Manager (VAT) - Saffery Champness, Bristol / remote

Manager (VAT) - Bristol
Job title: Manager (VAT)

Department: VAT Advisory Team

Job Type: Permanent

Location: Bristol

We are looking for a manager to join the VAT team in our Bristol office.

The role

The role will provide an opportunity for the individual to work across a wide range of clients and individuals advising on many different aspects of VAT advisory, dispute resolution, transaction and liability matters.

Advice is provided through face to face meetings and via written correspondence to clients and the successful candidate will also be able to support internal partners and staff on a variety of different VAT issues.

This will be a challenging and interesting role dealing with representatives from different clients directly on a day to day basis. Strong interpersonal skills are therefore essential for the role as, while secondary to technical ability initially, they are critical to the development of the role.

With these in mind, the successful candidate will possess the following:

Experience of VAT across sectors and a good understanding of VAT principles
Have a commercial outlook when delivering advice and find opportunities to develop new business
Good client handling skills
Must be personable and able to explain complex issues in a way that non-VAT experts will understand - dealing directly with non-VAT partners and other technical staff
Must be able to demonstrate enthusiasm and motivation for selling services to existing clients of the firm and to non-clients, including taking responsibility for marketing projects
Experience of managing client engagements
Willingness to speak at seminars etc
The team

The successful candidate would join a team of seven members of staff nationally; three partners, one director (based in Bristol), one senior manager, one assistant manager, and one senior. The group also has access to support staff.

The office

The Bristol office is located in the highly attractive and popular area of Clifton. This is a thriving part of the city in which to work.

You

Candidates will ideally be CTA qualified or be studying towards the final stages of the qualification. In addition, the candidate must have strong interpersonal skills and be confident in dealing with partners and clients, with the ability to work under pressure in a friendly environment.

The ideal candidate must have strong technical skills and experience and have a detailed up to date knowledge of VAT issues. Particular experience of land and property, partial exemption and business/non-business apportionments would be desirable.

They will also be pro-active in their approach to problem solving and technical research. Strong report writing skills and the ability to express ideas and simplify complex issues are essential, together with computer skills, particularly Excel.

The team has a wide and varied mix of clients which means that the successful candidate will be constantly exposed to different clients and a range of different technical problems.

An ability to take responsibility for and be comfortable with complex matters in a timely manner is very important, together with strong personal organisation and time management skills.

Candidates should be self-motivated, display a positive approach to work and have the ability to get things done.

In addition, they should possess the confidence and professionalism to establish credibility at all levels, be commercially minded and have a clear perception of client requirements and to ensure that service delivery is of the highest standard.

As there is a potential for client work away from Bristol, a clean driving licence and access to a car to be used for business purposes would be advantageous, together with the flexibility to travel away from Bristol to visit clients across the UK. Saffery Champness has 9 offices across the UK.

Salary/benefits

A 35-hour working week with flexibility around the core hours of 10am-12pm / 2pm-4pm
Working from home allowance of £25 a month.
Eligibility for the firm’s Profit Sharing Plan that runs from October to September each year. The scheme enables staff to share in the profits of the firm.
Competitive annual salary depending upon experience.
Eligibility for the discretionary bonus scheme.
Twenty-five days annual leave. This increases in line with length of service.
In addition, under the SeleCt flexible benefits programme, employees are entitled to buy or sell up to five days holiday a year, subject to approval.
Life assurance cover of three times salary, which you may increase to four x salary under the SeleCt flexible benefit programme.
Contributory pension scheme (The firm will contribute 4% of salary on a matched basis with employee after six months service)
Six-month probationary period.
Access to a number of other benefits with preferential rates under the SeleCt flexible benefit programme, which include; health screening/GP support, critical illness cover, dental and optical plan and private medical insurance (dependent on the level of the role). More information can be found online.
Reward gateway includes benefits such as discounted retail, travel & activities.