About the job
Job summary
Borders & Trade (B&T) is at the heart of developing the UK’s customs system of the future. It is responsible for high-profile work within HMRC to support the Government’s ambition to create the world’s most effective border.
Customs Policy and Strategy (CP&S) is responsible for policy development, implementation, maintenance and improvement of the UK customs regime in line with Government priorities and Ministerial objectives.
This is an exciting and high-profile area which involves leading a large and cross-cutting team with wide ranging responsibilities to drive impactful change within the B&T Group, the wider Department and across government. To do this you will develop and lead the customs strategy; work across the group to identify the strategic change and ensure this aligns with customs and HMRC strategies. As part of this you will also have responsibility for the strategy for customs intermediaries and our approach to innovation in customs.
You will also be responsible for HMRC’s strategy for customs capability. This involves leading the delivery of the customs strand of HMRC’s graduate programme and working across HMRC to ensure that customs learning is embedded with HMRC’s wider capability strategy.
We are looking for a strong and dynamic thinker with experience in policy and strategy. You will need to be able to influence at all levels and working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders, driving forwards work through ambiguity and challenge.
Job description
This role involves shaping and driving strategic policy direction across a significant Deputy Director portfolio including:

• Development of government’s customs strategy and ensuring that strategic change across the regime delivers against it and aligns with HMRC strategy.
• Leading the Group-wide strategic approach to the use of technology and innovation within the customs regime.
• Overall responsibility for the Customs Regime Board, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders to provide effective oversight of the governance, capability, systems and policy that enable the customs regime. This includes leading cross-cutting strategic projects to strengthen understanding of regime performance and health.
• Shaping the Directorate’s approach to customs intermediaries policy, including delivery of HMRC’s commitment to develop a new standard for customs intermediaries.
• Working with the Customs Regime Owner, Deputy Regime Owners and senior stakeholders across HMRC and government to embed effective regime ownership and to articulate and build consensus on the vision, performance and health of the UK customs regime.
• Providing visible leadership of a large DD division, with responsibility for around 10 Grade 6 leads and working as part of the CP&S Senior Leadership Team to create a high-performing, inclusive and engaging place to work.
• Building customs capability across HMRC, including: Developing and delivering a strategic capability plan for customs and, leading delivery of customs talent pipelines, including the Customs Foundation Programme and the new customs strand of HMRC’s graduate Tax Specialist Programme.

Person specification
The successful applicant will need to demonstrate relevant experience and effective delivery of the following essential criteria:

• Strategic Leadership and Judgement: Demonstrable experience of thinking strategically at organisational or system level across complex and competing priorities, balancing immediate issues with longer-term outcomes.
• Policy knowledge and experience: Proven ability to solve complex policy problems, exercise sound judgement, shape strategic agendas and present clear, evidence-based recommendations to Ministers or similar seniority.
• Strong Stakeholder Engagement and Influence: A strong track record of building trust and influencing at all levels, including with senior leaders and external stakeholders. Experience of working collaboratively across organisational boundaries, managing differing perspectives and negotiating effectively to deliver joined-up outcomes in complex policy environments.
• Leadership and Capability Building: Excellent people leadership skills, with experience of leading and developing senior teams, building capability, and creating inclusive, high-performing environments. Ability to motivate individuals and teams to deliver stretching objectives, manage change and sustain performance over time.
• Communication and impact: Evidence of excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex issues clearly, confidently and persuasively. Proven experience of tailoring messages to different audiences, including Ministers, senior officials across Whitehall and external stakeholders such as industry.

Desirable Criteria:

• Policy experience of working on border issues, and in particular customs, would be desirable but is not required.

Benefits
Alongside your salary of £81,000, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £23,465 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 Joining the 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 describe how we are working to become a more inclusive and representative organisation reflective of our values.
Things you need to know
Artificial intelligence
Artificial 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 details
This 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 Monday 27th April 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.
Shortlist
The panel will assess the evidence provided in your CV and statement. Candidates whose applications best meet the essential criteria will be selected for interview.
HMRC is a Disability Confident leader and guarantees to interview candidates applying under the Disability Confident Scheme who successfully meet the minimum selection criteria outlined in the person specification.
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 virtually via Microsoft Teams.
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.
Security
Successful 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 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 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 Service
The 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 Inclusion
The 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).