Press release

Treasury seeks permanent Chair and Tax Director for Office of Tax Simplification

The Treasury has opened the recruitment process for a permanent Chair and Tax Director to lead the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS).

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The Treasury has opened the recruitment process for a permanent Chair and Tax Director to lead the Office of Tax Simplification (OTS).  They will lead the Office’s work to provide independent advice to the Chancellor on simplifying the UK tax system as it enters its next stage.

The Chair’s role is to lead the OTS board meetings and the Office’s engagement with Treasury Ministers.  The OTS board shapes the strategy and priorities of the OTS, decides on proposals for its reviews of the tax system and agrees key recommendations in its reports.  The position is open to outstanding leaders from a range of backgrounds including commercial, public or voluntary sectors.

The Tax Director provides the intellectual leadership and guidance for the Office.  Applicants must be a leading tax professional with extensive technical understanding of business and personal tax, an appreciation of the operational implications of tax policy change and an understanding of the tradeoffs involved in tax policy making.

The OTS was created as part of the Government’s commitment to making the UK the most competitive country in the G20 and to reducing the complexity in the tax system.  It published its first two reports on tax reliefs and small business tax and the intermediaries’ legislation IR35.  Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke has recently written to the interim Chairman inviting the Office to submit proposals for further work on small business tax and other policy areas.

The deadline for applications is Friday 1 July 2011.  More detailed specifications for each role and details of how to apply can be found at www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ots

Notes for Editors

  1. The appointments will be made following a process of fair and open competition.

  2. Both positions are on a voluntary basis with expenses paid.  However an honorarium of £12,000 per annum will be paid to the Tax Director in recognition of their contribution to Government policy making.

  3. The precise time commitment will be for the Tax Director and Chair to decide.  However we expect this to average around one day per month for the Chair and one day per week for the Tax Director, with a higher commitment around of the publication of the Office’s reports.

  4. Rt Hon Michael Jack and John Whiting were appointed to lead the OTS on an interim basis when it was established in July 2010.

  5. Full details about the Office and its work are available on its website

  6. The establishment of an Office of Tax Simplification was proposed by Lord Howe’s working party in the 2008 report Making Taxes Simpler. The June Budget confirmed the Government’s intention to establish the Office.

  7. The OTS has been established as an independent Office of the Treasury for the life of the current Parliament and draws together expertise from across the tax and legal professions, the business community and other interested parties.

Non-media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury Correspondence and Enquiry Unit on 020 7270 4558 or by e-mail to public.enquiries@hm-treasury.gov.uk

Media enquiries should be addressed to the Treasury Press Office on 020 7270 5238.

Published 1 June 2011