Senior Tax Manager

As the Senior Direct Tax Manager, you will be the senior leader responsible for all UK & Ireland direct tax matters, playing a critical role in shaping the financial landscape of our UK&I operations.

You will lead UK and Irish corporate tax compliance and reporting, manage tax risk, and provide strategic advice to senior stakeholders across Finance, Operations, Legal, and HR.

This is a high-visibility role where you will act as a trusted business partner, translating complex tax legislation into commercially sound guidance that supports the business's service delivery and growth objectives across its facilities management (FM) and hospitality.

Key Responsibilities

Tax Compliance & Reporting

• Take full ownership of the UK & Ireland corporation tax compliance cycle. This includes managing the preparation and review of all corporation tax computations and returns for multiple UK and Irish entities, ensuring timely and accurate filing with HMRC and the Irish Revenue.
• Lead the preparation and review of quarterly and annual tax provisions under IFRS, working closely with the Group finance team and external auditors to ensure robust and transparent reporting.
• Manage all tax account reconciliations, explaining variances and supporting the budgeting and forecasting process.
• Oversee and coordinate the preparation of tax disclosures for statutory accounts and Group reporting.

Tax Governance & Risk Management

• Act as the primary point of contact and lead for HMRC and Irish Revenue tax authority audits and enquiries, managing the process from initial request through to resolution.
• Take ownership of critical governance frameworks, including the Senior Accounting Officer (SAO) regime, ensuring the integrity of tax accounting arrangements and controls.
• Proactively monitor and assess the impact of legislative changes (e.g., BEPS Pillar Two, Making Tax Digital for Corporation Tax) and implement necessary changes to ensure the business remains fully compliant and optimises its tax position.

Business Partnering & Advisory

• Act as the senior, trusted tax advisor to business units and functional leaders (e.g., Operations, Legal, HR), providing clear, commercial, and pragmatic tax advice to support key business decisions and contract structuring.
• Support the Tax Director on complex advisory projects, including the tax structuring of new business wins, acquisitions, disposals, and group reorganizations.
• Provide expert advice on international tax matters, including transfer pricing, withholding taxes, and cross-border transactions, as they relate to the business global operations.
• Lead and mentor more junior members of the tax team, fostering a culture of continuous learning and technical excellence.

Process & Systems Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement in tax processes and systems, identifying opportunities for automation and enhanced data analysis to improve efficiency and reduce manual effort.
• Champion the use of technology and digital tools to streamline compliance and reporting, ensuring the tax function keeps pace with a dynamic and digital-first business.

Candidate Profile

Qualifications & Experience

• Professional Qualification: CTA, ACA, or ACCA qualified with a clear specialism in corporate tax.
• Extensive Experience: Minimum of 7-10 years of corporate tax experience, with significant post-qualification experience gained either within a Big 4/Top 10 public accounting firm or in a senior in-house tax role within a large, complex multinational organisation.
• Sector Knowledge: Proven experience within the services, outsourcing, or FM sector is highly advantageous. Understanding the commercial dynamics of contract-based, multi-site businesses is key to success in this role.
• Tax Accounting & Reporting: Deep experience with IFRS tax accounting and preparing tax provisions for a large, listed group is essential.

Technical & Soft Skills

• Technical Mastery: Excellent knowledge of UK corporation tax, with a strong working knowledge of international tax concepts (e.g., transfer pricing, double taxation treaties, CFC rules).
• Stakeholder Management: Outstanding ability to build relationships and influence key stakeholders across finance, commercial, and operational functions. You must be able to explain complex tax issues to non-tax colleagues in a clear and actionable way.
• Commercial Acumen: A commercial and pragmatic mindset with the ability to balance tax risk management against business objectives.
• Communication & Leadership: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience of coaching and developing junior team members.