Group Tax Manager in Bristol

Unite Students has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Group Tax Manager to play a critical role in identifying, assessing, and managing tax risks within the business, as well as ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and internal policies, and managing the existing Tax team. The Tax & Corporate Structuring team is responsible for managing the tax affairs and the corporate structure of the group and its funds. The team is responsible for tax planning, compliance and reporting, in addition to owning and implementing the tax strategy for the group and its funds.

This team is closely aligned to the business to provide tax advice and maintain an appropriate corporate structure for the group and its funds. Ongoing management and simplification of the corporate structure are the responsibility of the team. The Group Tax Manager provides advice and guidance across the whole business, including Finance, HR, IT, Operations (including commercial), Property & Development and Estates. The role is dynamic and the role holder is expected to use their skills in many diverse areas. The team needs to build trust and be a corporate advisory team; taking on a wide range of topics in many areas of the business. This is a wide-ranging role and it includes working with all internal stakeholders. This role is based in our Bristol office.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Responsible for the design, publication and delivery of the Group’s Tax Policy
• Manage the relationship with the Board and provide an annual update on key tax matters, including any proposed updates to the Group’s Tax Policy
• Communicate tax matters to the CFO and wider Exec, including key risks, REIT status, PID requirements, SAO Compliance and general tax compliance
• Manage relationship with external advisors in relation to all tax matters, including scope, quote and timetable
• Own the relationship with HMRC
• Provide tax information and advice to the wider business as required, including advice on transactions, property acquisitions and disposals, refinancing, restructuring and University partnerships
• Responsible for ensuring that tax computations and returns are prepared and submitted on a timely basis, including working with external advisers where appropriate
• Responsible for preparation of tax disclosures for group, JV and entity financial statements, together with tax supporting information for audit purposes
• Responsible for compliance with tax filing requirements (excluding PAYE, CIS and share schemes), including FATCA/CRS and returns required under the non-resident landlord regime
• Document, manage and evidence key tax controls in support of the group’s Senior Accounting Officer requirements
• Responsible for maintaining documentation of complex tax positions to support annual tax filings, and ensure implementation of positions adopted
• Monitor and advise the Group on the potential impact of new tax legislation and emerging tax laws
• Working with Group Reporting to simplify and manage the Group’s subsidiary entities
• Work with the wider finance team to target continuous improvement and further automation of the Group’s financial processes

What We’re Looking for in You

• Qualified tax professional (ACA or CTA), strong academic record
• Experience of reviewing corporation tax computations and other relevant tax experience in a corporate and time pressured environment
• Experience of working with the tax affairs of large groups (e.g. claiming group relief, prioritising loss utilisation and managing the compliance cycle for multiple entities)
• Self-starter who can demonstrate initiative, with the ability to prioritise workloads of self and team members
• An ability to communicate at all levels and develop good working relationships
• Excellent analytical skills and an ability to explain complex requirements and processes to others in a coherent way

What You’ll Get in Return

• A discretionary annual bonus so you can share in the company’s success
• 25 days’ paid holiday and an annual holiday buying scheme, with 5 additional days awarded for long service
• A generous pension scheme - employer contributions between 5% and 11% depending on how much you save
• Various benefits to support your health and wellbeing including a Healthcare Cash Plan, an Employee Assistance Programme, a Wellbeing platform and a Gym benefit that you can share with your family and friends
• Enhanced Family Leave including 18 weeks full pay for birthing parents and 4 weeks for non-birthing parents
• Lots of other great benefits including an annual ShareSave scheme, Employee Life Assurance, a discounts portal and more!

About Unite Students

Founded in 1991, Unite Students is the UK’s leading provider of purpose-built student accommodation. You can find us in 23 leading university towns and cities, with 70,000 students calling US home! We are driven by our values, culture, and a commitment to develop diverse and inclusive teams, filled with positive energy and new ideas.

Instinctive inclusion. We know that to create and maintain a happy healthy organisation, we have to work hard to ensure inclusion isn’t just what we do but who we are.

People make Unite Students. Employees, students and neighbours all contribute to building environments where we can all thrive.

Room for Everyone

We’re proud to be an employer that embraces individuality, and we’re passionate about building inclusive teams. We focus on creating a collaborative culture where you can be you, where your voice is heard, and where you can truly belong. We take great pride in being rated Gold Investors in People and are constantly striving to provide the highest standard of learning and development opportunities and professional pathways for our people. Building a home for success, for both our employees and students, requires exceptional people with a passion for creating room for everyone, doing what’s right, keeping US safe, and raising the bar. Join us as we build better experiences for students that live with us.