Tax Specialist Inheritance Tax (Assets)

HM Revenue and Customs

Job Reference: 421315

Apply before 11:55 pm on Monday 1st September 2025

G7 – £56,344 – £62,590

Locations: Belfast, Edinburgh, Nottingham

Job Summary

HMRCs Wealthy compliance teams (Wealthy) are responsible for the tax compliance of the UKs wealthiest individuals. Wealthy individuals often have complex tax affairs that present significant challenges to an effective tax administration. Given the size and nature of the tax at risk within the wealthy population it increases the opportunities and risks of non-compliance. Our teams assure the tax paid by wealthy individuals and tackle risks and non-compliant behaviours to ensure that wealthy individuals contribute to the health of the tax system. This involves a strong, policy, technical and data led approach to promoting compliance and preventing non-compliance that encourages and supports the customer to get things right first time.

The Assets Compliance Team is part of the Wealthy Individuals and Mid-Sized Business Compliance (WMBC) division within the Customer Compliance Group. Responsible for resolving tax disputes and preventing non-compliance to close the tax gap for Inheritance Tax, Trusts, Stamp Duty Land Tax & Reserve Tax, Pensions, Savings and Transfer of Assets Abroad. These areas of the UK tax system have a diverse customer base, are governed by complex legislation and are reputationally sensitive areas of WMBC, involving important life events for our customers.

Inheritance Tax [IHT] is a complex and sensitive part of our business where we focus on supporting our customers to get IHT right first time, prevent early mistakes and non-compliance and therefore avoid the need for follow up checks. These activities require comprehensive planning, working closely with stakeholders across HMRC to ensure our compliance activities align with strategic and policy objectives. Our approach is tailored to the risk that is presented by our customers..

The role will involve providing a broad range of advice to support colleagues across HMRC who are undertaking enquiries into some of the most challenging IHT cases including tax avoidance and evasion involving often complex structures or other bespoke arrangements.

We are looking for tax specialists with experience of providing Trusts and IHT tax advice to clients and Trustees.

This is an interesting and challenging role, and we are looking for an individual who is flexible and adaptable to meet priorities that change at short notice. You will also need to be innovative, to identify and address new challenges and evolve our approach to the delivery of quality customer service.

You will:

• be part of the WMBC Assets Leadership Team, reporting to the Assistant Director
• support Inheritance Tax compliance caseworkers where compliance checks have reached dispute stage and need to be resolved through agreement, ADR or litigation, acting within HMRCs Litigation and Settlement Strategy
• own and effectively manage a caseload of complex Inheritance Tax work
• role model Compliance Professional Standards and make a significant contribution to the Professionalism Risk Plans and towards Compliance Professionalism
• establish, build and maintain professional relationships with key senior stakeholders across HMRC, working across grades to influence and negotiate on business issues
• build capability across the team and directorate, helping to create and embed an environment of continuous improvement, identifying gaps in technical knowledge and supporting development and delivery of learning.
• Some travel (including overnight stays) will be expected as part of the role.

Person specification (Responsibilities)

• Conduct research to enhance technical knowledge in relevant areas and actively engage in continuing professional development, including staying current with case law and professional literature.
• Communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences, tailoring both written and verbal communication to meet diverse needs.
• Analyse and evaluate current legislation, practices, and processes to identify risks to HMRC and propose improvements and practical solutions.
• Manage workloads independently, demonstrating strong organisational skills and the ability to adapt to business changes and shifting priorities.
• You will demonstrate self-awareness and resilience, working collaboratively to understand and consider the perspectives, motivations, and aspirations of both customers and colleagues.

Essential Criteria

• Demonstrable recent experience of providing UK IHT and Trusts tax advice, involving Trust structuring, IHT planning, succession, estate advice and ongoing compliance of Trusts and Estates.
• Demonstrable leadership experience in a tax planning environment.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to speak to diverse audiences, verbally and within written communications.

Qualifications

Applicants must have completed at least one of the following:

• Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification,
• Chartered Accountant (ICAEW, ICAS, CAI, ACCA) qualification
• STEP practitioner
• Be a qualified solicitor or barrister with post qualification experience in tax.
• Successfully completed the HMRC Tax Specialist Programme, or one of its predecessors (TPDP, IDP, ITS2, CPT, FT2)

Salary and Benefits:

Below are further details on salary and benefits of the role:

Alongside your salary range of £56,344 – £62,590 – (Higher starting pay above the band minimum may be awarded dependent on assessment of experience).

HMRC operates both Flexible and Hybrid Working policies, allowing you to balance your work and personal commitments. We welcome applications from those who need to work a more flexible arrangement and will agree to requests where possible, considering our operational and customer service needs.

We offer a generous leave allowance, starting at 25 days and increasing by a day for every year of qualifying service up to a maximum of 30 days.

• Pension – We make contributions to our colleagues Alpha pension equal to at least 28.97% of their salary.
• Family friendly policies.
• Personal support.
• Coaching and development.