VAT Recovery Analyst

Nest; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial organization is looking for a candidate to manage VAT recovery projects and ensure accurate financial reporting. The role requires a strong understanding of Accounts Payable processes, effective communication skills, and proficiency in financial systems. Candidates should be detail-oriented and able to work independently in a hybrid environment.

Qualifications

• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively.
• Experience in project-based finance roles or VAT recovery is desirable.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Analyse historic general ledger transaction reports for VAT.
• Liaise with Corporation Finance and PwC for VAT application.
• Compile summary reports for VAT return preparation.

Skills

Knowledge of Accounts Payable processes and VAT principles

Experience working with financial systems and GL reports

High attention to detail and accuracy in data handling

Proficient in Microsoft Excel

Strong communication and organisational skills

Education

Degree educated or equivalent experience

Job description

Overview

The Corporate Finance Team is responsible for:

• The financial well-being of the company through effective budgeting, forecasting monitoring and reporting of all corporation finances
• Production of high quality monthly management accounts for budget holders and external publications relevant to the Corporation such as the Corporation Annual Report & Accounts (CARA)
• Developing and maintaining a culture of financial awareness and value for money across NEST
• Managing NEST Corporation's funding arrangements
• Maintaining the accounts payable for the Corporation and processing payments for expenditure
• Accuracy of the corporation general ledger ensuring transactions are recorded in an accurate and timely manner and that routine finance reconciliations supporting the Corporation financial statements are completed

The Pension Scheme Accounting team is responsible for:

• Ownership of the scheme ledger ensuring all entries
• Production of high quality monthly pension scheme accounts and external publications relevant to the Nest Pension Scheme such as the Scheme Annual Report & Accounts
• Day to day ownership of the tax advisor relationship ensuring all tax relevant to the scheme is reclaimed where appropriate
• This fixed-term role supports a targeted VAT recovery project led by the Head of Pension Scheme Accounting. The successful candidate will work closely with Corporation Finance and external advisors (PwC) to help with the recovery of historic VAT from HMRC using a Partial Exempt Special Method (PESM).

Deliverables

• Analyse historic general ledger (GL) transaction reports to identify supplier invoices relevant to each VAT period
• Source PDF copies of invoices from internal systems (e.g. AP inbox, Finance Directory)
• Cross-check invoice details against transaction reports and enhance reports with relevant/additional invoice data
• Identify invoices subject to VAT Reverse Charge and annotate accordingly
• Organise and save pdf invoices in VAT-period-specific folders
• Compile summary reports for each VAT period to support recovery percentage calculations and VAT return preparation

Relationships & Autonomy

• Liaise with Corporation Finance and PwC to ensure accurate application of PESM
• Respond to queries from the Head of Pension Scheme Accounting and Scheme Accounts Manager
• Support the validation and submission of VAT returns to HMRC

The employee will be able to demonstrate the following experience and technical skills:

• Knowledge and understanding of Accounts Payable processes and VAT principles
• Experience working with financial systems and GL reports
• High attention to detail and accuracy in data handling
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and document management
• Ability to work independently and manage time effectively
• Experience in project-based finance roles or VAT recovery is desirable
• Honest, trustworthy, and respectful
• Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities
• Strong work ethic and cultural awareness
• Excellent communication and organisational skills
• Have high attention to detail

Education, qualification and professional membership requirements

The candidate is likely to be degree educated but the right experience and skills are more important than educational achievements.

Team structure and working arrangements

The NEST Finance team is split into the following areas: Business Partnering, Corporation Finance, and Pension Scheme Accounting.

Flexible and agile working

• Hybrid of office and home working (there will be an expectation to attend the office, as required)
• Reduce or vary working hours
• Reduce or vary the days worked
• Work from home (or a different location)
• Work compressed hours
• Job share

Directorate/Department Overview

The NEST Finance team is split into the following areas: Business Partnering, Corporation Finance, and Pension Scheme Accounting.