Director Of Strategy and Tax Administration

STAR sits at the centre of HMRC's future transformation, helping to shape a modern, trusted and digital-first tax system. Established in January 2026, STAR's remit is broad and influential. We shape HMRC's strategic direction, develop enterprise strategies, reform and modernise the tax administration framework, provide specialist technical advice on tax administration, strengthen public trust in the tax system, and help HMRC respond to emerging technologies and future trends. We also lead innovation activity across the department, working with colleagues and external partners to ensure HMRC remains at the forefront of tax administration internationally.

The directorate comprises six Deputy Director-led teams spanning strategy development, tax administration reform, technical policy and litigation, trust and assurance, innovation, and future-facing capability. Together, these teams support Ministers, senior HMRC leaders and operational colleagues to make informed decisions that improve the performance of the tax system and deliver better outcomes for customers.

Collaboration is central to our success. STAR works across HMRC Strategy and Policy, with operational groups, legal colleagues, digital and transformation teams, and a wide range of external stakeholders. This is a role with significant influence across the department, offering the opportunity to shape major strategic decisions, lead reform programmes of national importance, and help define what the future of tax administration looks like.

We are looking for an exceptional leader who can combine strategic thinking with practical delivery, build strong relationships across organisational boundaries, and inspire high-performing teams through change. Above all, we are seeking someone who shares our commitment to creating a modern tax system that is trusted by customers, supports economic growth, and enables HMRC to meet the challenges of the future.

• Developing and maintaining the Department’s understanding of the health of the tax administration system and the strategic challenges and opportunities it faces.
• Creating an environment that drives innovation across the department providing a test bed for new ideas.
• Defining and embedding HMRC’s overarching strategy and its key enabling strategies including Transformation Roadmap published in July 2025.
• Leading work to ensure HMRC is a trusted tax and customs administration.
• Owning the Tax Administration Framework Review process to ensure it is enabling HMRC’s strategy and helping to modernise the tax system;
• Owning key cross-cutting tax administration processes and policies such as penalties and interest. · Directly supporting colleagues across the Department with specialist advice on tax litigation, including leading litigation on the tax administration framework.

The Director is also be a key member of the CS&TD senior leadership team and HMRC’s senior leaders’ group and will be expected to make a corporate leadership contribution. The Director will need to provide clear direction and empowerment to the directorate to improve its ability to work flexibly across the department to drive forward priority work.

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)

For Selection Process details please see attached Candidate Pack

All Criminal Record Checks applications are considered fairly in accordance with the DBS Code of Practice and the Recruitment of ex-offenders Policy.

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