Corporate Tax Associate Director

BDO UK; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

BDO UK is seeking an experienced Tax Advisor to provide advisory services focused on owner-managed businesses, their shareholders and senior management. You’ll work with our private client specialists and Partners to deliver high-quality advice on a range of tax matters, including M&A and restructurings.

You’ll take ownership of client assignments, applying strong technical knowledge, communicating clearly and managing risk.

Qualifications

• Strong, up-to-date technical tax knowledge and demonstrable experience delivering tax advisory work, particularly for owner-managed businesses (OMBs) and their shareholders.
• Experience with M&A transactions, corporate restructurings and reorganisations, including the interaction between business and shareholder tax considerations.
• Excellent analytical and research skills to translate complex issues into practical, commercial guidance.
• Ability to manage assignments independently with sound judgment on when to consult or involve specialists.

Responsibilities

• Manage and deliver tax advisory assignments for OMBs and their shareholders, including M&A, restructurings and reorganisations.
• Apply technical knowledge to develop practical solutions and clearly communicate advice.
• Take ownership of client assignments and seek timely support when needed from Partners and specialists.
• Proactively manage risk, document judgments, and escalate concerns where appropriate.
• Develop junior colleagues through coaching and delegation and support business development with Partners.

Skills

OMB tax advisory

M&A experience

Corporate restructurings

Risk management

Client relationship mgmt

Project management

Coaching & development

Private client knowledge

Education

CTA/ACA qualified

Job description

Succeed By Shaping What Matters

We’re BDO, one of the UK’s largest accountancy and business advisory organisations, helping ambitious businesses, their owners and management teams navigate a changing world.

With circa 8,500 people across the UK and Ireland, backed by a global network spanning 169 countries, there’s lots of knowledge, experience and different thinking to draw on here. But what matters is what you bring to it; your ideas, perspectives - the things you care about getting right.

So, here’s where you come in:

The team you’ll join

Our Tax team works with clients across the UK and around the world. Across 13 specialist areas, including Corporate Tax, International Tax, Employment Tax, VAT and Indirect Tax, Transfer Pricing and Tax Dispute Resolution, we collaborate across BDO to solve problems and respond to changing business needs and legislation.

You’ll have the autonomy to take responsibility, keep learning and build a Tax career around your strengths.

The role you’ll have

This role will provide tax advisory services to a range of clients, with a particular focus on owner-managed businesses (OMBs), their shareholders and management teams, with support from our private client specialists where appropriate. Assignments will cover a broad range of business and shareholder tax matters, including M&A transactions, corporate restructurings and reorganisations. You may also provide support with tax compliance where required.

You will take ownership of client assignments, applying strong technical knowledge and practical experience to deliver clear, commercially relevant advice. You will be comfortable working independently, while recognising when to seek support from Partners, Directors and specialists. Sound judgement and a proactive approach to risk management are central to the role.

You will help develop junior colleagues and begin building your internal and external network, with support from the wider team, to identify opportunities and contribute to winning work.

• Manage and deliver a range of tax advisory assignments, with a particular focus on OMBs, their shareholders and management teams, working with our private client specialists where appropriate. Assignments will include M&A transactions, restructurings, reorganisations and wider tax planning.
• Apply strong technical knowledge and research skills to complex issues, developing practical solutions and communicating advice clearly.
• Take responsibility for preparing and reviewing client advice, obtaining appropriate technical consultation and Partner review.
• Work independently within your experience and authority, taking ownership of assignments and seeking timely support on unfamiliar, complex or higher-risk matters.
• Manage risk proactively, identifying issues early, documenting assumptions and judgements, and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Build effective client relationships, understand clients’ commercial objectives and keep them informed of progress and next steps.
• Manage assignment scope, budgets, fees and deadlines, identifying changes in scope and delivery issues promptly.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across tax and other service lines, involving specialists where appropriate.
• Support the implementation of tax advice, coordinating with clients, colleagues and other advisers to ensure agreed actions are completed.
• Provide support with tax compliance on occasion.
• Coach and develop junior colleagues through effective delegation, clear guidance, constructive review and feedback.
• Take initial steps in business development, building an internal and external network, recognising opportunities and supporting proposals and client conversations with guidance from Partners and colleagues.
• Maintain and develop your technical knowledge, sharing learning and contributing to improvements in how the team delivers its work.

You’ll be someone with

• Strong, up-to-date technical tax knowledge and demonstrable experience delivering tax advisory work, particularly for OMBs, their shareholders and management teams, recognising when to draw on private client specialist support.
• Relevant experience of M&A transactions, corporate restructurings and reorganisations, including an understanding of the interaction between business and shareholder tax considerations.
• Strong analytical and research skills, with the ability to turn complex technical issues into clear, practical and commercially relevant advice.
• The ability to manage assignments independently, with sound judgement about when to consult, elevate or involve specialists.
• A disciplined approach to risk management, documentation, technical quality and appropriate review.
• Experience dealing directly with clients, including business owners and senior management.
• Experience managing projects, budgets and deadlines, and coordinating the work of junior colleagues.
• A genuine commitment to coaching and developing junior staff.
• A working knowledge of tax compliance and a willingness to support compliance delivery when required.
• A willingness to embrace technology and adapt approach to reflect efficiency and quality improvements.
• An interest in developing client relationships, building a professional network and contributing to business development with support.
• CTA and/or ACA qualified, or equivalent, with demonstrable relevant post-qualification experience.

You’ll have people around you to learn from, ask questions and share thoughts with, alongside learning programmes to enhance your skillset and digital platforms to ease your work. All of this helps you succeed in achieving those big (and personal) dreams.

How You’ll Succeed

You’ll have plenty of ways to develop at BDO; you might build deeper expertise in what you already do, take on something new or simply get better at the things that matter to you.

How and where you work matters too. Our agile working framework is designed around our Better Together approach: bringing more in-person time with clients and teams, creating more opportunities to share ideas, build confidence and develop day‑to‑day.

Whatever success looks like to you, you won’t be shaping it alone. You’ll have people around you who want you to do well, and plenty of opportunities to make it all count.

That’s how we’ll all continue to succeed by shaping what matters.

At BDO, we want everyone to feel included, valued and able to succeed. We welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to improving access to opportunities – work we've been recognised for as Company of the Year at the 2026 British Diversity Awards. Because we know different experiences and perspectives make us stronger.