Location
Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Carmarthen, Colchester, Durham, Eastbourne, Exeter, Folkestone, Hull, Lancaster, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Plymouth, Preston, Southampton, St Austell, Stoke-on-Trent, Wrexham
About the job
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are the public sector’s property valuation experts and advisers with a vision to be a world-leading provider of public sector valuations. As one of the largest employers of surveyors in the country, our work is vital to the collection of over £60 billion of revenue which goes back into communities, touching every citizen and every business across England and Wales.
We champion the values of professionalism, integrity, respect and innovation. We are committed to providing a collaborative and supportive working environment that encourages every colleague to contribute, grow and excel together. With opportunities to drive your own development and growth, we empower our colleagues to succeed by ensuring support at every step of their career journey.
Job description
Technical Adviser – Role Overview
The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) are recruiting for a Qualified Surveyor to join the Litigation and Technical Policy Team as a Technical Adviser.
The highly skilled Technical Adviser will provide technical leadership and support in local taxation across the Valuation Office Agency. You will work as part of a team of technical advisers who are passionate about the work they do and how they work together as an efficient, effective and collaborative unit.
You will have the opportunity to work on unique, challenging and extremely technical cases. This will include collaborating with solicitors and barristers, as well as providing advice on technical and legal issues across the VOA.
Your remit will include managing litigation cases, such as complex case hearings before the Valuation Tribunal, appeals to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) under simplified procedures and proceedings in the High Court. This may also entail appearing as an advocate on behalf of the Valuation Officer / Listing Officer. In addition, you will provide technical, legal and valuation advice across the VOA.
This is a technical and leadership role providing an excellent opportunity to lead on high profile and complex casework. You’ll have the autonomy to manage your time and workload independently and be entrusted to manage and resolve complex and sensitive cases.
Technical Adviser – Key responsibilities
* To provide case management of litigation, for example complex case hearings at Valuation Tribunal and appeals to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) under simplified procedures, and High Court. This may also entail appearing as advocate on behalf of the VO/LO.
* Completion and managing litigation using sound analytical skills to resolve the most complex or sensitive cases.
* Contribute to the development of technical and procedural guidance, including creating a collective and consistent understanding of procedure and approach.
* Carry out research, analysis and evaluation of issues, identifying options and determining the associated risks.
* To identify, escalate and mitigate/manage risks and issues appropriately. Linking information and data from different sources and contacts to surface underlying trends and evolving risks and issues and ensuring that these are raised at the right level.
* To develop and/or deliver technical updates/presentations, to assist with building capability in the wider VOA.
* Occasional travel to London and across the UK with some overnight stays will be necessary to liaise with HMRC solicitors, Counsel, to attend tribunal hearings and deliver presentations to internal customers and external stakeholders.
* Support development and change by providing relevant technical advice, working with colleagues in transformation and change teams to deliver NDR reforms, CT Wales reform, Business System Transformation and other developments requiring technical input as required.
Person specification
We are seeking a candidate with strong technical expertise to include case law, legislation, codes of practice and professional standards. The successful candidate will have strong leadership skills, with the ability to build credible relationships with external and internal stakeholders. As a Technical Adviser you will have exceptional interpersonal and communication skills to be able to give advice and explain complex information clearly. This role requires a high level of autonomy in managing your time and workload effectively.
Essential Criteria
* Full RICS or IRRV qualified.
* Ability to interpret and apply general legislation and case law for both Rating and Council Tax, as well as understand and comply with statutory and non-statutory requirements arising from legislation, case law, codes of practice and professional standards.
* Demonstrate ability to apply professional expertise to analyse, evaluate and interpret wide sources of evidence in order to reach sound conclusions.
* To proactively keep technical knowledge up-to-date and use it to provide advice and guidance as well as sharing with the team.
* Strong leadership skills, championing change, encouraging new ways of working and sharing of best practice.
* The ability to build trusted and credible relationships with peers and colleagues across different teams.
* Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills – experience of negotiating, consulting and interpersonal skills to achieve mutually acceptable solutions.
* Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify risks for the future and propose solutions ahead of risks becoming issues.
* Willingness for occasional travel to London and across the UK with some overnight stays will be necessary to liaise with key stakeholders and support business needs.
Qualifications
Full RICS or IRRV qualified.
Memberships
Full RICS or IRRV qualified.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
* Making Effective Decisions
* Communicating and Influencing
* Managing a Quality Service
* Leadership
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
* As part of the interview, you will be asked technical questions to assess your knowledge on legislation and case law for both Rating and Council Tax.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £59,342, Valuation Office Agency contributes £17,191 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
We offer a range of flexible working options, a generous leave allowance that starts at 25 days (increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.) and aCivil Service Pensionwith an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
* Learning and development tailored to your role.
* An environment with flexible working options.
* Family friendly policies including 26 weeks full pay for maternity, adoption or shared parental leave.
* Employee Assistance Programme offering comprehensive wellbeing support.
* To learn more about the extensive benefits we can offer you as a VOA employee please download our Benefits Booklet:VOA_benefits_booklet.pdf (publishing.service.gov.uk)
If you would like further information and details on how toto apply, please follow the 'Apply' button to the civil service jobs website.
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