Customs and Indirect Tax Compliance Manager

Leonardo UK Ltd; Yeovil; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading aerospace and defense company in Yeovil seeks a Customs and Indirect Tax Compliance Manager. You will ensure full tax compliance with customs regulations and VAT legislation. Key responsibilities include the preparation of VAT returns, customs documentation review, and providing support to internal teams. The ideal candidate has strong analytical skills, a professional tax qualification, and proven VAT/customs experience. This role offers a comprehensive benefits package and hybrid working options to support work-life balance.

Benefits

Time to Recharge: generous leave and flexi-days

Secure your Future: pension scheme up to 15% employer contribution

Your Wellbeing Matters: mental health support

Rewarding Performance: bonus scheme

Never Stop Learning: access to 4,000+ online courses

Flexible working: hybrid possibilities

Tailored Perks: £500 flexible benefits allowance

Qualifications

• Proven experience in VAT accounting and/or customs compliance.
• Strong knowledge of UK and EU VAT legislation and customs procedures.
• Excellent analytical and numerical skills with high attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Prepare, review, and submit UK and International VAT returns on time.
• Support customs documentation review for accuracy.
• Provide VAT and customs training to teams.

Skills

VAT accounting

Customs compliance

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Proficient in SAP

Proficient in Excel

Education

Professional qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CTA)

Tools

SAP

Excel

Job description

Job Description

Step into a pivotal role at Leonardo as a Customs and Indirect Tax Compliance Manager ensuring full tax compliance with customs regulations and VAT Legislation across all business activities. Reporting into the Senior Tax Manager you will be an integral part of the tax team and will be required to work closely with all divisions and other functions including trade compliance.

Your impact

In this role your key responsibility areas are split into three key areas as follows:

Customs and Trade Compliance

Supervise monthly reconciliations on Postponed VAT Accounting reports and Deferment accounts following up all incorrect entries ensuring amendments done within allowable time limits.

Support the review of customs documentation for import and export transactions ensuring correct customs regimes processes (Customs Warehouse, Inward PR, OPR, Temporary Import) have been followed with all incorrect entries being investigated and resolved.

Support the review classification of goods (tariff commodity codes) for accuracy and valuation for customs purposes.

Review how duty reliefs, customs warehousing, and other special procedures are managed where applicable.

Support the review of the coordination with logistics and freight partners to ensure timely and compliant border clearance.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of customs regulations, incoterms, and trade agreements.

Identify opportunities to increase automation and process improvement initiatives in tax reporting.

Support the Trade Compliance team wherever necessary and attend daily/weekly calls

VAT Compliance and Reporting

Responsibility for the preparation, review, and submission of UK and International VAT returns in accordance with statutory deadlines ensuring payments made on timely basis.

Supervise the reconciliations of VAT control accounts and ensure all entries are correctly posted.

Ensure detailed VAT records are maintained and documentation to support audits and inspections.

Advise on VAT treatment of complex transactions, including cross-border supplies, imports, and exports.

Monitor changes in VAT legislation and implement necessary process or system updates.

Support preparation of VAT audits and liaise with tax authorities as needed.

Advisory and Support

Provide VAT and customs awareness training to other functions – Accounts payable, Trade Compliance, outsourced service providers

Provide VAT and customs guidance to internal teams (procurement, sales, logistics).

Support cross-functional projects involving supply chain changes, system implementations, or new market entries.

Assist with indirect tax risk assessments and internal controls reviews.

Prepare reports and analyses to support management decision-making.

Assistance with VAT Law 262 audits, internal and external audits

Minimising exposure to penalties or additional tax arising from late lodgement of returns, taxation audits or mis‑declaration penalties

Support with correspondence and meetings as appropriate with the relevant tax authorities and seeking to maintain a good working relationship

Support with liaison and participation with other departments to discuss relevant technical matters

Assist in increasing the profile of the Tax Team to improve the business’s understanding of tax matters

Keep up to date on new VAT legislation, regulations and consultative papers.

Support the tax team as necessary with any ad hoc tasks

What you’ll bring

Professional qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CTA, or equivalent experience).

Proven experience in VAT accounting and/or customs compliance

Strong knowledge of UK and EU VAT legislation and customs procedures.

Excellent analytical and numerical skills with high attention to detail.

Proactive and solution-oriented mindset.

High integrity and commitment to compliance.

Proficient in SAP and Excel and other Microsoft applications.

Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Experience with international trade and multi-jurisdictional VAT reporting.

Experience liaising with HMRC or other tax authorities.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!

Primary Location: GB - Yeovil - Lysander Rd

Contract Type: Permanent

Hybrid Working: Hybrid