VAT Director - Financial Services in City of London

Forvis Mazars is a leading global professional services network providing audit & assurance, tax, and advisory services. Forvis Mazars in the UK spans 14 offices across the nation and has over 3,400 professionals, with 190 partners. We have a clear purpose and a shared commitment to shape a better future. You will join a collaborative and inclusive team where you are supported to grow your skills, explore new opportunities, and contribute from day one. You will work with a diverse client base, develop meaningful connections, and gain experience that extends beyond your local team. Together, we grow, belong and impact.

We are now looking for a senior individual to join the global Financial Services VAT team, with the role being based in London. Forvis Mazars' Financial Services VAT practice is trusted by clients ranging from some of the world's leading banks, insurers and asset managers to smaller niche players in the sector, to deliver a broad range of services. Within this practice, the Financial Services VAT team provides advisory, compliance and assurance and training services to clients across the world with business activities in the UK.

Job Purpose

To lead the development of the UK sector offering within Forvis Mazars Financial Services VAT team by developing relationships and building sector knowledge, working closely with the other UK partners and directors focused on this sector as well as the wider international sector leadership team. We are now looking for the right person to help drive the business forward. The right person would:

• Demonstrate significant experience in the financial services, insurance and/or asset management sector and a strong existing network of sector clients and relationships.
• Have excellent client relationship building skills, combining commitment to first-rate client service with the curiosity to understand the client's business strategy and assets.
• Bring execution capacity, technical excellence, BD focus and strategy, helping to implement the existing business and to drive new business.
• Act as a key point of contact for other Forvis Mazars firms with Financial Services VAT opportunities and other UK service lines.
• Play a full role in our Financial Services VAT marketing strategy and be seen as a sector expert both within Forvis Mazars and externally.

The role is a senior one which would involve high levels of collaboration with multiple other senior individuals across Forvis Mazars (both within the UK and internationally) and the right person would be able to use it as a platform to either push for partnership or develop a leadership role as a partner.

Professional Responsibilities

• Deliver high quality technical advice, working with a diverse range of financial sector and insurance clients.
• Business development and broader team management to deliver assignments.
• Shape and deliver the national sector strategy for Forvis Mazars Financial Services VAT offering.
• Develop market intelligence and sector knowledge to prepare for new client opportunities and pitches.
• Take the lead on proposal documents for new opportunities and help to convert these.
• Build an external network, developing a strong rapport with both existing and target clients and key market constituents.
• Lead the team in marketing activity as well as building own market profile.
• Build an internal network within Forvis Mazars (both in the UK and internationally), to maximise the value we bring to clients and opportunities for the firm as a whole.
• Work as part of an integrated financial services offering, working closely with colleagues across Tax, audit and other advisory teams.
• Promote Forvis Mazars Financial Services VAT sector knowledge both within the broader teams at Forvis Mazars and to other relevant parts of the firm.
• Manage delivery of client engagements by directing the team to achieve client objectives across various service offerings.
• Taking the day to day lead role in running assignments, typically with a portfolio of assignments at any one time.

People Development

• Help to develop our team technically by ensuring that they are properly informed on relevant sector dynamics and a commercial understanding; Acting as a mentor to junior team members: help individuals to achieve their potential through coaching, training and development.
• Reviewing the work of others and provide real time informal feedback.
• Help to ensure that our deliverables and other outputs are visually effective and clear; Build broader market relationships and knowledge that will help to ensure that our advice is up to date and informed by the latest technical developments and market insights; help to build the culture of the team so that junior team members also become used to doing this.
• Help to promote a general culture of learning and development across the team from one job to the next; Potential for line management responsibilities for staff in London.

Key Requirements for the Role

• The right person is likely to have a number of years of substantial experience of VAT advisory work in the Financial Services sector.
• Proven track record of building business and leading teams.
• Good understanding of the industry, key sector trends and the key players in the market.
• Excellent written and oral presentation skills.
• Demonstrable project management skills and ability to work toward demanding timetables.
• Track record of building enduring relationships with clients through repeat work.
• Ability to interpret and present issues, identify risks and opportunities through sound analysis and application of technical knowledge and commercial acumen.
• Be a highly pro-active, confident leader with a proven ability to build constructive professional relationships at all levels.
• Detailed understanding of engagement and risk processes used in an accountancy firm context, and experience of applying these.
• Tax qualifications such as the CTA would be desirable but not essential.
• Fluency in English both written and verbal is mandatory and fluency in a second EU language is desirable.
• Self-motivated, ambitious and hard working.
• Driven by a passion to provide excellent client service and to build a growing business, with a strong team ethic.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Forvis Mazars inclusion and diversity are central to our values. We recognise that being an inclusive and diverse organisation makes us stronger as a business. We seek to attract and recruit people who reflect the diverse nature of our clients and communities, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, nationality, faith or belief, social background, age, and disability. Forvis Mazars selects candidates based on skills, knowledge, qualifications, and experience.