Group Tax Manager

Location: Hybrid / Stratford, London, UK
job type: Permanent / Full-time
Sector and subsector: Tax & Practice | General Tax
Salary: Negotiable salary

Affinia is the UK’s largest purpose-led, purpose-built Accountancy firm, focused on building stronger, more valuable relationships. With over 1000 colleagues across the East, South East, London and the Midlands, we are dedicated to supporting our clients, colleagues and communities.

We advise businesses, public sector organisations, charities and individuals throughout the UK and internationally across six Service Lines – Accountancy & Advisory, Tax and Planning, Audit & Assurance, Corporate Finance, Payroll and Corporate Recovery. Our team also offers in-depth sector expertise across a number of sectors, ensuring our clients receive the best short to medium and long‑term advice, tailored to them. We are committed to delivering excellence in every aspect of our work, adapting to the evolving technology and regulatory landscape while consistently exceeding client expectations.

Our people are our most valuable asset. We are therefore committed to supporting our colleagues throughout their professional development, providing guidance and training at whatever stage of their career they join us.

Purpose of the role:

As Group Tax Manager, you will be responsible for establishing and leading Affinia’s in‑house tax function during a significant period of private equity‑backed growth and transformation. Working closely with the Group Finance Director and senior leadership team, you will take ownership of the Group’s tax agenda across the UK and Guernsey entities, ensuring the business operates within a robust, scalable and well‑controlled tax framework capable of supporting a rapidly expanding and acquisitive organisation.

You will oversee all aspects of the Group’s tax affairs including corporation tax, VAT, partnership tax, employment taxes, transfer pricing and tax governance, while supporting acquisition activity, legal entity rationalisation and ongoing business growth. This role requires a commercially minded and hands‑on individual who can combine strong technical expertise with pragmatic problem‑solving, bringing structure, control and accountability to the Group’s tax operations while building effective relationships with internal stakeholders and external advisers.

Accountabilities:

• Lead and manage the Group’s end‑to‑end tax agenda across all entities, ensuring a robust, scalable and well‑controlled tax framework.
• Establish and maintain effective tax governance, controls, processes and risk management across the Group.
• Oversee corporation tax compliance, reporting and forecasting, including tax provisions, disclosures and interest deductibility considerations.
• Manage relationships with external tax advisers, ensuring advice is commercially focused, proportionate and aligned to Group objectives.
• Support acquisition activity through tax input on due diligence where required, structuring, integration and post‑deal activities across a highly acquisitive environment.
• Support legal entity rationalisation and restructuring projects, ensuring tax risks and opportunities are appropriately managed.
• Oversee VAT matters across the Group, including VAT grouping, compliance, optimisation and associated risk management.
• Manage partnership tax, employment tax and ERS reporting obligations across relevant entities.
• Oversee transfer pricing arrangements and documentation, ensuring policies remain appropriate as the Group grows.
• Build strong working relationships across Finance, HR, Payroll, and operational teams to embed tax considerations into business decision‑making.
• Monitor tax legislation and proactively identify risks, opportunities and areas for process improvement.
• Support the development of a harmonised preferred adviser model while driving continuous improvement across tax processes, controls and reporting in a fast‑paced PE‑backed environment.

Skills/Qualifications:

• Professional tax qualification (CTA or equivalent) with strong UK tax technical knowledge across multiple tax disciplines.
• Proven experience operating within a complex, multi‑entity organisation, ideally within a private equity‑backed, acquisitive or high‑growth environment.
• Strong understanding of corporation tax, VAT, partnership tax, employment taxes and transfer pricing.
• Experience overseeing tax compliance, reporting, governance and control frameworks across a growing business.
• Ability to support acquisition activity, restructurings and legal entity rationalisation from a tax perspective.
• Strong commercial mindset with the ability to provide pragmatic, solution‑oriented advice aligned to business objectives.
• Experience managing external tax advisers and coordinating multiple workstreams effectively.
• Ability to operate at both strategic and operational levels, balancing technical expertise with hands‑on delivery.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across Finance, HR, Payroll, Legal and senior leadership teams.
• Highly organised, resilient and comfortable operating in a fast‑paced and evolving environment.
• Proactive, hands‑on individual with a willingness to resolve challenges independently and drive continuous improvement.

Core Benefits:

At Affinia, our culture is driven by ambition and a commitment to positively impact all the communities we serve. We are dedicated to the success, development, and wellbeing of our colleagues, helping them achieve their goals and seize the opportunities that come with our growth. Alongside a flexible and inclusive work environment, we offer the following core benefits:

• Opportunity to purchase up to 3 extra days holiday per year.
• Auto enrolment Pension Scheme with True Potential.
• Death in Service.
• Professional membership support.
• Paycare – claim money back for Dental / Optical / Professional Therapies.
• Dress for your Diary Policy.

Please note that this job profile is not an exhaustive list of duties but merely an outline of the key components of the role. You may be required by your line manager to take on additional responsibilities when requested.

Affinia is committed to being an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our policy is unequivocal: we do not tolerate discrimination based on age, disability, sex, race, religion, or belief, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy, or maternity, or sexual orientation. We pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation that actively promotes equality of opportunity for all, valuing the right mix of talent, skills, and potential. We welcome applications from a diverse range of candidates, and selection for roles is based solely on individual merit.

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