VAT Lead

Guidant Global; Hounslow; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading tax consultancy firm seeks a Senior VAT Lead to manage the indirect tax agenda, ensuring compliance with laws while providing strategic advice on commercial projects. The ideal candidate must have ACA/ACCA/ATT/CTA qualifications and significant VAT experience. Strong leadership and communication skills are essential for success in this collaborative environment.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in a senior advisory role.
• Strong understanding of indirect tax issues.
• Several years post-qualification experience in VAT.

Responsibilities

• Manage the indirect tax team effectively.
• Provide advice on commercial projects and transactions.
• Oversee the indirect tax aspects of digitisation efforts.

Skills

Leadership and managerial skills

Excellent written and verbal communication

Commercial awareness

Education

ACA / ACCA / ATT / CTA qualified

Job description

Overview

Role Purpose:
The VAT Lead is a key senior position within the tax function. Reporting into the Head of Tax, you will be responsible for managing all aspects of the indirect tax agenda (the role is principally a VAT one but does involve assessing the applicability/impact of other indirect taxes). This will require:

• Devising and implementing a suitable indirect tax strategy which accords with the client's commercial context and wider tax strategy;

• Leading and developing others in the indirect tax team and fostering a collaborative, team-centric culture within the business' complex commercial environment;

• Delivery of high-quality technical advice on a pro-active and timely basis - this will be especially relevant in relation to multiple high-profile commercial projects and property transactions;

• Accountable for the client meeting all external indirect tax reporting obligations, being compliant with all applicable indirect tax legislation, and process improvements being regularly considered and implemented;

• Identifying appropriate indirect tax opportunities and anticipating and planning for future commercial and legislative changes in indirect tax;

• Partnering with key stakeholders to ensure visibility and comprehension of indirect tax issues;

• Maintaining robust internal policies, processes and controls particularly with respect to certain regimes (e.g. SAO, BRR, CCO);

• Ensuring business-as-usual operations are running effectively and efficiently from an Indirect tax perspective.

Responsibilities

• Provision of advice/technical input into various commercial projects, property transactions, systems implementations, business transformation projects, and business-as-usual queries.

• Overall management of the indirect tax team.

• Working in conjunction with the Head of Tax to maintain the client's relationship with HMRC.

• Working with Finance, Legal, Commercial, Property, the Business Support Centre, and other areas of the business to ensure end-to-end finance processes include all necessary indirect tax elements.

• Overseeing the indirect tax aspects of the client's digitisation and transformation efforts including the formulation and implementation of an automation roadmap.

• Ownership of the indirect tax aspects of the client's tax risk register. Maintaining a suitable governance framework and evaluating against BRR and SAO obligations, and HMRC's guidelines for VAT compliance.

• High-level review of UK VAT returns (as prepared and reviewed by the Indirect Tax Analyst and VAT Manager respectively).

Qualifications and Experience

• Proven experience working in a senior advisory role within a commercial context.

• A strong understanding of the type of commercial and indirect tax issues that can impact on a large UK organisation.

• ACA / ACCA / ATT / CTA qualified (or equivalent) with several years post qualification experience in VAT.

• Strong leadership and managerial skills.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to work effectively with key stakeholders.

• Commercially minded and capable of providing clear, considered advice - ability to think strategically and pragmatically and to consider future implications when preparing/reviewing work and/or advising on project work.