Tax inspector

Tax inspector job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Responsibilities include:

• providing guidance about and applying taxation legislation
• examining financial accounts and related documents
• managing junior clerical and technical staff
• investigating cases via interviews, visits and research
• writing reports
• representing the Inland Revenue in disputes brought before the tax commissioners
• managing budgets and resources
• agreeing settlements in person or via written correspondence with taxpayers or their representatives (accountants and lawyers)

Typical employers of tax inspectors

Tax inspectors work for the government's Inland Revenue department. Vacancies are advertised online, by careers services and in national newspapers. Competition is intense and there is a rigorous recruitment process designed to identify graduates who possess excellent academic ability, appropriate skills and leadership potential.

Closing dates are generally July for the inspector training programme and November for the fast stream programme: applications should be submitted in good time for both. Further details about vacancies and the application process can be obtained from the Inland Revenue's website.

Qualifications and training required

The Inland Revenue currently operates two graduate recruitment schemes: the inspector training programme (taking five to seven years to qualify as a tax inspector) and the fast stream training programme (approximately four years to qualify). A good honours degree in any subject (minimum 2.1) is required for entry onto either.

Candidates without degrees can enter the Inland Revenue at a lower level as revenue executives and work their way up, dependent on passing the appropriate departmental/professional requirements. Postgraduate qualifications and previous relevant experience are not required but are advantageous and may be rewarded with higher starting salaries.

Key skills for tax inspectors

• managerial skills
• confidence
• motivation
• decisiveness
• resilience
• interpersonal skills
• communication skills
• numerical skills
• analytical skills
• IT skills.