External Developer Support Manager (Service Desk Manager)

Job summary

Discover a career in your hands at HMRC. Whether you're seeking purpose, growth, or a workplace that gives you a true sense of belonging, hear from some of our employees as they share their story about what it’s really like to work at HMRC.

Visit our YouTube channel to watch the full series and come and discover your potential.

At HMRC, we are already one of the most digital advanced tax authorities in the world and have one of the largest IT infrastructures and data sources in the UK. With 50 million customers to serve, over 60 thousand colleagues to support, and £600 billion to collect to fund UK Plc, our IT operation is huge!

For those who are up to the challenge, we offer unique and unparalleled opportunities to work with some of the newest technologies and make a real, lasting difference.

HMRC is made up of Customer Groups which are working independently towards one common goal. Our role sits within HMRC’s Chief Digital & Information Office (CDIO) Group that deliver in-house solutions for a broad range of technical and operational issues. Our digital delivery centres are hi-tech, state-of-the-art facilities that allow our teams to maximise their capabilities.

We provide platforms for delivering Application Programming Interface (API) access to HMRC systems.

The Software Developer Support Team (SDST) supports external software developers, government departments and other API consumers to build and manage authorised software that seamlessly integrates with HMRC digital services. We work collaboratively across a range of technical and operational teams to provide high-quality support and continually improve the customer experience.

We use modern open-source products and work in an Agile way to deliver flexible, effective integration solutions.

Job description

As a Service Desk Manager within the Software Developer Support Team (SDST), you will play a key role in leading the day-to-day operation of a busy and customer-focused Service Desk, supporting external software developers, government departments and other API consumers who integrate with HMRC digital services.

You will be responsible for managing the workflow, performance and resources of a team of Service Desk Analysts, ensuring customer contacts are handled efficiently and service standards are maintained. Working closely with operational colleagues, line managers and stakeholders across SDST and wider HMRC teams, you will help ensure work is prioritised effectively, resources are deployed appropriately and operational objectives are achieved.

The role requires a proactive and motivated individual who can monitor service performance, analyse management information and identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement. You will use customer feedback, performance data and operational insight to support decision-making, enhance working practices and drive continuous improvement across the Service Desk.

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys leading and developing people, solving operational challenges and delivering excellent customer service within a fast-paced environment. You will be expected to build strong working relationships, support colleagues to perform at their best and contribute to the ongoing development of the Service Desk function.

The successful candidate will be a confident communicator with strong leadership and organisational skills, capable of managing competing priorities while maintaining a positive, inclusive and high-performing team culture.

The position may involve people management responsibilities, including coaching, performance management and supporting the professional development of colleagues.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

As a Service Desk Manager, your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Leading the day-to-day operation of the Service Desk, ensuring work is effectively prioritised and service levels are achieved.
• Supporting a team of Band O Service Desk Analysts, creating a positive, inclusive and high-performing working environment.
• Monitoring workloads, workflow, performance and resource allocation to ensure customer demand is effectively managed and operational priorities are delivered.
• Acting as an escalation point for complex customer issues, ensuring appropriate ownership, stakeholder engagement and timely resolution.
• Supporting service continuity activities and operational incident management during periods of increased demand, service disruption or major incidents.
• Ensuring operational processes are followed consistently and identifying opportunities to improve efficiency, effectiveness and customer experience.
• Monitoring service performance, developer feedback and management information to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.
• Producing, analysing and interpreting management information to support decision-making, resource planning and service improvement activities.
• Working collaboratively with teams across SDST, CDIO and wider HMRC to maintain effective service delivery and achieve shared outcomes.
• Supporting business continuity, workforce planning and operational resilience activities to ensure the Service Desk remains equipped to meet business demand.
• Contributing to the onboarding, coaching and development of colleagues, supporting them to build capability, confidence and performance.
• Championing teamwork, continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across the Service Desk and wider operational team.
• Supporting the Senior Operational Manager in delivering operational objectives, organisational priorities and strategic initiatives.

Essential Criteria

• Leadership and Team Management: Experience of leading, motivating and developing individuals or teams to achieve performance objectives.
• Stakeholder Management: Experience of building and maintaining effective working relationships with a range of stakeholders to achieve shared outcomes.
• Operational Management: Experience of managing workloads, competing priorities and service delivery within a fast-paced operational environment.
• Continuous Improvement: Experience of reviewing processes, identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing practical solutions.
• Data Analysis and Decision Making: Experience of analysing performance information, identifying trends and using data to support decision making and improve outcomes.
• Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of audiences.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of working within a Service Desk or customer support environment.
• Experience of performance management and people leadership.
• Experience of creating or using management information, dashboards or reporting tools.
• Experience of working within Agile, Digital or Technology environments.
• Experience of managing incidents, escalations or business continuity activities.

Further Location Information

Please 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 the following site, it’s important to note that this is not a long-term site 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.

The site is:

• Telford Plaza, Telford - moving to Parkside Court, Telford

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

Leeds Locations

Moves Adjustment Payment will be available for this role, provided the successful applicant is a current HMRC colleague in Bradford and meets the eligibility requirements outlined in the HMRC’s Moves Adjustment Payment guidance.

Behaviours

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

• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £37,682, HM Revenue and Customs contributes

£10,916 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, Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply

As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide the following:

• A name-blind CV including your job history and key achievements from your career which reflects key responsibilities of the role. Provide specific instances from your career detailing successes where you can.
• A 500-word Personal Statement. Your Personal Statement should be used to describe how your skills and experience from your career reflect the Essential Criteria of the role, using specific examples from your career were you can.
• Separate 250-word Behaviour statements on Communicating and Influencing, Managing a Quality Service, and Making Effective Decisions.

Please complete a separate statement (Max 250 words) for the Desirable Criteria where applicable. This is not essential for the role but may be considered by the vacancy-holder where candidates have the same scores at interview.

Sift

In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift may be held on your CV only. Those who pass the initial sift will have their full application reviewed.

At full sift your CV and your Personal Statement will be assessed, with the successful candidates being invited to interview.

We may also raise the score required at any stage of the process if we receive a high number of applications.

Interview

The interview will be 45 minutes in duration and will be held by a 3-person panel via video link. During the panel interview, you will be asked behaviour-based questions, behaviours outlined below. You will also be asked strengths based questions to explore what you enjoy and your motivations relevant towards the role.

This is an example of a strengths-based question:

“It is often said that