Develop the skills to meet future challenges: Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators courses for leaders, managers and auditors

Transcription

1 Develop the skills to meet future challenges: Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators courses for leaders, managers and auditors Prospectus 2016

2 Achieving Leadership Potential (ALP) is a course designed to equip senior tax officials with the advanced leadership and management skills needed for success in today s challenging world. Commonwealth Tax Auditors Course (CTAC) is designed to give a rigorous introduction to the main issues in contemporary tax compliance work.

3 Achieving Leadership Potential This course offers participants the opportunity to significantly enhance their impact in the workplace for the benefit of their organisation and their own careers. It provides new skills, insights and perspectives on which to build high-level success in today s demanding taxes environment. You can expect to develop: Advanced management, leadership and people skills. A comprehensive awareness of current major issues in tax administration, and the ability to think strategically about them. An understanding of the common drivers for change in tax administrations around the world, and the mind-set, tools and skills needed to manage change successfully. The understanding of initiatives for enhancing staff performance and improving organisational effectiveness. The ability to work towards practical solutions to new challenges, informed by experience from outside as well as within the home organisation. The course starts in mid April 2016 with 14 weeks of online learning via with the Course Director, mainly on a one-to-one basis. This is vital preparation for the intensive six weeks residential phase held in the UK from 25 July to 2 September The Course Director is available until end of September 2017 to provide follow-up support, and advice on the crucial implementation of course action plans and project plans after the participants return home. Executive Coaching may also be offered About the course The online phase The focus of the pre-uk preparatory work is the identification and initial analysis of a current Revenue Authority challenge chosen by the participant, in consultation with their manager and sponsor. The aim of this project is for the delegate to act as a leader in defining, researching, acting upon and resolving this priority business issue in the next 12 months, so increasing the capacity of the tax authority. This will involve a time commitment of 30 to 40 hours in total, spread over the three months prior to your arrival in the UK and you will be supported by the Course Director. The aim is that participants will arrive in the UK with a well-researched project proposal that has involved key stakeholders, which will be developed on the residential programme. During the online phase participants will also be provided with reading material on the latest key leadership and strategic tax topics, as essential preparation for the UK phase. They will also complete online personal development questionnaires.

4 The UK phase Classroom sessions and seminars covering: Personal development Leadership and management skills Self-awareness and impact Communication and presentation skills Working collaboratively for improved performance Delivering more for the organisation by smarter working with colleagues, and developments in direct and indirect taxes administration Managing performance Managing change Getting more for less Delivering better compliance Engaging with customers for improved performance International tax and frontiers issues Human resource management Perspectives from around the world Tax administration successes and challenges in developing and developed countries Interactive discussions with distinguished guest speakers Discussions with fellow participants who collectively represent an impressive pool of experience and expertise Focused discussions with HMRC headquarters and operational staff Participants will also have extensive opportunities to exchange views with HMRC staff from board level to frontline specialists in a range of key disciplines. Participants will complete a Course Action Plan following on from attending each of the above sessions, this will cover personal actions they intend to take on returning home and recommendations they will make to their tax authority. In addition to the intensive classroom sessions, participants tackle two important pieces of work which will enable them to put the course learning into practice and which they will implement on their return to their home tax authority.

5 Personal project This follows on from the online phase. In the UK, the project proposal will be further developed with the support of the Course Director, advice from an HMRC expert mentor, the experience of specialist HMRC presenters and representatives of other tax administrations. By the end of the UK phase of the programme delegates will have prepared a personal project plan to be implemented on their return home. Team project Participants practise their interpersonal and team-working skills in self-managing multinational teams to produce a project report. The subject of the report is selected with delegates personal projects and developing country priorities in mind. As well as providing live experience of working collaboratively under time pressure, the exercise exposes participants to a range of approaches for addressing an issue of contemporary importance to developing country tax administrations. The teams work together in the UK, complete their report and present the results to senior HMRC and CATA Directors at the end of the programme. The implementation phase On returning back to their tax authority delegates will implement the following: The personal project The team project The course action plan Participants will complete a short quarterly report covering progress on implementation to the Course Director, who will be available to support and advise through to September 2017.

6 Commonwealth Tax Auditors Course This course is designed to give a rigorous introduction to the main issues in contemporary tax compliance work. It is aimed at audit/compliance professionals and trainers who will benefit from exposure to the UK s approach to compliance work. Participants will also have the opportunity to work with and exchange experiences with colleagues from a variety of other tax administrations. The course starts in mid April 2016 with 14 weeks of online learning via with the Course Director, mainly on a one-to-one basis. This is vital preparation for the intensive six weeks residential phase held in the UK from 25 July to 2 September The Course Director is available until end of September 2017 to provide follow-up support and advice on the crucial implementation of course action plans and project plans after the participants return home. About the course The online phase This starts in mid-april and is vital preparation for the intensive residential course. During the online course, team projects, topics and the project teams will be selected and preparatory background research will be undertaken by the participants. This will involve a time commitment of around 30 to 40 hours in total, spread over the 3 months prior to your arrival in the UK during which time you will be supported by the Course Director. The aim is that you will arrive in the UK with a well-researched project proposal that will be developed during the residential programme. During the online phase participants will also be provided with reading material on the latest key strategic tax topics, as essential preparation for the UK phase. The UK phase Classroom sessions and seminars covering: Personal development Self-awareness and impact Communication and presentation skills Engagement with the taxpayer Customer focus Business tax interventions Personal tax interventions Accounts examination Case selection and risk analysis Techniques and skills for bringing in returns and payments

7 Compliance strategy Special investigations and civil investigations of fraud Understanding avoidance Criminal investigations in practice Representation skills Project and team working Tribunals including appeals, reviews and evidence International taxation Transfer pricing Tax treaties Exchange of information Taxation of e-commerce Computer record examination Working collaboratively for improved performance Participants will also have extensive opportunities to exchange views with HMRC staff from board level to frontline specialists in a range of key disciplines. Participants will complete a Course Action Plan following on from attending each of the above sessions, this will cover personal actions they intend to take on returning home and recommendations they will make to their tax authority. In addition to the intensive classroom session, participants tackle two important pieces of work which will enable them to put the course learning into practice and which they will implement on their return to their home tax authority. Team project In addition to the intensive classroom session, participants will work in teams with their fellow participants to conduct research and produce a report on an audit/compliance issue which is selected with CATA priorities and developing countries in mind. The team work is supported by HMRC specialists and the course Director but the onus is on the team to perform. Participants will begin the preparatory work on projects during the online part of the course. The team will then work together in the UK to complete their report and present the results to senior HMRC and CATA Directors at the end of their residential stay. As well as providing live experience of working collaboratively under time pressure, the work exposes participants to a range of approaches for addressing an audit/compliance issue of contemporary importance to developing country tax administration.

8 The implementation phase On returning back to their tax authority delegates will implement the following: The personal project The team project The course action plan Participants will complete a short quarterly report covering progress on implementation to the Course Director, who will be available to support and advise through to September What previous applicants have said about the ALP and CTAC courses Year after year, independent evaluation has shown how hugely successful participants consider the courses to be. The CATA programmes are a unique opportunity to get a guided tour of the operations of one of the World s highly respected taxation authorities. I have found the content of the course particularly the technical sessions excellent. I have learnt a great deal over the last 6 weeks and have many ideas for improvements/ training I can deliver back home as a result of my time on CTAC. My technical knowledge has increased during the 6 weeks stay in the UK. I will surely be a better tax inspector, leader and a manager as a result of my participation on the programme. The ALP Course has been very valuable to me, resonating with the everyday challenges which we as leaders face. I have a better insight now and think I will be a better leader. I m certain that once my ALP action plans are implemented in my country it will lead my organisation to another level of effectiveness in delivering our mission. An excellent programme. The greatest event in my working career.

9 Application and dates The closing date for applications is Friday 26 February 2016, applications will then be reviewed by the Course Directors and successful applicants will be notified by Friday 11 March The online phase of the programme starts in mid-april. Full participation in the online course is essential. Residential course commences 25 July 2016 and ends 2 September Course locations Lincoln and London. Online support is available until September Course fee approximately 10,500. Please note that all applications must be supported and approved by your organisation which must confirm that your place will be funded when submitting your application. Application form available online at and send by to course.cata@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk For more information about both courses rajan.gandhi@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk Telephone Issued by HM Revenue & Customs Communications and Marketing November 2015 Crown Copyright 2015