Location – Birmingham, UK
The team
Our client is a multinational, service-based holding company for a portfolio of privately-owned businesses, and has built a distinguished reputation as both an investor and business operator. Renowned for their independent thinking, ability to follow through, and their approach to acquire and nurture businesses, our client enable companies within the Group to be the very best they can be.
The role
The candidate will report to the Group Tax Managers to strengthen the group’s overall management of and employment taxes. The candidate will be responsible for dealing with VAT and Employment Tax queries from across the group and providing support, training and legislative updates as required to divisional finance teams
Key responsibilities
- Responsible for dealing with VAT and Employment Tax queries from the group and divisional finance teams. This may involve liaising with external advisors on more complex issues and communicating back to divisions on practical impact as required.
- Ensure legislative changes are monitored and appropriately communicated to divisions and training on new topics provided where necessary.
- Continually drive improvements in tax compliance and governance and identify areas where divisions may need additional support.
- Ensure MTD for VAT compliance is maintained across the group and rules are well understood by all involved in the VAT return process.
- Advise on potential training initiatives to upskill finance teams involved in the preparation of tax returns.
- Assist divisions with preparing and updating key tax process documentation.
- Ensure available tax reliefs are claimed correctly and tax position optimised.
- Review and sign off on head office companies’ VAT returns and support junior team members to improve processes.
- Ensure key tax controls and processes within group finance are well documented and seek to enhance controls where possible including through automation.
- Proactively manage VAT and Employment Tax queries from divisions and develop a frequently asked questions guide or similar for Group Finance intranet site.
- Support divisions with their IR35 compliance requirements, including communicating group policy and processes for managing off-payroll working requirements.
- Oversee preparation and review of key PSAs across the group and deal with any technical queries.
- Provide ad hoc employment tax support to payroll and HR teams.
- Manage SAO process including management and oversight of the tax risk registers, preparation of SAO reports for SAO sign-off and identification and resolution of control weaknesses.
- Deputise for and support Group Tax Manager on other tax related matters.
Responsibilities may also include
- Due to level of M&A activity, candidate may also be required to support Group Tax Manager on acquisitions, disposals, and restructures including overseeing tax due diligence, advising on VAT consequences of a transaction and related deal costs.
- Support on post-acquisition integration of newly acquired companies/subgroups to ensure tax controls and processes meet group’s tax policy.
- Assistance with creating and updating the tax content for the Group Finance intranet site.
Skills and attributes
- Preferably trained with Big 4. Previous in-house experience in VAT also desirable. ACA qualified or equivalent with 5 year post qualification experience.
- CTA qualification preferred but not essential.
- Experience with other taxes, in particular Employment Taxes desirable.
- Good understanding of MTD for VAT requirements.
- Good financial accounting skills and commercial awareness.
- Proficient in the use of MS Excel, Word, Office and experience of SAGE X3 + MS Dynamics ERP system desirable.
- Excellent communication skills
- Able to juggle multiple projects/workstreams in fast-paced environment;
- Quality orientation – Attention to detail. Shows awareness of goals and standards. Shows commitment to deliver high quality professional outputs;
- Commercial outlook with a demonstrable approach to adding value to the business;
- Flexibility – Successfully adapts to changing demands and conditions;
- Proven ability to work to tight deadlines.
AVTRVAT0118