Director, Audit of Taxes

Opportunity in a National Practice.

This firm seeks a seasoned Tax Audit Specialist to oversee and enhance their tax audit services. The ideal candidate will serve as the primary liaison between audit teams and clients, managing complex tax audits and ensuring compliance with evolving regulations. Responsibilities include coordinating with internal specialists, addressing international tax risks, and evaluating the impact of regulatory changes and major corporate transactions.

The role demands strong leadership skills to effectively manage and develop team members, contribute to business development initiatives, and maintain high standards of client service. The specialist will also act as a key resource for tax accounting queries, assist with complex provisioning engagements, and support GAAP conversions and acquisition accounting.

Essential duties involve resource scheduling, deadline management, client onboarding, and oversight of work allocation. The position requires active participation in business development activities, including proposal writing and identifying new opportunities. Special projects may include M&A transaction support, advisory work on corporate tax issues, and leading training initiatives.

The ideal candidate possesses extensive experience in corporate taxation, a strong understanding of UK GAAP and IFRS, and the ability to explain complex issues clearly. They should demonstrate proficiency in managing client projects profitably and leading various tax advisory matters. While professional qualifications such as ACA, ACCA, or CTA are desirable, they are not mandatory.

This role offers significant opportunities for career advancement, with the potential for progression to Director or Partner based on performance and contribution.

Technical Responsibilities

1. Serve as the primary point of contact for coordinating tax-related support to audit teams, with a focus on large and complex audits.
2. Oversee the delivery of tax audits, maintaining communication with clients, their tax advisors, and internal specialists as needed.
3. Analyse a wide range of audit issues, including:
   • International tax risks
   • Implications of regulatory changes
   • Finance structures
   • Impact of evolving tax rules
   • Effects of major corporate transactions
   • Appropriate accounting for tax uncertainties

Operational Duties

1. Collaborate with senior leadership to deliver exceptional service, including planning, early engagement with audit teams, and budgeting.
2. Provide effective management, coaching, and delegation to team members.
3. Assist the firm's technical and compliance department as required.
4. Supervise job bookings, monitor timelines, and track progress.
5. Ensure tax audits are delivered within budget and manage the recovery of overruns and out-of-scope work.
6. Coordinate season-end debriefs, review inefficiencies, and implement necessary improvements.

Business Development

1. Provide tax support for audit proposals and RFPs.
2. Follow up on lost audit prospects and identify non-audit service opportunities.
3. Participate in client presentations, article writing, and new business initiatives.

Tax Reporting and Advisory

1. Act as a tax accounting specialist for non-audit clients, assisting with:
   • Complex provisioning engagements
   • Tax accounting aspects of GAAP conversions
   • Carve-out accounting
   • Acquisition accounting
2. Serve as the primary contact for tax accounting queries within the wider tax and audit team.
3. Coach and train junior team members.
4. Review tax provisions and final tax computations prepared by other team members.
5. Provide guidance on consolidated international tax provisions and impacts of accounting policy changes.

Management

1. Assist in resource scheduling to ensure efficient work delivery.
2. Oversee timely completion of work allocation and deadlines.
3. Manage work-in-progress and billing for assigned clients, ensuring commercial recoveries.
4. Contribute to the development and management of junior team members.
5. Handle administrative requirements and projects crucial to the smooth operation of the corporate tax team.
6. Build and maintain client relationships, providing high-level service.
7. Liaise effectively with specialists in other tax areas, departments, and legal teams to provide comprehensive solutions.
8. Actively contribute to team and internal meetings.

Projects

1. Support M&A transactions, including restructuring, due diligence, and overseas expansion.
2. Deliver advisory work on a wide range of corporate and business tax issues.
3. Lead corporate tax training initiatives for staff.
4. Investigate and resolve complex corporate tax queries.
5. Spearhead or support corporate tax marketing and business development initiatives.
6. Develop and take ownership of new service or sector offerings as opportunities arise.

People Management

1. Manage direct reports, including mentoring them on their career journey.
2. Actively participate in and encourage the personal development of team members.
3. Support and engage in internal and external training courses and professional updates on technical and non-technical subjects.

Qualifications and Skills

Required:

• Proven expertise in Taxation, with a specific focus on Corporation Tax and related matters.
• Comprehensive knowledge of UK GAAP and IFRS.
• Substantial and consistent experience at Manager/Senior Manager level or entry-level director at a comparable firm.
• Ability to explain complex issues in a manner comprehensible to non-tax experts.
• Up-to-date technical skills and experience across a broad range of SME and large corporate tax issues.
• Demonstrated ability to manage and deliver client projects profitably.
• Proficiency in leading various tax advisory matters and report writing, including due diligence.