A Career as a Customs & Excise Officer

The job role

Customs & Excise Officers are Civil Servants who work within either customs, excise or VAT areas, and are generally responsible for ensuring compliance with the legislation appropriate to their specific field.  The job roles vary accordingly:

• Customs Officers are responsible for clearing passengers, baggage, cargo and post for travel, and for dealing with smuggled goods
• Excise Officers ensure that excise regulations are adhered to and that businesses pay appropriate duty
• VAT Officers ensure that businesses are aware of their responsibilities in terms of VAT legislation

Customs & Excise Officers may be required to give evidence in court to help secure a conviction and often work closely with the Police and the Home Office.  They may also divide their time between working in an office environment or travelling to client sites.

Relevant qualifications

A degree is required for direct entry into Customs & Excise as a Band 5 Executive Officer or on the fast stream.  Alternatively, it is possible to progress to this level via internal promotion.  A comprehensive in-house training course must also be completed which will include both field-based and theoretical training.

Skills requirements

Customs & Excise Officers should have good analytical skills, a keen eye for detail and discretion in the handling of confidential and sometimes sensitive information.  They need good verbal and written communication skills and must be confident and articulate when presenting evidence in court.

Career development

Customs & Excise Officers can be based in a variety of locations throughout the UK, including seaports and airports, and relocation may be necessary in order to secure a promotion.  The salary is, initially, relatively low although allowances are paid for shift work and for those based in London.