Senior Tax Manager

British Council

Hybrid

Expires: Expiring in less than 3 weeks

Finance

Full time

£55,699 - £80,000 per year

Job summary

This is a great opportunity to join the finance team on a permanent basis.

The Group Tax and Status Team is a specialist advisory team within the wider group finance function, reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer.

As an international Tax specialist, you, along with the team, will provide advice on direct and indirect tax matters to the wider finance function and leaders of strategic business units, manage global tax risks and support group reporting obligations for corporate income tax and transfer pricing. The team also includes UK VAT compliance specialists and finance business partners who support the organisations corporate group and finance aspects of establishing overseas subsidiaries and other appropriate legal vehicles.

You will play a key role in supporting the Group Tax and Status function on business projects and transactions across the UK and overseas. This will include coordinating tax advice, performing due diligence work, analysing, and advising on tax implications of cross-border transactions, exploring tax risk mitigation and tax efficiency strategy, and supporting the business in implementing changes.

Whilst day to day overseas tax compliance is the responsibility of in-country finance colleagues, the Group Tax team helps oversee local tax reporting and provides specialist tax support to finance colleagues when new overseas entities are being established, there are major tax changes in overseas jurisdictions or there are challenging fiscal audits requiring specialist tax input.

Job description

This role will require a person with substantial experience in dealing with multiple tax jurisdictions and regions, covering both direct and indirect taxes and in coordinating with multiple internal and external stakeholders from different business units, regions, and countries.

You will be a forward looking, commercial thinking finance professional and will have the ability to articulate and analyse financial and tax information and provide valuable input and advice to the organisation on implications arising from business restructuring, divestments (including disposal of real estate assets).

Person specification

Qualifications & Experience:

You must be CTA, ADIT or ATT qualified with Chartered Institute of Taxation or equivalent professional body.

A desirable qualification is Membership/fellowship of one of the following:
• Institute of Chartered Accountants (ACA)• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
• Association of Chartered and Certified Accountants (ACCA

Technical/ Commercial knowledge

Operations in International and culturally diverse organisations
Direct and Indirect Tax Laws
Familiarity with basic principles of transfer pricing and international tax concepts (e.g., permanent establishment, double tax agreements, withholding taxes) and practical experience of implementing or advising on strategies involving these concepts
Negotiation with external parties

Specific experience

Regional/ International Tax experience
Handling complex business transactions and intercompany arrangements
Tax assessment in business set up/ closure, and global growth
People skills to implement transitional and change programmes

Analytical skills:

Ability to precisely frame advisers’ terms of reference, interpret external advice and apply complex legislation to specific problems and circumstances
Strong communication and influencing skills. ability to explain complex technical issues to lay colleagues in clear and commercial way.
Building relationships at all levels of the organisation.
Flexibility, independence, and initiative to perform successfully in a rapidly changing environment.
Ability to operate effectively and prioritise in a busy global facing role.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £55,699, British Council contributes £16,136 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Benefits for the UK include, but are not limited to:

32 days annual leave, in addition to public holidays
3 days volunteering leave
Career average defined benefit pension scheme

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

Please apply directly to the British Council website. CV's that are emailed will not be accepted.

The close date is Sunday 1st February 2026 at 23:59 UK time.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

UK nationals
nationals of the Republic of Ireland
nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

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Contact point for applicants

Salary range

£55,699 - £80,000 per year