HM Revenue & Customs UK Jobs – Senior Developer

About the job

Location

Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Southend-on-Sea, Telford, Worthing

Job Summary

About the job

At HMRC we are committed to creating a great place to work for all our colleagues; an inclusive and respectful environment that reflects the diversity of the society we serve.

We want to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us and we offer a range of flexible working patterns and support to make a fulfilling career at HMRC accessible to you.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

At HMRC, we are already one of the most digital organisations in the UK. With 50 million customers to serve, over 60 thousand colleagues to support, and £600 billion to collect to fund UK Plc, our IT operation is huge!

We are undergoing a major transformation programme, which includes a major investment in digitisation. This means customers can do more for themselves online, in real time, on computers, tablets and smartphones therefore we are building a team of outstanding people who will create and run these new and improved technology services.

This is an excellent opportunity to join HMRC’s IT function Chief Digital Information Office (CDIO) which sets the technology direction for HMRC and delivers the high-level design for all IT solutions across the organisation. CDIO are responsible for building and running HMRC IT services along with providing IT change and operational support.

Job Description

Are you an experienced Java Developer looking to take on more responsibility?

Are you looking to work for an organisation that makes a real world impact?

We are recruiting for a Senior Developer (Java) to join the CDIO, Borders & Trade (B&T) Group, who are responsible for developing, delivering, and supporting IT solutions for those business areas which manage HMRC’s Customs, Excise and International Trade activities. CDIO B&T look after the end-to-end service management and development of over 100 services – from the generation of Trade Statistics to the administration of Customs and Excise duties.

This is an exciting role as a key member of the Java Development Guild, leading in collaborating with partners throughout the full delivery lifecycle to ensure delivery and support of highest-quality software products.

Following best practices, the teams work mainly with Agile delivery methods, Test Driven Development (TDD) and Continuous Integration and Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) approaches, seeking innovative solutions to the challenges encountered when working on high risk, sensitive, projects.

The role

As an experienced developer you will act as a source of technical leadership across one or more projects and support requests. You will keep up with modern technology trends and emerging best practices, contributing to maintaining the Guild’s overall standards and processes.

You will be part of a team of managers responsible for the day to day running of the team, including resource allocation, providing Line Management and mentoring to more junior staff, identifying training needs, and participating in recruitment activities.

As part of a project you will be responsible for the designing, planning, and development of Java based services. You will work with other disciplines to understand the most appropriate design for the service and ensure best practices are followed during development. You should continuously be finding ways to improve system robustness, resilience, and stability.

You will already have a strong appreciation of information security and be confident designing solutions and services with security controls embedded.

You will demonstrate a proactive, rational, and organised approach to problem solving and technical delivery. This is alongside an awareness of the need to deliver a high-quality product under challenging timescales.

You will also require complementary knowledge of testing procedures, and a good understanding of the development lifecycle.

Person specification

As a Senior Java Developer, you will;

• Be responsible for writing clean, secure, code following a test-driven approach. You should create code that is open by default and easy for others to reuse.
• Be expected to design, plan, and lead development of complex services, and act as a technical representative of the system under delivery. All while handling conflicting priorities and documenting all work in accordance with agreed standards.
• Be a key part of the delivery team, collaborating and working closely with business analysts, testers, and product owners throughout the full delivery lifecycle to ensure delivery of highest-quality software products.
• Continuously be finding ways to improve system robustness, resilience, and stability.
• Maintain the security, confidentiality, and integrity of information systems through compliance with relevant legislation and regulations. Designing, implementing, and operating controls and management strategies to allow this.
• Be responsible for line managing a number of resources, whilst also coaching and mentoring more junior colleagues.

Essential Criteria

• Educated to degree level, or, can demonstrate work-based experience of designing and building complex programs using agreed standards and tools, to achieve a well-engineered result.
• Experience of leading full stack software development using Java and Java based technologies in a team.
• Experience of conducting code audits and code reviews.
• Knowledge of online security and security solutions.
• Experience in writing and using standard database functions for complex systems. E.g., SQL, PL/SQL, Triggers, Stored Procedures.
• Proficiency in modern development tools. E.g., Java IDE, Maven, Git, Jenkins.
• Experience or understanding of Test-Driven Development (TDD), including Working knowledge of unit tests tools and best practices for automation. E.g., Mockito, Junit.
• Understanding of Behavioural Driven Development (BDD).
• Understanding of different development methodologies. E.g., Waterfall, Agile.
• Understanding of user experience analysis and its principles.
• Knowledge of system integration, and the challenges of designing and testing interfaces.
• A logical, analytical approach to problem solving with a close attention to detail. Ability to fix faults following agreed procedures.
• Ability to learn new and old technologies rapidly and embrace change.
• An ability to communicate technical concepts to a non-technical audience.
• Can demonstrate leadership and mentoring skills including experience working with trainees and providing knowledge transfers.

Desirable Criteria

• Cloud knowledge; developing for cloud environments, IaaS/PaaS/SaaS solutions, Azure & AWS services.
• Working knowledge of unix-like operating systems such as Linux.
• Knowledge of working with Microservices using Spring Boot. Including the principles of containerisation (Docker/Kubernetes), as well as understanding Infrastructure as Code.

For the first nine months after taking up duty, you will work normal office hours though will be required to occasionally attend the office outside of normal working hours (for example to support software releases). For the next three months, in addition to normal office hours, on an ad-hoc basis it may be required to shadow a colleague providing on-call support. On completion of 12 months in post, the post holder will then be required to provide part of a 24/7 on-call Rota.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity.
• A

Team members that are moving offices as a result of the Locations Programme will be entitled to a Moves Adjustment Payment for three years where they incur additional costs. This is calculated based on the difference between the costs of travelling to and from the new and old office, over a weekly period. You will get more detail on this as part of targeted locations move communications.

Find more about HMRC benefits in for further information or visit

Things you need to know

Selection process details

As part of the application process you will be asked to complete a CV and a 500 word Statement of Suitability.

Please ensure that your Statement of Suitability is no more than 500 words. Please provide details on how you meet the essential criteria for this role, by stating what you have done and how you went about it, to demonstrate your suitability for this role.

Sift will be carried out on CV and personal statement.

Interviews will be based on experience and suitability for the role. You will also be assessed against the essential criteria and on how your CV and personal statement meet this.

The interview will also include an assessment to ensure suitability against the minimum technical requirements of the role and an opportunity to demonstrate greater understanding of the subject matter where applicable.

Interviews will take place via Teams.

Sift and interview dates to be confirmed.

After interview, a single merit list will be created and you will only be considered for posts in locations you have expressed a preference for. Appointments will be made in strict merit order in line with the set number of roles in each location.

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. We understand mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we will not be able to reopen your application for you. The inbox to contact is: [email protected] – Use subject line to insert appropriate wording e.g. Please re-open my application – 242387 & vacancy closing date 21/10/2023.

Security Update

If you are successful and transferring from another Government Department, we will carry out a check of your identity, nationality, and immigration status (including the right to work in the UK) and a criminal record check before confirming your appointment.

Successful candidates must pass a Disclosure and Barring Security Check or a Disclosure Scotland check. Please note that HMRC have an exemption under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, which enables us to make enquiries about both unspent and spent convictions.

In order to p rocess applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service /Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing [email protected] stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email [email protected]

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

HMRC transformation

HM Revenue and Customs is currently going through an exciting ten-year transformation programme to create a tax authority fit for the future. As part of this, we are committed to providing high-quality jobs and giving employees a great place to work, whichever location you work from.

HM Revenue and Customs has made significant progress with its plans to locate in 14 large, modern, flexible offices, equipped with high-speed digital infrastructure supporting improved customer service and compliance activity. These collaborative workspaces will enable smarter working and great training and development facilities, allowing for the sharing of expertise, local training, promotion, and provide great ongoing career development opportunities.

These offices will be located in central locations in the following towns and cities close to accessible transport links: Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Croydon, Portsmouth and Stratford.

In addition, there will also be a small number of specialist sites where the work cannot be done anywhere else, in Gartcosh (near Glasgow), Telford, Ipswich, Worthing and Dover, as well as our headquarters in central London. What’s more, our Welsh language service has people located in Porthmadog, as well as Cardiff.

We are letting you know about our future plans because if you are recruited into an office that is not one of these locations, you will be expected, subject to HM Revenue and Customs applicable policies, to move to one of these locations in the future. In some cases, this will be via one of our nine transitional sites.

For more information please contact the vacancy holder.

Terms and Conditions

We really hope you decide to apply for this role. If you’re successful you need to know that in February 2021 members of recognised trade unions (ARC and PCS) voted to approve a pay and contract reform offer. This means that HMRC will adopt new terms and conditions for all colleagues as part of a multi-year pay deal and contract offer, the pay deal period is 01 June 2020 – 31 st May 2023 and terms and conditions changes take place from the 01 June 2021 onwards. These terms will apply to colleagues who already work in HMRC and if you join us, it will apply to you too. We’ve put together a summary of the key changes that will be made and you can find this attached to the Job Advert.

Pay

If you are currently working for an OGD and would like to consider the impact on your pay when joining HMRC, please see the attached document “Pay on Transfer from OGD” for further information. (Please note the attached document could also be called “ Combined T&C and OGD Pay English”)

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Further Information

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.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to HMRC from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility

HMRC welcomes applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, taking into account our operational and customer service needs. We can’t guarantee that we can meet all requests to work flexibly, as agreement will be subject to business ability to accommodate, and any request to work a more flexible arrangement should be made prior to your acceptance of the provisional offer .

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

Important Information For Existing HMRC Contractual Homeworkers

Please note that this role is unsuitable for contractual homeworkers due to the nature and/or requirements of the role.

Reasonable adjustment

We want to make sure no one is put at a disadvantage during our recruitment process because of a disability, condition or impairment. To assist you with this, we will reduce or remove any barriers where possible and provide additional support where appropriate. Please see our for more details.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via [email protected] as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.
• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is

People working with government assets must complete

Nationality Requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with settled or pre-settled status or who apply for either status by the deadline of the
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals working in the Civil Service
• relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals who have built up the right to work in the Civil Service
• certain family members of the relevant EU, EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals

Working for the Civil Service

The

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s

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.

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job Contact

• Name : Alice Ramsay
• Email : [email protected]
• Telephone : 03000 577201

Recruitment team :

• Email : [email protected]

Further information

Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. You have the right to complain if you feel a department has breached the requirement of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly with the department concerned via [email protected] 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 web pages: Click