M&A Tax Lead for Private Equity Deals

At Grant Thornton we do things differently - looking to the future, driving ambitious growth and pioneering positive change in our industry. Providing audit, tax and advisory services, we empower clients through strategic insight, curiosity, and genuine partnership. And we empower our people with real opportunity, an inclusive culture and work life balance.

Our Transaction Advisory Services (TAS) Tax team is structured in a unique way – we are focused on providing the full spectrum of tax services to private equity, across funds, deals and portfolio companies on a wide scope of transactional work both domestically and internationally.

We are leading advisers to mid-market private equity firms and large acquisitive corporates with deal values of anywhere from a few million to over a billion. We support our clients throughout the entire deal lifecycle from the initial proposal stage and assisting with offer terms, undertaking due diligence and advice on the acquisition structure through to completion and post-deal advice.

This is a fast-moving and exciting environment. It is technically led but with a keen eye on service and so this role will involve technical tax application, extensive interaction with clients and great interpersonal and organisational skills.

TAS Tax are a small, tight-knit team, and have experienced exceptional growth year on year. We have a strong pipeline and as part of a growing team, you will have significant opportunities to take on responsibility and develop as the team grows.

We are looking for bright and enthusiastic individuals who are looking to step up into a AD role and are interested in a career in M&A tax.

As Associate Director in the TAS Tax team, you will provide tax structuring advice and will undertake tax due diligence on both buy-side and sell-side transactions for private equity and corporate clients. You may also have the opportunity to work on public company transactions, primarily on AIM and the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.

Here are some things you can expect from a role in TAS Tax:

• You will be leading discussions with and presenting findings to clients and legal advisers as well as managing the relationship with the target’s management team.
• You will take a lead in working alongside FDD and SPA Advisory teams as a Transaction Advisory Services professional to ensure that your work goes hand in hand with theirs.
• You will be responsible for leading due diligence meetings with the target business, overseeing the due diligence analysis and reviewing reports to ensure they have been accurately and robustly prepared ahead of final review by the partner/director.
• You will prepare and review structuring reports based on the proposed acquisition structure, considering the key tax implications in line with the commercial requirements of the transaction.
• You will be involved in all other aspects of the transaction, including reviewing forecast models, funds flows and considering legal documentation with the support of an exceptional team.
• Collaborating with other stakeholders is vital in a TAS Tax role, and you will be encouraged to establish a strong internal network to drive opportunities across TAS, Corporate Finance and GT’s international member firms.
• You’ll be working closely with external key contacts within private equity funds, corporate clients, law firms and intermediaries to drive business development across the team.
• You will be involved in business development, researching and preparing proposals to win new work and taking part in presentations to prospective clients.
• You will manage project budgets, ensuring bills are raised accurately and promptly, fees are collected in a timely manner and debtors kept to a minimum.
• You will demonstrate an ability to produce a well-supported piece of technical research using legislation, guidance issued by tax authorities and/or the firm’s technical resources.
• You will be responsible for ongoing training and development of your team.

The ideal candidate will be a qualified chartered accountant or tax adviser (ACA, CA CTA, ADIT or equivalent as a minimum criteria) and have a good grounding in UK tax practices. It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box, we’ll help you develop along the way:

• UK corporation tax compliance and/or M&A experience
• Exposure to other tax issues – transfer pricing, R&D, VAT, employment taxes, stamp duty, share transactions/share option schemes
• Proven experience in client handling and project management, building and sustaining relationships
• Experience of advising on technical tax matters is essential
• Demonstrable experience of managing multiple deliverables, showing prioritisation skills and meeting deadlines within an expected timeframe
• Strong Excel and Power Point skills to prepare client and target documentation.

The culture at Grant Thornton is what sets us apart, we’re known for our inclusive culture and creating environments where all our people can flourish. Our values are the unwavering principles that shape our daily behaviours and decisions, alongside our drive to do the right thing. We’re looking for people who align with our values and are purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind.

In addition to a competitive salary and reward package, you’ll also get:

• Tailored development programmes and access to coaching
• Flexible bank holidays – allowing you to celebrate the days that are important to you
• Benefits including pension, life assurance and private medical, additional holiday purchasing and health benefits
• Any benefits giving you access to shopping discounts, gym memberships, financial advice
• And more.

We have a trust-based way of working, driven by responsible people who have the best interests of our firm and our clients at heart. Our how we work framework gives flexibility in where, how, and when we work to deliver the best results for our clients, whilst helping you keep a balance between work and life.

We’re looking for people who can help drive the business forward, who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves.