Head of Indirect Tax, Avask Group, Southampton

AVASK is an international firm of accountants and tax experts with a well-reputed specialism in global e-commerce expansion, international taxation, accountancy and business consultancy and advisory services. Our indirect tax professionals provide pragmatic commercial support, so clients improve their day-to-day reporting for indirect tax throughout the e-commerce industry. This includes improving working capital, reducing errors, reducing costs, and ensuring indirect taxes are handled correctly. They advise how indirect taxes such as value added tax (VAT) or goods & services tax (GST) impinge on the client’s supply chain and financial and accounting systems.

We are looking for a highly experienced technically competent Head of Global Indirect Tax to join our team based in Southampton to help drive the VAT practice forward. Your role will be instrumental in supporting the Indirect Tax team and partners across Europe/ South East Asia and North America to accelerate the growth of our business. The successful incumbent will be joining a top performing team and looking to expand it further.

Your people responsibilities:
- Enthusiastic head of department with ability to create, support, sustain and lead effective teams.
- Ensure delivery of quality work and take day to day leadership of delivery team.
- Management and supervision of Indirect Tax Team
- Contribute to people initiatives, including retaining and training international tax professionals and build a culture of continuous improvement.
- Significant involvement in the management of the team both in terms of strategy and operations and also through managing junior staff development and assignments.
- To be accountable for setting and delivering challenging KPIs and team targets managed through day-to-day guidance and direction.
- Working closely with UK and EU Directors.

Your client responsibilities:
- Build and maintain tax relationships with clients, partners and provide exceptional levels of client service.
- Negotiation skills, able to sustain opinion and handle challenges.
- Business development skills – able to identify and convert opportunities to sell work by proactively managing existing clients and winning new clients.
- High level management of the successful delivery of technically complex and demanding consulting projects, ensuring technical excellence and practical / business driven approach taken.
- Overall responsibility of quality of client service
- Working closely with managers, directors and partners who will provide you with the support and opportunities to assist you in realising your full potential.
- Build networks and relationships internally and externally for the team to leverage from
- Knowledge on preparation and filing of VAT Returns
- Develop and deliver training, training materials alongside Managers and communicate effectively to promote awareness of tax issues at all levels across the Group as and when required.
- To take a key role in critical business projects and managing the tax impacts and risks
- To identify and deliver improvements to VAT and indirect tax processes and systems.
- Work with the Software & Technology team to support integrity of underlying financial systems for VAT reporting.
- Identify and address potential areas of indirect tax risk and opportunities.
- Management of any local indirect tax enquiries or audits
- Anticipate and assess industry developments and legislation changes in Indirect tax and advise the business accordingly.

Essential knowledge, skills, and experience:
- Educated to Degree Level
- ATT/ CTA or ACCA Qualified
- Has shown evidence of own career and professional development.
- Extensive experience working in a large accounting function.
- Experience working as a line manager / supervisor within a busy and effective finance department.
- Proven track record of experience in supervising, leading and coaching a team
- Working knowledge of VAT and its application
- Excellent systems experience including proficiency in Microsoft Excel (Intermediate level such as pivot tables and v look ups), Word, and PowerPoint.
- Demonstrated mathematical and analytical knowledge and the ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
- Desirable knowledge, skills, and experience:
- Solid understanding of the relationship of internal controls and business processes with financial statements and financial statement assertions.
- Experienced at implementing change to maximise efficiency in processes, results, and team structure.

What you’ll get in return:
- Performance based compensation
- A collaborative culture of continuous learning to aid progression.
- Private Healthcare Insurance
- Pension Scheme
- Wellness days
- Birthday off after one year length of service
- Creative spacious offices with breakout areas and subsidised canteen