Assistant Manager - Innovation Reliefs and Incentives

Base Location: London

At KPMG, our values define who we are and the way we do business. As a leading professional services firm, we know that our strength and capability comes from our people – their different perspectives, experiences and backgrounds. From our inclusive leadership strategy to our diversity and inclusion targets – we’re making bold changes to who we are and what we do. Be part of it.

KPMG’s Innovation Reliefs and Incentives team is made up of tax, engineering, science and technology specialists delivering expert advice to a broad range of clients across almost every industry sector. As one of the largest teams in the industry, our continued investment in innovation advisory means that we seek engineers, scientists and tax professionals to join us on the next exciting phase of our growth. Our team works with clients from owner‑managed businesses to large multinational organisations, and we are looking for an Assistant Manager with a strong financial, accounting and tax background to assist clients across a suite of innovation advisory services including R&D tax credits, Patent Box, R&D allowances, grants and innovation advisory services.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with an Honours/ Post‑Graduate Degree in finance, accounting and tax or another discipline plus ACA/ACCA/CTA/ATT and that either has industry financial experience or working knowledge of the R&D tax legislation.

Role and Responsibilities

• Work with project teams to develop claim methodologies, including costing approach, and deliver R&D tax relief and Patent Box claims for submission to HMRC.
• Take responsibility and accountability for managing the delivery of the claims.
• Lead or co‑lead meetings with financial client stakeholders; provide expert advice in relation to innovation advisory services (R&D, Patent Box, grant applications).
• Support technical specialists in meetings with senior technical client stakeholders.
• Write accurate and substantive claim documents to support R&D tax claims, review documents written by junior colleagues.
• Prepare (or manage the process for preparing) both technical and financial elements of client deliverables.
• Ensure correct quantification of R&D/Patent Box claims and support the KPMG technical team in documenting work undertaken by clients within technically complex projects for submission to HMRC or funding organisations.
• Assist in managing client projects across both tax and technical work streams; manage conflicting resourcing requirements between projects.
• Assist in leading projects and solving problems by advising clients in the application of complex legislation to real‑life situations.
• Assist with liaising with HMRC specialists to facilitate agreement of R&D & Patent Box claims.
• Help to establish and maintain strong client relationships with both existing and new clients.
• Build an internal network within the wider tax practice of the firm.
• Take responsibility and accountability for own work, ensuring delivery of high‑quality advice; manage risk and reputation; coach and develop junior staff.

Skills and Qualifications

• Honours/Post‑Graduate Degree in finance, accounting & tax or another discipline plus ACA/ACCA/CTA/ATT and either industry financial experience or working knowledge of R&D tax legislation.
• Significant industry experience in finance and taxation, or detailed working knowledge of R&D and/or Patent Box tax legislation and its application to correct quantification of claims.
• Excellent problem‑solving skills and critical thinking to apply complex legislation to real‑life situations.
• Excellent communication skills – able to lead/co‑lead finance discussions and explain complex legislative concepts to finance and scientists/engineers in industry who have no prior experience of the tax definition of R&D.
• Capable of producing high‑quality, professional documentation and reports for C‑suite stakeholders.
• Demonstrated project management skills and ability to manage own workload while delegating to staff.
• Tax and accounting qualifications not essential but welcome (e.g. CTA, ATT, ACA, ACCA).

Locations

London (Canary Wharf), Reading, Manchester, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, Newcastle, Edinburgh. We have 20 sites across the UK and offer flexible work arrangements (office, home, part‑time). Discuss flexibility with our team.