HMRC Legal Director: Personal Tax and Cross- Cutting Advisory - BristolAbout the jobJob summaryHMRC Legal Group is an outstanding legal function, recognised for our commitment to the highest standards of professionalism, customer service, and the rule of law. Our approximately 2,000 strong multi-disciplinary team plays a key role in delivering HMRC's purpose -collecting the money that funds public services - and in achieving the government's growth ambition. In particular, we support HMRC and Treasury Ministers on the annual Budget and Finance Bill, conduct litigation that protects billions of pounds in tax a year, and provide commercial advice on HMRC's ambitious digital transformation programme. As Legal Director responsible for Personal Tax and Cross-cutting Advisory, you will lead a team of over120 highly skilled lawyers who deliver legal services across a wide range of high-impact areas, including all taxes concerning individuals, benefits and credits, commercial law (including procurement, estates, and digital and technology), and criminal law. The directorate plays a key role in overseeing and drafting a significant volume of secondary legislation and working with Parliamentary Counsel on the annual Finance Bill and other primary legislation. The Legal Director is also responsible for advising myself and the Permanent Secretary on a range of sensitive matters relating to departmental governance and accountability. As a member of the Legal Group Senior Leadership team, you will work across the Legal Group to deliver our change priorities: investing in our people and culture, embracing digital innovation, and strengthening partnerships with stakeholders, so that we continue to deliver a quality service to HMRC and its customers. You will also contribute to the leadership of HMRC, the Government Legal Profession and the wider Civil Service. This is a pivotal leadership role at the heart of government. The legal work is complex, intellectually stimulating and fascinating. It presents a unique opportunity to influence major policy and legislative developments while collaborating extensively across government and beyond. This role offers exceptional scope for leadership, impact, and professional challenge.Job descriptionReporting directly to the General Counsel and Director General of the Legal Group, you will have overall responsibility for ensuring provision of the directorate's advisory legal services, through direct management of six SCS1 deputy directors and wider command of over 120 highly skilled legal professionals. You will also be a member of the Legal Group Senior Leadership Team. Key responsibilities include: Provide visible leadership to the directorate, communicating a compelling vision for the future and connecting the work of the directorate to HMRC and the government's purpose. Ensure the provision of consistently excellent legal advisory and legislative services to HMRC, HM Treasury and Treasury Ministers (as part of the 'policy partnership' between HMRC and HM Treasury). Provide personal leadership and oversight on the most strategic and important legal advice and legislation, including membership of HMRC governance boards, and assurance to senior stakeholders. Lead the directorate's support for HMRC's Transformation Roadmap, focusing on tax compliance, policy, disputes and the commercial aspects of HMRC's digital ambition. Ensure systems are in place that set professional expectations and standards, assure performance and quality, and surface and address issues and risks. Promote an open and inclusive culture, in which skills and careers development are prioritised. Role model and promote the development of strong working relationships with colleagues in HMRC, HM Treasury and across government, as well as with external stakeholders. Effective selection and management of external legal providers, where appropriate. Provide strategic direction to Legal Group as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to the collective leadership of HMRC more broadly, and making a proactive and constructive leadership contribution to the Government Legal Profession and wider Civil Service.Person specificationThe successful applicant will be a strong lawyer and exceptional legal leader. You must be qualified to practice as a solicitor or barrister in England and Wales. Excellent legal professional skills with significant knowledge and experience in delivering legal services, and the ability to command the confidence of senior officials and Ministers. Capability to lead and manage a large legal directorate: setting direction; managing performance, finance and risks; and embracing innovation to improve service delivery and value for money. Strong people leadership skills: promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace, alongside developing capability and professionalism. Capability to work collaboratively with senior peers in collectively leading a large and complex multi-disciplinary function: making a strong contribution to corporate leadership, initiating change, and driving an organisational culture of professional excellence and continuous improvement. Capability to lead across complex systems within and beyond government, strengthening partnerships with diverse stakeholders. Highly desirable criteria: An understanding of and some experience of the work of Government, including primary and secondary legislation. Experience and knowledge of tax and the tax system.BenefitsAlongside your salary of £100,000, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £28,970 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.Pension Your Civil Service pension is a valuable part of your total reward and is one of your biggest benefits. When you join the Civil Service, you get access to the alpha pension with a generous employer contribution of 28.97% and some of the lowest member contributions in the public sector. Please visit Civil Service Pension Scheme for more information. Annual Leave and Bank Holiday Allowance 25 days annual leave, increasing to 30 days after 5 years' service (allowance pro-rata for part-time colleagues). This is complemented by one days paid privilege leave to mark the King's Birthday and is in addition to your public holidays. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion The Civil Service values and supports all its employees. At HMRC we want to create great places to work that are welcoming to all - where there is a strong sense of belonging and community. We embed inclusion in everything we do. Senior Civil Servants play a crucial role in promoting and maintaining inclusive behaviours, addressing disparities and reporting progress. Our HMRC equality objectives 2024-2028 describe how we are working to become a more inclusive and representative organisation reflective of our values.Things you need to knowArtificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.Selection process detailsThis campaign is being managed by HMRC's Executive Resourcing team. All applications should be submitted via Civil Service Jobs no later than 23:55 on Wednesday 25th March 2026 and must include: A CV detailing your career history, key responsibilities and achievements accounting for any employment gaps within the last two years. A Statement of Suitability (no longer than 2 pages) demonstrating how your experience meets the essential criteria. Your CV and suitability statement will be assessed against the criteria set out in the person specification. Please include your full name on both documents.Selection PanelMartin Spencer, Civil Service Commissioner & Chair Alan Evans, General Counsel and Director General HMRC Legal Group Mel Nebhrajani, Director General Litigation with Justice and Security, Government Legal Department Penny Ciniewicz, Director General Customer Compliance, HMRC ShortlistThe panel will assess the evidence provided in your CV and statement. Candidates whose applications best meet the essential criteria will be selected for interview.Assessment If shortlisted, you will take part in the following assessment: Staff Engagement Exercise - a presentation and Q&A with a representative staff group from across HMRC. Assessments are designed to support the panel's decision making and highlight areas for further exploration at interview and do not result in a pass or fail decision. Interview You will attend a panel interview for a more in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence. This will include a 5-minute verbal presentation (further information will be issued in advance). Interviews are expected to take place in person in London. All Criminal Record Checks applications are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise. As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.SecuritySuccessful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.Nationality requirementsThis 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 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 Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window) Working for the Civil ServiceThe Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.Diversity and InclusionThe Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).