Vacancy -- Income Tax Policy Specialist

The devolution of tax raising powers to Wales has provided the Welsh Government the opportunity to consider how it may utilise these new powers to raise necessary resources to fund essential public services and meet the needs of its citizens.  Since April 2018 the Welsh Government has been responsible for two devolved taxes (land transaction tax and landfill disposals tax) and from April 2019 now has responsibility for some elements of income tax.  

Responsibility for developing and delivering Welsh tax policy resides with the Welsh Treasury.   The Welsh Treasury sits right at the heart of the Welsh Government.  It is a small, high-performing department, a mixture of skilled specialists and generalists who support Welsh Ministers and the rest of the Welsh Government to maximise wellbeing for the people of Wales.  The department is made up of four Divisions, led by a Deputy Director.  Each leads on different but interrelated elements of the Welsh fiscal context: budget strategy and delivery; economic advice and analysis; innovative finance; and tax strategy, policy and engagement.  As a department we work collectively to maximise public value from Welsh fiscal resources, increase the funding available for public spending in Wales, and deliver Welsh Ministers’ fiscal strategy. 

Sitting within the Tax Strategy, Policy and Engagement Division of the Welsh Treasury, the post-holder will be the lead adviser to Welsh Ministers on income tax policy.

Bringing an in-depth level of UK income tax expertise to the role, the post-holder will have the ability to adapt their existing knowledge to the Welsh context by developing an understanding of Welsh tax powers, the Welsh fiscal context and demography, and Welsh Ministers’ strategy. 

The post-holder will also need to apply Wales’ tax policy principles together with that understanding of the potential interactions and effects of different Welsh rates of income tax (compared to England & Northern Ireland, and Scotland) to help shape advice to Welsh Ministers.

More widely, this role would contribute to the development of our tax policy capability (internally and externally) and would inform wider work on new taxes, including a potential social care levy.

• Provide technical expertise to help support the development of long-term income tax policy.
• Use an evidence-based approach to the rate-setting process and advise Ministers accordingly.
• Work with colleagues in Welsh Treasury and Government Plenary Business to implement the annual rate-setting process.
• Ensure Ministers and senior officials are fully sighted on progress, opportunities and ongoing challenges.
• Lead on key segments of the new Welsh tax policy work-plan, managing and coordinating work within relevant departments across the Welsh Government.
• Build relationships with key UK partners, particularly HMRC and HM Treasury.
• Work with colleagues across the Welsh Treasury to deliver an innovative and robust approach to tax policy in Wales, understanding the wider UK context and contributing to a distinctive and coherent approach to Welsh taxes.
• Contribute to the development of tax policy capability in Wales and, in particular, help to inform wider work on new taxes, including a potential social care levy.

This post offers the opportunity to work in a high profile area of the Welsh Government, with links across policy departments, including with the UK Government, and working closely with Ministers and external stakeholders.  The post-holder will play a key role in embedding a major change in the powers of Welsh Ministers, establishing a clear Welsh approach to tax policy and implementation, and ensuring that there is a best practice approach to tax policy within the Welsh Government from its earliest stages.

24/06/2019, 16:00

Posts recruited to as part of this recruitment campaign are broadly open to UK nationals, those with right to remain and work in the UK and those that meet the Civil Service Nationality Rules only. Check your eligibility here:

• UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK

• Nationality rules – GOV.UK

Prior to appointment, all successful applicants will be required to produce original, acceptable documents as part of the pre-employment checks. If it becomes apparent at a later stage in the process that you aren’t eligible to apply, your application will be withdrawn, or offer retracted.

The Welsh Government is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and which promote equality of opportunity. This is underpinned by the Equality Act 2010 and will be adhered to at each stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure that these commitments are also embedded in our day-to-day working practices with all our customers, colleagues and partners.

We are committed to being an anti-racist organisation and increasing diversity in the Welsh Government by removing barriers and supporting all our staff to reach their potential. We are committed to recruiting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people and disabled people who are currently under-represented in Welsh Government.

We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, marriage and civil partnership (both same sex and opposite sex), impairment or health condition, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, gender identity or gender expression.

We are a Stonewall Diversity Champion and a Disability Confident Level 3 (Leader) organisation. Key to supporting this work and providing peer support are five Board sponsored Staff Networks (Disability Awareness and Support (DAAS); Minority Ethnic Support Network (MESN); Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex +) and Women Together.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Welsh Government is a bilingual organisation and Welsh language skills are considered an asset to the organisation. We encourage and support staff to learn, develop and use their Welsh language skills in the workplace. 

The following list of language requirements represents an objective assessment by the line manager on behalf of the Welsh Government of the Welsh language skills required to undertake the duties of this particular post.

In Welsh Government, the relationship between the employer and trade unions is based on social partnership. We believe our goals can best be achieved by management and trade unions working together.

Our 3 recognised trade unions are:
•         PCS
•         Prospect
•         FDA

This relationship is underpinned by a partnership agreement. This sets out how our unions work with Welsh Government on issues such as:
•         pay
•         terms and conditions
•         policies and procedures
•         organisational change.

Our Welsh Government trade union colleagues work together to give their members a real say in the workplace. They make sure that the interests of their members are promoted and protected. They also help reduce inequalities and improve terms and conditions.

The Welsh Government has an excellent track record of working in partnership with its trade unions. We encourage staff to get involved. We support you to join a recognised trade union, to ensure your voice is heard in the workplace. and to learn more about trade unions and partnership working.

• Unless stated otherwise in ‘actual starting salary’, all candidates will start at the minimum of the pay scale being appointed to (this includes existing civil servants).This is not negotiable.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘type of opportunity’, this recruitment advert is not open on a Loan or Secondment basis.
• For more information on the eligibility criteria and terms and conditions for Loan and Secondment positions in Welsh Government, please see external recruitment candidate guidance.
• Unless stated otherwise in ‘Location of Post’ the role/s recruited to via this campaign can only be worked in the UK, not overseas.

To apply for this opportunity, you need to submit a CV and personal statement demonstrating experience in relation to the advertised grade description listed under the competnecy behaviour / job specific section of the advert. 

CV’s should be no longer than 2 sides of A4 and personal statements no longer than 4 sides of A4.

All applications for this vacancy should be made online via the Welsh Government's online application system.  If you have a disability which would prevent you from applying on-line, please e-mail SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales to request an application pack in an alternative format, or to request a reasonable adjustment related to a disability in order to submit your application.

To apply, you'll need to have an account on our online application system.  Click the 'Apply' button below, and you'll be asked to 'Log in' if you already have an account, or 'Register' if you don't yet have an account.  Registration takes just a few minutes to complete.  You'll need an e-mail address to be able to register.  Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form, which you'll need to fully complete and submit before the deadline on the closing date.  

If you’d like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the ‘Newid Iaith / Change Language’ link at the top of this page, to take you to the Welsh version of this advert, from which you can apply in Welsh.

For further information regarding working for the Welsh Government, please see our Recruitment Pack.

For details on how to make your applicaiton, please see the Candiate Guidance.  

Anyone who believes they have been treated unfairly, or has a grievance or complaint, about how the process was conducted should either write to the Head of Resourcing, Welsh Government, Cathays Park 2, Cardiff CF10 3NQ or email SharedServiceHelpdesk@gov.wales.  If you are unhappy with the outcome of the complaint raised with the Welsh Government and feel that the principles of appointment on merit through fair and open competition have not been met you have the right to pursue your grievance with the Civil Service Commission.