Information Rights Technical Adviser

Job summary

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HMRC’s Information Rights Unit (IRU) oversees the department’s obligations under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and Data Protection Act Subject Access Requests (SARs).

The Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 regulates how HMRC processes information relating to individuals. The Act gives individuals the right to request personal information about themselves. This is known as a SAR.

The FOIA gives people a right of access to information held by public authorities. We aim to make the department more open and accountable. We also help the public understand better how we carry out our duties, why we make the decisions we do and how we spend public money.

The EIR operate in a similar way to the FOIA although they relate specifically to official environmental information.

HMRC currently deals with about 3,000 FOIA requests and over 100,000 SARs each year. How we handle them can have a significant impact on the department’s reputation and each has a strict deadline within which to respond.

The IRU manages the departmental process for FOIA requests and SARs and provides advice to business areas across HMRC on handling this correspondence.

Job description

The Information Rights Technical Adviser will act as a subject matter expert on the application of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Data Protection Act (DPA) legislation within HMRC. They will manage a caseload of complex requests across both regimes, including FOI/SAR internal reviews and Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) complaints, ensuring compliance with statutory deadlines and high-quality responses. The postholder will provide technical advice and escalation support to Information Rights Advisers, lead on complex redaction tasks, and deliver training on FOIA and DPA legislation and processes across HMRC.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

Technical Expertise and Advice

• Act as a technical expert on FOIA and DPA legislation and its application within HMRC.
• Provide advice and guidance to Information Rights Advisers on complex cases and technical queries.

Case Management

• Actively manage a caseload of FOIA requests and SARs, ensuring processes are followed and statutory deadlines met.
• Take ownership of complex cases, including FOIA/SAR internal reviews and ICO complaints, working with information owners across HMRC.

Redaction and Compliance

• Undertake complex redaction tasks for FOIA and SAR cases across HMRC.
• Ensure compliance with legislation and internal policies in all case handling.

Training and Guidance

• Lead training sessions on FOIA and SAR processes and legislation within the IRU and across HMRC.
• Keep guidance documents updated, working with Business Support colleagues for administrative support.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve technical processes and share best practice across the unit.

Quality assurance

• Conduct quality checks on HO advisers’ work to ensure compliance and accuracy.
• Work with G7 and G6 leads to develop the Quality Assurance framework within the IRU.

Essential Criteria:

• In-depth knowledge of FOIA and DPA legislation and its practical application.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills for handling complex cases.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for drafting responses and delivering training.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet statutory deadlines.
• Proven experience providing technical advice and guidance to colleagues, supported by evidence of tangible positive outcomes or improved organisational practice.

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience managing FOIA/SAR internal reviews and ICO complaints.
• Familiarity with case management systems and redaction tools.
• Previous experience delivering training or guidance in a technical area.

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

If your location preference is for the following site, it’s important to note that this is not 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.

For more information on where you might be working, review this information on our locations (opens in a new window)

This site is:

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

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

This vacancy is only available at the specified locations, alternative locations are not available.

Your office location is contractual so if you are successful, there is an expectation that you will attend that office location as required by the business. You need to consider how you will meet this requirement before you apply and discuss any concerns with the vacancy holder before accepting any role.

Additional Security Information

Please note that if you are appointed to 100 Parliament Street, as a condition of working in this location you will be required to obtain Counter Terrorist Check (CTC) level clearance.

To obtain this level of clearance, you will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period, which for CTC is 3 years UK residency prior to your vetting application.

You may not be able to start in the location until clearance is granted.

If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

Behaviours

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

• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

Technical skills

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

• 15-minute technical presentation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £45,544, HM Revenue and Customs contributes £13,194 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.

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