Associate Director - Corporate Transactions Tax Advisory (Focused on mid-market) TLNT1_NI in Belfast

Corporate Transactions Tax Advisory Associate Director with a focus on mid-market in Belfast. Grant Thornton is part of a fast-growing and rapidly evolving international platform, bringing together specialist teams across the UK, Ireland, the US and an expanding global network of member firms. This creates opportunities for our people to work on complex, cross-border assignments, collaborate with leading specialists across the network and build expertise across the full spectrum of UK and international tax services.

From Belfast, our team supports a diverse client base that includes owner-managed businesses, large corporates and multinational groups, giving our people exposure to some of the most interesting and complex tax challenges in the market while benefiting from the scale, resources and opportunities of a growing international platform. The Grant Thornton Advisors (NI) Tax Team is a team of over 90 specialists with deep industry, sector and technical knowledge.

Within this, our Corporate Transactions Tax Advisory (TTA) practice includes key areas supporting owner-managed businesses, entrepreneurial clients and privately owned groups where practical, commercial and relationship-led advice is critical. Our TTA team provides specialist tax support throughout the transaction lifecycle, including acquisitions, disposals, restructurings, fundraisings, management buyouts and other strategic corporate events.

Working closely with corporate finance, legal and wider advisory teams, we help clients identify and manage tax risks and deliver clear, commercially focused advice. As deal activity increases, we are seeking to recruit a Corporate Transactions Tax Advisory Associate Director to join our Belfast team. The successful candidate will take a leading role in project delivery, develop key client relationships, support business development activity and contribute to the continued success of the practice.

As an Associate Director, you will work closely with Directors and Partners to lead the delivery of high-quality, commercially focused transaction tax advice to clients. You will take responsibility for managing client relationships, overseeing multiple projects and developing more junior members of the team, while identifying opportunities to expand existing relationships and support the growth of the practice. The role offers significant exposure to a broad range of transaction work, providing opportunities to deepen technical expertise, enhance commercial acumen and play a key role in shaping the future direction and growth of the Belfast TTA team.

Main responsibilities will include:

• Leading the end-to-end delivery of multiple Transaction Tax Advisory engagements, ensuring high-quality outcomes, effective risk management and exceptional client service, with a focus on privately owned and entrepreneurial clients.
• Driving project timelines, quality standards and coordination across internal teams, clients and external stakeholders, with an emphasis on clear, practical delivery for clients across a broad range of transactions.
• Owning and developing key client relationships, acting as a trusted adviser and identifying opportunities to support clients' wider business objectives, particularly across the mid-market and privately owned client base.
• Leading technical delivery and review, providing direction and coaching to Managers and junior team members, while remaining actively involved in complex technical matters, key judgements and client-facing discussions arising on transaction tax engagements for OMB and private client-led business transactions, including succession, extraction, restructuring and shareholder matters.
• Overseeing engagement economics, including WIP, recoverability and billing, proactively managing build-up and supporting strong recovery performance.
• Supporting business development activities, including proposals, pitches, networking and the identification of opportunities with new and existing clients.
• Contributing to the continued growth and strategic development of the Transaction Tax Advisory practice through market engagement and thought leadership.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues across the wider firm and third-party advisers to deliver integrated solutions and maximise client value on transactions, including close coordination with corporate finance, legal, private client and wider tax colleagues.
• Taking responsibility for quality, risk management and compliance, ensuring work is delivered in accordance with professional and firm standards.
• Developing and mentoring team members, helping to build technical capability, engagement and retention across the team.

Skills and attributes:

• ACA/ACCA and/or CTA qualified.
• Significant post-qualification experience within a corporation tax environment in a large practice, with experience in a Big Four or top-tier professional services firm desirable, although equivalent industry experience will be considered, particularly where this has involved owner-managed businesses, privately owned groups or mid-market and privately owned clients.
• Demonstrable experience of Transaction Tax Advisory assignments, including tax due diligence, structuring and transaction support, preferably involving owner-managed business disposals, acquisitions, management buyouts, shareholder transactions or growth transactions for privately owned and entrepreneurial clients.
• Proven ability to manage and develop client relationships, identify business development opportunities and contribute to practice growth.
• Strong project management and commercial awareness, including responsibility for engagement economics, budgets, WIP and recoverability.
• Experience leading, mentoring and developing high-performing teams, with a proactive interest in team performance, development and wellbeing.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain complex tax matters clearly to clients and colleagues at all levels, using a clear, commercial and accessible style.