Job Role: VAT Senior Manager

Location: London

Department: Business & Corporation Tax

Salary: Dependent on experience

Benefits: 28 days' holiday, pension, Life Assurance 4x

Hours: 0900 - 1730 with flexi hours Monday - Friday

A self-motivated, hands-on, flexible and professional VAT specialist is sought to lead and develop the firm's VAT advisory offering. This is principally a client-facing VAT advisory role, focused on providing high-quality technical and commercial advice on complex VAT matters, although the role also involves some involvement/overseeing of complex/high value ongoing compliance matters. The successful candidate will act as the senior VAT adviser to clients and colleagues across the firm, identifying VAT risks and opportunities, leading advisory projects and helping clients reach practical solutions.

The role requires the ability to build strong working relationships and communicate confidently with clients, colleagues and external stakeholders at all levels. It may suit someone from HMRC or public practice with significant VAT advisory experience. The successful candidate will also play an active role in developing and growing the firm's VAT advisory client base in association with the Business & Corporation Tax team and other service lines

Main duties

• Leading the firm's VAT advisory offering across the four offices and acting as a senior technical point of contact for complex VAT matters.
• Providing practical, commercial and technically robust VAT advice to a varied portfolio of clients, with a clear emphasis on advisory rather than routine VAT return preparation and compliance delivery.
• Leading VAT advisory projects, including VAT groupings, partial exemption and special methods, business/non-business apportionment and land and property transactions.
• Advising on corporate transactions and restructuring, including VAT due diligence, transaction structuring, transfers of a going concern, working closely with Corporate Tax and Due Diligence colleagues.
• Advising on cross-border and international VAT matters, including place of supply, imports and exports, overseas VAT considerations, supply chains and the VAT treatment of international services.
• Supporting clients with HMRC enquiries, assessments, voluntary disclosures and technical correspondence, including negotiations with HM Revenue & Customs and dispute-related work where appropriate.
• Carrying out strategic VAT health checks and reviews to identify technical risks, opportunities, areas for VAT recovery and improvements to VAT governance and controls.
• Leading and contributing to business development activity, including client pitches, proposals, and internal/external presentations
• Working collaboratively with Corporate Tax, Audit, Accounts, Corporate Finance/Due Diligence and other specialists across the firm to identify VAT issues and leverage this into client projects
• Training, coaching and mentoring colleagues on VAT technical matters and developing VAT awareness across the wider firm.
• Overseeing/reviewing complex/high value VAT compliance work undertaken by junior team members and the Firm's accounting function.

Qualifications/education

CTA and/or a recognised VAT/indirect tax qualification would be advantageous

Experience required

• Significant VAT experience gained in public practice, HMRC or a comparable advisory environment, with a strong track record of complex VAT advisory work.
• Experience of owning client relationships and translating technical VAT analysis into clear, practical and commercially focused advice.
• Experience of developing work from existing and new client relationships and contributing to the growth of a VAT advisory practice.
• Experience of international/European VAT matters would be advantageous.

Particular aptitudes/skills required

• Hands-on and self-motivating
• Strong technical VAT advisory capability
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Commercial outlook setting and working to budgets and managing billing where relevant
• Ability to lead projects
• Flexibility and collaborative approach
• Confident in business development and presenting to clients and colleagues

Values and behaviours

We really want to attract and retain individuals who share our Values:

Together The firm with the family feel. Express gratitude. Smile. Be humble and confident. Have fun.

Resilient Change is imminent, and business is imperfect. Be open minded & agile. Assume positive intent and exercise the power of positive thinking.

Understanding Each individual matters and will be heard and respected. Honesty, integrity, empathy and kindness are fundamental.

Supportive We support what is important to you and show kindness in our behaviour to each other. We encourage each other to realise our potential.

Thrive! We strive to be the best, innovate and always do exceptional work. That's who we are and what our clients deserve.

Mercer & Hole is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

Our people are our most valuable asset. We bring our life experiences, knowledge, creativity, and talents together at Mercer & Hole making it a unique place to work where all can safely thrive.