HR Adviser (585R)

About The Job

Job summary

People. Purpose. Potential: A career in your hands at HMRC - YouTube

HMRC is one of the largest government departments and one of the UK's biggest organisations. We touch the lives of almost every individual and business in the country, collecting over £500 billion each year from more than 50 million customers.

Our work is critical to delivering public services, and our people are at the heart of that mission. We are committed to creating an inclusive, supportive, and respectful workplace where colleagues can develop, feel valued, and make a real difference.

Unity Business Services provide critical HR support to employees, from the start of their journey with HMRC and throughout important milestones in their life.

Job Description

Working in Unity Business Services means that you'll have the opportunity to learn new skills and gain new experience, and by using your excellent customer service skills you will put our customers at the heart of everything you do.

There are a number of exciting roles within our teams which have a blend of telephony and administration tasks, but all of them have one thing in common, you will be key in supporting HMRC employees.

On a Daily Basis Our Roles Involve

• Using your excellent listening and communicating skills to provide an outstanding customer service, this can be via phone, email, webchat and MS Teams.
• Processing key information for HMRC employees on our HR systems.
• Working as part of a team to support your colleagues and answering HR queries. These can sometimes be complex, but you'll have the training and support to answer them.
  
  

You'll be part of a supportive team who pride themselves on working together to deliver an outstanding service to our customers.

Some of our roles are more telephony based than others and wanting to speak to customers on the phone is a key component to working with us, but don't worry we'll give you all the training and support you need to do this confidently.

Person specification

We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who are keen to learn and committed to delivering an excellent service to our customers. You'll join a positive, team-focused setting where others are ready to share their knowledge and support your development.

Essential Criteria

You must be able to demonstrate:

• Experience working in a telephony-based role and h andling customer queries over the phone.
  
  

Desirable criteria

It Would Also Be Beneficial If You Have

• Experience working in an HR-related environment.
  
  

Further location information

Important - ensure that you only apply for a location that you are willing and able to work from, as we will only make one offer of employment. Any additional notes included in a 'Further location preferences (optional)' field within the application form, will not be considered. Please be aware that you cannot change your location preference after submitting your application.

Office closures

For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations .

If your location preference is for one of the following sites, it's important to note that these are not long-term sites for HMRC and we will require you to move to a new building in the future, subject to our location strategy and the applicable employee policies at that time.

These Sites Are

• Benton Park View, Newcastle - moving to Pilgrims Quarter, Newcastle
  
  

You will be given more information about what this means at the job offer stage.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
  
  

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Managing a Quality Service
  
  

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £28,016, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £8,116 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

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.
  
  

To find out more about HMRC benefits and find out what it's really like to work for HMRC hear from our insiders or visit Thinking of joining the Civil Service

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 vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Ability.

What To Expect During The Selection Process

To help you prepare, here's an overview of the selection process:

• Eligibility Form.
• Civil Service Verbal Test.
• Application Form, including a 250-word behaviour statement.
• Microsoft Teams interview.
  
  

Civil Service Verbal Test - Important Information

After submitting the first stage of your application (the Eligibility Form), you will be invited to complete the Civil Service Verbal Test.

If you achieve the required standard, you will be invited to complete the final section of the application form.

The Civil Service Verbal Test is not timed. As there is no time limit, additional time is not required or applied for this test. If you require any other reasonable adjustments, please refer to the Reasonable Adjustments for Online Tests Candidate Guide.

Instructions and guidance on how to access the test will be provided with your invitation.

Please allow yourself plenty of time to complete the test. If you experience any technical issues, you must report them and provide supporting evidence before 8:00am on Wednesday 2 September 2026. Support cannot be guaranteed for issues raised after this time.

No extensions will be granted to the test deadline. We strongly recommend completing the test within 24 to 48 hours of receiving your invitation to avoid any unexpected issues close to the deadline.

For further information about Civil Service online tests, please visit: Civil Service Online Tests - GOV.UK.

Planned System Availability

Please note that the online testing platform will be unavailable during the following periods:

• Sunday 23 August 2026, 4:00pm to 7:00pm BST
• Sunday 30 August 2026, 4:00pm to 12:00am BST
  
  

Please do not attempt to launch or complete your test during these periods, as you may experience technical issues. We may be unable to provide support before the closing date if issues arise during these times.

Please ensure you leave enough time to complete and submit the final stage of your application after finishing the Verbal Test.

The deadline for both the Verbal Test and the application form is 11:55pm on Wednesday 2 September 2026.

Application form

As part of your application, you will be required to submit a 250-word behaviour statement demonstrating how you meet the Managing a Quality Service behaviour.

Your behaviour statement will be assessed at the sift stage. Candidates who achieve the required standard may be invited to attend a Microsoft Teams interview.

Interview

If you are successful at sift, you may be invited to attend a panel interview via Microsoft Teams.

During the interview, you will be assessed against the following Civil Service behaviours:

• Managing a Quality Service
• Delivering at Pace
  
  

Further details, including interview dates and guidance on joining your Microsoft Teams interview, will be provided to candidates invited to this stage of the selection process.

Please note: In exceptional circumstances, we may need to change the interview format. If this happens, we will endeavour to give candidates as much notice as possible.

To manage application volumes, we reserve the right to raise the minimum pass mark and/or assessment criteria at any stage of the selection process.

Merit List

Following the interview stage, separate merit lists will be created for each location advertised in this vacancy.

Candidates who are successful at interview will be placed on the merit list for the location they selected during the application process. Appointments will be made in strict merit order, based on candidates' final assessment scores.

A reserve list may also be held for up to 12 months. If you are placed on a reserve list, you may be considered for future vacancies that are the same as, or similar to, this role. We will notify you through your Civil Service Jobs account if this applies to you.

Holding Pool

If we receive a high number of applications, we may not be able to interview all successful candidates at the same time. In these circumstances, candidates may be placed into a holding pool after the sift stage.

Candidates in the holding pool may be invited to interview in stages, depending on confirmed demand in the location they applied for. Invitations to interview will be issued based on sift scores, with higher scoring candidates invited first, in line with the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles.

Holding pools may remain open for up to 12 months from the advert closing date. Being placed in a holding pool does not guarantee an interview or a job offer, and we are unable to provide individual updates on a candidate's position within the pool.

Eligibility

Please take extra care to tick the correct boxes in the eligibility sections of your application form. Mistakes sometimes happen but if you contact us later than two working days (Monday-Friday) before the vacancy closes, we may not be able to reopen your application for you.

If you do make a mistake with your eligibility form, or have withdrawn yourself in error and need your application reinstated whilst the campaign is still live, please contact us via: [email protected]. Use the subject line to insert appropriate wording, for example - 'Please re-open my application - 585R & vacancy closing date 2 September 2026'.

To check that you are eligible to apply for this role, please review the eligibility information before submitting your application .

Sponsorship

We have assessed this role against both Home Office and HMRC criteria and we are unable to offer sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa. This means the vacancy is not open to applicants who require visa sponsorship.

Important information for existing HMRC contractual homeworkers

This role may be suitable for existing HMRC employees who are contractual homeworkers. Occasional attendance to the office will be required where there is a business need. Please consider the advertised office locations for this role when applying and only select locations from the 'location preferences' section that you can travel to.

Criminal Record Check

Applications received from candidates with a criminal record are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

Hybrid working at HMRC

HMRC is an office-based organisation, and colleagues are expected to spend 60% of their working time in the office. Our offices provide opportunity for interaction and collaboration which aids learning, development and a sense of community. Where the role allows it, and where the home environment is suitable, colleagues can work from home for up to 2 days a week, averaged over a calendar month (or a proportionate amount of time for colleagues who work less than full time).

Reasonable Adjustments

We are committed to creating an inclusive recruitment process and want to ensure that no candidate is disadvantaged. Where possible, we will remove barriers and provide appropriate support to help you fully demonstrate your skills and experience.

If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process, please:

• Contact the UBS Recruitment Team at [email protected] as early as possible and before the closing date to discuss your requirements.
  
  

You should also complete the "Assistance required" section within the "Additional requirements" page of the application form. This will help us understand what support or adjustments you may need throughout the recruitment process.

For example, you may require wheelchair access, a British Sign Language interpreter, or other adjustments to support your participation in the selection process.

For further information about reasonable adjustments, please visit the Civil Service Reasonable Adjustments Guidance.

Technical Support

If you experience any technical difficulties with your application, please first visit the Civil Service Jobs Help Centre to see if your query can be resolved.

If you are unable to find a solution, you can contact Technical Support for assistance. Support requests will normally receive a response within 2 working days.

We recommend raising any technical issues as soon as possible and well before the vacancy closing date to ensure there is sufficient time for them to be investigated and resolved.

The HMRC app can help you with your application

The HMRC app can provide you with your past 5 years' employment history, making the process of filling in your application quicker and easier.

If successful in your application, you will need your National Insurance number for the onboarding process.

Download the HMRC app now and save your National Insurance number to your digital phone wallet.

How to download the HMRC app and sign up for an account

Download the free HMRC app from the App Store or Google Play store.

If you have an HMRC online account already, sign straight in using your ID and password. If not, you can prove your identity by answering some questions or providing your photo ID.

You'll then be able to access the app quickly and easily by signing in using a 6-digit PIN, your fingerprint, or facial recognition.

You can find guidance for technical issues on GOV.UK: Technical support with HMRC online services .

Terms and Conditions

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.

HMRC has a presence in every region of the UK. For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations .

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. The evidence you provide in your application must relate to your own experiences.

Any instances of plagiarism or other forms of cheating will be investigated and, if proven, the relevant application(s) will be withdrawn from the process.

Recording of interviews is prohibited unless explicit agreement is sought in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulations.

Questions relating to an individual application must be emailed as detailed later in this advert.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

New entrants will join on the minimum of the pay band.

Please note that, if you are applying for roles on a part-time basis, the salary agreed will be pro-rata, reflective of the working hours agreed within your contract.

If you experience accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

For more information for people applying for, or thinking of applying for, roles at HM Revenue and Customs, please see link: Working for HMRC: information for applicants - GOV.UK .

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a standard (or equivalent) criminal record check.

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).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.

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 : Volume Recruitment Team
• Email : [email protected]
  
  

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 there has been a breach of the Recruitment Principles. In the first instance, you should raise the matter directly via [email protected]. Please note that we do not accept complaints or appeals regarding scoring of outcomes of campaigns, unless candidates can provide clear evidence that the campaign did not follow the Recruitment Principles. 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 website.

Attachments

240705 - Combined TC and OGD Pay - English Opens in new window (docx, 130kB)