Tax Manager in London

Rutherford Cross is pleased to be given the responsibility of bringing the financial appointment of Tax Manager to the market for the University of Dundee. The University of Dundee is one of the UK's leading Universities and holds social purpose at the core of what they do, building on its long-standing values. Applicants with a range of working patterns and schedules including Part-Time are welcome.

Lead role in the provision of tax planning, tax advice and tax compliance for all areas of University taxation, including VAT and international taxation. Responsibilities include:

• Identifying and implementing tax saving opportunities, addressing risk areas and liaising with professional experts to ensure excellent support for decision making.
• Identifying and implementing systems and process improvements to minimise tax risk and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of tax recovery and compliance.
• Overall responsibility for the preparation, review and submission of quarterly VAT and other direct taxation returns to HMRC, in accordance with legislation and guidance for the University and its subsidiaries.
• Managing, calculating and submitting the Partial Exemption method and Capital Goods Scheme and agreeing any adjustments identified by planning/risk analysis with HMRC.
• Providing pro-active advice to the whole University on all matters of indirect tax compliance.
• Providing pro-active advice and seeking additional expert help where necessary for all direct taxation issues, with particular emphasis on emerging international opportunities and other high tax risk initiatives.
• Developing good working relationships with HMRC and actively managing this key stakeholder, including facilitating audit visits.
• Overall responsibility for development, monitoring and implementation of the University's tax strategy and tax risk register, ensuring all decisions are within agreed risk parameters.
• Developing and delivering tax training for the Finance team and wider University, as appropriate to promote tax saving opportunities and improve compliance.
• Ensuring all policies, guidance and procedures comply with tax best practice.
• Staying abreast of relevant tax and legal changes and updates, ensuring the University's risk in this area is appropriately managed and ensuring changes are highlighted to Executive with suggestions for appropriate mitigating actions.
• Researching complex tax issues and the latest legislation and case law in order to minimise the taxation costs for the University.
• Pro-actively communicating any implications of forthcoming changes to relevant parties.

Internal and External Relationships:

• Building and maintaining strong communication links and strategic partnerships internally with relevant school and professional services colleagues.
• Building a strong working relationship with HMRC.
• Managing the relationship with the University's UK and international tax advisers.
• Representing the University within UK sector level groups, (e.g. BUFDG tax group).

Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience:

• Essential: Fully qualified accountant (ICAEW, ICAS, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent).
• Significant experience of taxation compliance or advice within an organisation of comparable size, or as a professional tax adviser, or HMRC.
• Keen interest in tax matters and a drive to ensure knowledge is kept up to date through self-learning and development.
• Process improvement experience in a finance, tax or operations environment.

• Desirable: Knowledge of the Higher Education sector, Taxation qualification, International experience.

Skills, Abilities and Competencies:

• Essential: Capable of dealing with technical taxation issues.
• Able to build effective working relationships with financial and non-financial managers across the University and outside.
• Able to explain complex financial issues to a non-financial audience.
• Able to understand how administrative processes can be used to drive efficiency/effectiveness.