Investment Business Tax Lead - Tax (12m FTC)

About BII

British International Investment (BII) is the UK’s leading development finance institution, wholly owned by the UK Government. Our primary mission is to address global development challenges through strategic investments that promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth. BII focuses on catalysing economic development, creating jobs, and building resilient economies in some of the world's most complex and underserved markets. We invest in businesses and projects that prioritise inclusive development, environmental sustainability, and innovation.

Our approach is characterised by rigorous investment standards, high governance principles, and a commitment to delivering measurable development impact. Our team consists of highly skilled and passionate professionals dedicated to making a tangible difference globally. We foster a collaborative and intellectually stimulating work environment that values curiosity, innovation, and professional growth. Our culture balances high performance with a strong emphasis on wellbeing, ensuring our employees can achieve their full potential while contributing to our mission.

BII at a glance:

• Over 75 years supporting sustainable business growth in developing and emerging markets
• More than £9.9 billion in net assets
• 1,600+ businesses invested in
• 950,000+ workers in the businesses we support
• 650+ people in our diverse global team

Team and role overview

BII’s tax function sits within BII’s Legal & Tax team and is split into two specific divisions: the Investment Business Tax division whose focus is to advise on the tax risks and implications of transactions undertaken by BII; and the Corporate Business Tax division whose focus is to manage the direct and indirect tax affairs of the BII group of companies. This opportunity is within the Investment Business Tax.

Whilst the successful candidate will report to BII’s Group Head of Tax, they will, necessarily, work closely with their fellow Investment Business Tax Lead and the Corporate Business Tax Team as well as BII’s Investment and Legal teams.

Responsibilities

• Act as tax lead on BII transactions, providing advice to legal and investment teams to ensure that tax is managed efficiently and responsibly with respect to investments and divestments in direct and intermediated equity products, corporate lending, project finance lending, investment and structuring private capital mobilisation initiatives, including debt participations.
• Liaise with investment teams to ensure tax considerations and risks are appropriately reflected in transaction models and investment proposals.
• Lead on tax aspects of divestments to ensure liabilities and processes are fully considered in commercial decision-making, and that BII’s interests are safeguarded.
• Collaborate with legal teams to provide input into the drafting of tax aspects of transaction documents.
• Support BII’s investment teams on tax matters arising from the investment portfolio including restructurings and refinancings.
• Manage the engagement and performance of BII’s external tax advisers, including accounting firms and tax counsel, on transactions to ensure accurate and timely advice and ongoing proactive service.
• Negotiate tax aspects of transaction dynamics with counterparties such as co-investors, strategic partners and prospective portfolio companies to ensure BII’s tax positions are protected and policy requirements are adhered to.
• Work with the Corporate Business Tax team to ensure transaction structures are implemented and reported correctly.
• Partner with Country Directors and advisors in BII’s markets to help understand how future tax developments can impact BII’s future investment pipeline.
• Collaborate with investment software implementation team to ensure Investment Business Tax Team requirements are properly reflected in deal workflow.
• Develop and deliver tax training to key internal stakeholders, including investment teams.

Tax planning and policy

• Proactively monitor international tax developments against BII’s business model to ensure BII’s tax strategy remains appropriate and keeps pace with best practices of other development institutions.
• Contribute to BII’s internal and external communications on tax and regulatory policy and how regulatory environments might be improved in BII’s target countries.
• Engage directly with government departments and tax authorities (in the UK and in BII’s target countries) to clarify BII’s tax status.

The candidate

• A qualified accountant, lawyer or chartered taxation adviser with 10+ years’ post-qualification experience in a transaction facing role in-house or at a major accountancy, law or tax advisory firm. International tax experience is essential. Exposure to Asian and African and other emerging markets desirable.
• Ability to independently assess risks (as well as potential benefits) and make well-reasoned judgements and recommendations to the Tax function and/or wider business.
• Ability to confidently prioritise and manage multiple transactions and projects across different stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to communicate complex taxation concepts and manage the expectations of a wide composition of stakeholders, across the Investment and Corporate businesses who in practice often have competing objectives.
• A self-starter – able to work independently with a willingness to “muck in” and get involved in all areas of the business where required.
• Cultural sensitivity and a proven ability to work across cultures.
• Candidates should be strongly motivated by BII’s development mission and ideally demonstrate some commitment to development or social goals through previous executive or non-executive activity.

Our cultural values

We look for team members who aspire, as we do, to work at our best and to be:

• Impact-led, commercially rigorous
• Tenacious in the face of challenges
• Collaborative and caring

British International Investment is committed to diversity and inclusion and welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background.

Please provide a cover letter with your application.