Zain is a Tax Specialist Programme (TSP) graduate who joined the programme with a BSc Hons in Mathematics with Accounting and Finance. Since completing the TSP, he has progressed into a leadership role as a VAT Tax Specialist in HMRC’s Large Business directorate, where he looks after the VAT affairs of the world’s largest and most complex banks.
In this blog, Zain reflects on how the TSP shaped his career, the challenges and rewards of his current role, and the advice he’d give to future applicants.
Career progression after the TSP
How has your career developed since completing the TSP? What does your current role involve?
I’m responsible for hosting many individual enquiries into the various aspects of a bank’s UK VAT registration. I lead on this with a team of tax specialists around me and also look after the various on-going VAT issues that are brought to our attention by the bank itself. It is both pro-active and reactive work.
Looking back, how did the TSP training prepare you for your current role as a VAT specialist?
The TSP gave me the theoretical and practical exposure to what a VAT risk assessment and compliance work looks like in Large Business. By seeking out specific types of work during the course, in relation to leadership, team working, technical analysis etc., I was able to be thrown in the deep end. When I came out the other side and became a full-fledged independent working VAT tax specialist.
What opportunities have opened up for you since graduating from the programme?
During the programme, as part of dipping my toe into complex work, I was assigned as a VAT tax specialist compliance caseworker to small scale customers (asset managers, challenger banks etc.). Since then, based on my skill level, I have been allowed to work with a range of experienced Grade 6 senior specialists and have also been moved on to working (as a lead tax specialist) on one of the largest retail/investment banks in the world.
How do you feel your career trajectory compares to where you might have been without the TSP?
I have gained a level of development in my skills that I otherwise wouldn’t have without the TSP. It would have been difficult for me to crack working with large businesses (as opposed to small ones) had it not been for the opportunity to actually move directorates (without the necessary experience).
Daily work and responsibilities
What does a typical day look like for you now as a VAT specialist?
A typical day for me may involve holding catch-up meetings to discuss a customer’s VAT issues log with the rest of my team. I may also be preparing for an upcoming external meeting with a customer (either for Teams or face-to-face). I might also be working on a VAT technical submission (with the help of experienced colleagues and inexperienced ones) in order to get views into a complex area from HMRC Policy stakeholders.
What aspects of the job do you find most challenging, and what aspects do you find most rewarding?
Getting written reports right the first time with enough detail to relay the information to its audience is definitely challenging. It takes multiple attempts and lots of teamwork in order to perfect our position before either going to someone internally or externally. However, it is very rewarding to get submissions like this right and see your hard work result in yield being generated (additional tax money coming into the exchequer from the taxpayer).
Do you lead teams or mentor other staff? How has the TSP prepared you for leadership responsibilities?
As a Grade 7 VAT Tax Specialist, I’m indeed responsible for leading teams and mentoring some of the junior staff members. They approach Grade 7’s like me with questions on their individual cases and I’m expected to point them in the right direction, spark the fire of knowledge in their heads and bring out the appropriate questions they should be asking when doing compliance work.
What opportunities have you had to get involved in HMRC’s social activities or volunteering initiatives?
I’ve been involved in a couple of recruitment campaigns for Large Business London where I’ve had to use my current skills and understanding of the Civil Service recruitment framework to help select candidates that would be suitable for compliance roles.
Reflection and advice
If you were making the decision again today, would you still choose the TSP? Why?
Yes. This is because it has given me exposure to numerous other directorates within HMRC and how they work (together and independently). This is something I wouldn’t have gained in the lower grade position I held, that was based in a slightly more stagnant role.
What’s your key piece of advice for someone considering applying for the TSP?
Consider your commitment to learning constantly and leaving your comfort zone, before taking the plunge into the 3-year programme. It will most definitely push you to do things you had not considered before.
What aspect of your journey would surprise people most?
Overcoming my fear of speaking and presenting in a more public setting. I have had to do this numerous times since joining the programme and I’m surprised with my now ability to overcome it successfully.
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