Tax Manager

Sumo Digital Ltd; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible benefits package

Salary sacrifice pension

Employee referral scheme

Private healthcare options

Studio perks and social activities

Job summary

Sumo Digital Ltd in Sheffield offers a hybrid Finance Manager role focused on VGEC, VGTR, R&D and corporate tax compliance. You will advise on contracts, guard against risk, and coordinate with the Group tax team on Pillar 2 and international reporting, guiding commercial decisions and tax strategy.

The ideal candidate has CTA or strong tax background, senior stakeholder skills, and a proactive approach to process improvement and data analysis.

Qualifications

• Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA) qualification beneficial but not essential.
• Strong technical background in practice or industry.
• Corporate tax experience, with R&D credits experience an advantage.
• Experience with creative industry incentives or willingness to develop knowledge in this area.
• Strong presentation skills, both written and oral.
• Ability to build relationships with key stakeholders and broader business stakeholders.
• Understanding of the Group’s commercial drivers and strong business acumen.
• Team-based ethos with ability to break down silos and collaborate across teams.
• Ability to prioritise in a dynamic business and work autonomously to deadlines.
• Willingness to learn and develop new skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• Desire to implement change and best practice with ability to question processes.
• Strong Excel skills and ability to analyse and manipulate data.

Responsibilities

• Be the Sumo finance lead on VGEC, VGTR, R&D and corporate tax matters, including providing insight and analysis to the Senior Finance Manager, Group FC and Group FD.
• Drive continuous improvement to deliver operating efficiencies.
• Be the key point of contact on VGEC matters for development, commercial and support teams, influencing business decisions and contract structures.
• Provide advice on tax clauses and provisions in the new project bid, onboarding and contracting process.
• End-to-end management of VGEC claims, coordinating with teams to ensure accurate and timely delivery.
• Support the Assistant Finance Manager responsible for VGEC claim documentation and month end processing.
• Develop understanding of UK VGEC guidance and liaise with external advisors to influence contracts.
• Monitor VGEC strategy, maintain transfer pricing policies, optimise group structure for claims.
• Manage SPV subsidiary accounts preparation, audits and tax returns with advisors.
• Oversee month-end accounting processes for VGEC, report KPIs and VGEC utilisation.
• Lead the R&D claim process with project teams identifying qualifying activities.
• Maintain corporate tax structuring and compliance, optimising Group losses.
• Lead tax forecasting and monthly reporting to the parent company.
• Support year-end tax accruals and liaise with auditors on tax audits.
• Maintain relationships with tax advisors and prepare information for corporation tax returns.
• Maintain transfer pricing documentation and monitor compliance with policy.
• Coordinate with Tencent tax team on group reporting and Pillar two compliance.
• Support external advisors across VAT, WHT and global mobility.
• Undertake ad-hoc analysis and project support as required.

Skills

CTA qualification

Presentation skills

Relationship building

Business acumen

Excel skills

Data analysis

Education

CTA qualification (beneficial)

Job description

Hybrid working from our Sheffield studio.

The Tax manager is a key role within the Sumo finance team responsible for Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) and other tax credit claims, and corporate tax compliance. They will be the Sumo's subject matter expert on VGEC and will support on all aspects of corporate tax strategy. The role also has a strong commercial focus, advising and supporting the business on commercial contracts with clients and corporate tax structuring for Sumo in an evolving tax landscape, and will have a key relationship with Sumo’s parent group tax team, liaising on Pillar 2 and international tax reporting.
Sumo is a dynamic business with multiple Finance Managers and as such the specific requirements of our team may change as the needs of the business changes. We also regularly assess the skills, experience and development needs of our team and may look to adjust or rotate responsibilities from time to time to reflect these.

Responsibilities

• Be the Sumo finance lead on VGEC, VGTR, R&D and corporate tax matters, including providing insight and analysis to the Senior Finance Manager, Group FC and Group FD.
• Drive positive change, identify and deliver operating efficiencies in the way we work through programme of continuous improvement.
• Be the key point of contact on VGEC matters for development, commercial and support teams, influencing business decisions and contract structures to drive better outcomes.
• Provide advice and support on tax clauses and provisions in the new project bid, onboarding and contracting process.
• Be responsible for the end to end process for Sumo’s VGEC claims, including working with development and support teams to understand games, through to ensuring all technical and legal processes work effectively and that claims are delivered on time.
• Provide support, coaching, development and review for the Assistant Finance Manager responsible for VGEC claim documentation and month end VGEC processing.
• Develop a deep understanding of relevant UK VGEC guidance, working with Sumo’s external VGEC advisors, and use this knowledge to influence Sumo’s commercial contracts and optimise Sumo’s claims within the permitted rules.
• Monitor the VGEC strategy across all projects, maintaining transfer pricing policies and ensuring the Group’s legal and contractual structure optimises VGEC claims.
• Manage completion of relevant SPV subsidiary company statutory accounts preparation, audits and tax returns, working closely with advisors and auditors.
• Oversee the critical month-end accounting processes for VGEC, analyse and report on KPIs and monitor VGEC utilisation data across projects.
• Lead the RDEC claim process, working with project teams to identify R&D qualifying activities and preparing documentation.
• Maintain corporate tax structuring and compliance processes, assisting in the optimisation of Group losses.
• Lead tax forecasting and monthly tax reporting, including reporting to Sumo’s parent company on routine tax matters and any international tax information submissions.
• Support in the preparation of year end tax accruals and liaise with auditors on the audit of tax.
• Maintain strong relationships with tax advisors and be responsible for the preparation of information in relation to corporation tax returns.
• Maintain transfer pricing documentation, and advise on and monitor compliance with Sumo’s transfer pricing policy.
• Be the key point of contact for Sumo’s parent Group (Tencent) tax team, delivering any group tax reporting requirements and Pillar two compliance.
• Support in reviewing, advising and liaising with external advisors across other tax areas including VAT, WHT, and global mobility.
• Other ad-hoc analysis and project support as required.

What you'll bring with you:

• Chartered Tax Advisor (CTA) qualification beneficial but not essential.
• Strong technical background in practice or industry
• Corporate tax experience, with R&D credits experience an advantage
• Creative industry incentives experience an advantage, or an interest in developing knowledge in this area (support and training will be provided).
• Strong presentation skills, both written and oral, ability to flex style depending on audience.
• The ability to build relationships with key stakeholders and broader business stakeholders.
• An understanding of the Group’s commercial business drivers and strong business acumen.
• An enthusiastic, team-based ethos. Ability to break down silos and collaborate across multiple teams.
• The ability to prioritise in a dynamic business, be well organised, and able to work autonomously and to strict deadlines.
• Show a willingness to learn and develop new skills.
• Exceptional attention to detail.
• A strong desire to implement change and best practice, with the confidence to question processes and recommend improvements.
• Strong excel skills and the ability to analyse and manipulate data.

What's in it for you?

What we offer:
Sumo understands the importance of having control over your benefits. That's why we offer a flexible, personalised benefits package designed to meet your unique needs, no matter where you are in your career.
My Money: Flexible benefits allowance, salary sacrifice pension, benefits hub, payroll giving, an employee referral scheme (up to £1,000), financial/home buying consultations, workplace ISA and other schemes for tech loans, car loans and bicycles.
My Lifestyle: Flexible working, 21 free choice days holiday, bank holidays, birthday day off, Christmas shutdown (Christmas Eve to New Year) and options to buy or sell up to a week of annual leave*.
My Health and Wellbeing: Dental insurance*, income protection, life assurance, BUPA private healthcare*, leading EAP programs (remote GP, mental health, physio, nutrition, lifestyle coaching and medical second opinions), critical illness cover*, health cash plan* and funded flu vaccines/eye tests.
My Development: Structured Personal Development, regular appraisals and 5 learning days per annum.
Extra Perks: A variety of in-studio perks, regular care packages, studio days out (family welcome), studio-led social activities (game jams, yoga, quizzes, life drawing and more), sabbaticals (at 10 years service) and annual gaming subscription.
*Opt-in benefits (part of our flexible benefits options).