Services and Operations Directorate. Customs Services & Operations (CS&O) is strategically critical to HMRC's mission, providing end‑to‑end oversight of customs services that enable secure and efficient movement of goods across UK borders. CS&O ensures operational resilience, drives regime improvements, and develops capabilities across people, process, data, and technology to support compliance, trade facilitation, and economic growth.
Role Overview
The Borders and Trade Business Capability Development Lead is responsible for designing, developing and maturing the organisation's business capabilities – the integrated combination of people, process, technology and data required to deliver strategic and policy outcomes. The role ensures that the Borders and Trade future operating model is supported by fit‑for‑purpose capabilities that are aligned to enterprise architecture standards and strategic priorities.
Working at the intersection of strategy, business design and transformation delivery, the postholder will act as a bridge between strategic intent and operational execution, enabling Borders and Trade to deliver effectively and sustainably.
Key Responsibilities
* Identifying and designing target business capabilities aligned to strategic priorities.
* Defining and developing people, process, technology and data enablers.
* Ensuring alignment with enterprise standards and capability development.
* Partnering with strategy, design, architecture and transformation teams to plan capability uplift.
* Develop and maintain the Customs business capability model, mapping current and target‑state capabilities aligned to strategic outcomes.
* Identify capability gaps and design interventions to uplift capability maturity across people, process, technology and data domains.
* Establish and track capability maturity metrics, and report on progress and impact.
* Engage senior leaders and business owners to agree capability priorities and secure investment for development initiatives.
* Ensure capability development roadmaps are integrated with enterprise planning, transformation and investment portfolios.
* Facilitate cross‑functional collaboration to break down silos and promote enterprise‑wide view of capability needs.
* Act as the Customs keyholder, assessing the impact of all change initiatives on Customs capabilities and services at key stages of the change lifecycle including ownership of the ‘concept phase’ of the End‑to‑End Change Lifecycle (E2ECL) for Customs.
* Provide strong and visible leadership to build a high performing team and drive business outcomes across organisational boundaries.
Assignment Duration
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. By accepting this role you agree to that expected assignment duration. It will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions and is not written into your contract. This period is an expectation only, is not binding, and will depend on your personal circumstances and business needs.
Security Requirements
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is a security check. See our vetting charter. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.
Nationality Requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
* 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) (opens in a new window)
* 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 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
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. We run a Disability Confident Scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants at risk of redundancy who meet the minimum requirements. For more information see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
Qualifications and Skills
* Business Capability Development: Proven ability to translate strategic objectives into actionable capability requirements and delivery plans across people, process, technology and data dimensions.
* Standards and frameworks: Strong understanding of enterprise architecture principles and how they relate to business capabilities. Strong analytical skills with the ability to define abstract concepts in practical terms and align with organisational standards.
* Stakeholder Engagement: A strong track record as a trusted advisor demonstrating credibility with senior leaders and delivery teams alike, balancing long‑term capability design with immediate business needs.
* Communication: Exceptional communication skills with the ability to articulate complex ideas clearly to both technical and non‑technical audiences.
* Leadership and Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to bring diverse teams together around shared goals and build a high‑performing team that delivers measurable value to the business.
Desirable Criteria
* Ideally, the role holder will possess knowledge and understanding of how Customs and the border regime operates.
Salary and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £81,000, HM Revenue and Customs contribute £23,465 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides. Whatever your role, we take your career and development seriously and want to enable you to build a successful career with the department and wider Civil Service. It is crucial that our employees have the right skills to develop their careers and meet the challenges ahead, and you'll benefit from regular performance and development reviews to ensure this development is ongoing. As a Civil Service employee, you'll be entitled to a large range of benefits.
* 25 days annual leave on entry, increasing on a sliding scale to 30 days after 5 years’ service. This is in addition to your public holidays.
* One further day paid privilege entitlement to mark the King’s Birthday.
* Interest‑free loans allowing you to spread the cost of an annual travel season ticket or a new bicycle.
* Flexible working patterns and access to Flexible Working Schemes allowing you to vary your working day as long as you work your total hours.
* A competitive contributory pension scheme that you can enter as soon as you join and where we will make a significant contribution to the cost of your pension. Your contribution comes out of your salary before any tax is taken and will continue to provide valuable benefits for you and your family if you are too ill to continue to work or die before you retire.
* Generous paid maternity and paternity leave which is notably more than the statutory minimum offered by many other employers.
* Use of onsite facilities (where applicable).
* Occupational sick pay.
#J-18808-Ljbffr