***Please note this role is part time at 21 hours per week***
Job Description Summary
As our Tax Manager, you will oversee the group’s tax compliance and strategy, ensuring full adherence to all relevant laws while identifying and mitigating tax-related risks.
Sitting at the heart of our Finance department, you will act as a trusted adviser to senior management, providing commercial, solution-focused guidance on the tax implications of key business decisions.
While your main focus will be on direct tax, you’ll also bring your expertise to VAT, customs duties, PAYE, and SDLT. From day-to-day risk management to taking complete ownership of year-end reporting—including the audit of tax provisions and disclosures—you’ll ensure our financial foundations remain secure, smart, and fully compliant.
What to expect from our recruitment process:
- Visa Sponsorship: Please note that we are unable to provide Skilled Worker Visa sponsorship for this role.
- Right to Work: You must provide proof of your Right to Work in the UK during onboarding.
- Background Checks: Any offer of employment from South East Water will be conditional upon satisfactory completion of identity, employment referencing, and DBS checks.
Main responsibilities:
- Lead the preparation and review of corporate tax returns and filings, including maintenance of underlying supporting records and the recovery of R&D tax credits from HMRC
- Manage VAT, PAYE, and other indirect tax compliance including supporting the Customs clearance process for imported goods and liaising with the clearing agents to review the Customs duties and VAT payments and compliance process
- Lead the interim and year-end tax provision calculation for inclusion in the statutory accounts in compliance with IFRS reporting requirements and liaise with external auditors to agree the tax disclosure notes for the group statutory accounts
- Preparation of appropriate corporation tax forecasts and budgets
- Monitor and maintain the group’s tax governance strategies, policies, systems and procedures to ensure that they are adequate and operational to support the Senior Accounting Officer’s role in the discharge of his duties
- Develop and implement tax planning strategies to improve efficiency
- Provide support and advice to the business in respect of tax matters including advising on transactions and liaising with external advisers where appropriate
- Monitor regulatory changes and assess impact on the business
You'll need:
Skills / Qualifications / Experience
- Relevant professional qualifications are essential, such as ACA, ACCA, or CTA (Chartered Tax Adviser).
- Strong technical knowledge of UK tax legislation and associated guidance, including HMRC’s filing and reporting requirements
- Good understanding of IFRS and UK GAAP and the interaction between financial and tax reporting
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent attention to detail and organisational skills.
- Strong communication (written and verbal) and stakeholder management skills to explain complex tax concepts to non-experts.
- Commercial awareness and strategic thinking to align tax strategies with business objectives.
- Significant experience in managing corporate tax matters, including several years of relevant work experience in an accountancy firm or in-house role.
- Experience of preparation of corporation tax computations for similar sized companies, including experience of using relevant software packages
- Experience of preparing supporting calculations and disclosure notes for interim and year end statutory reporting
- Experience of managing the day to day relationship with HMRC and maintaining agreements with HMRC
- Experience of managing external advisers
Employees are required to be flexible and to be prepared to perform duties and other tasks within their capabilities. The nature of our business is such that the contents of any job profile are subject to change from time to time.
Pay: Up to £48,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Snodland ME6 5AH
