Senior Tax Manager

iQ is one of the UK's biggest providers of student accommodation, committed to giving our 34,000 students in 85 sites across 29 UK cities their best year yet.

 

Our London and Manchester based support teams are the cog that keeps the iQ wheels turning, providing our brilliant site teams with everything they need to deliver a fantastic student experience every day.

 

iQers are a pretty special bunch. Our team is bursting with independent thinkers and problem solvers, who join us to explore what's possible and build a career as part of a diverse, fun and supportive team. If you have people skills, personality and potential then you have all the makings of a great iQer.

 

Supporting the Tax Director, and working with the wider tax team, the Senior Tax Manager will have responsibility for delivering on tax advisory, compliance, accounting and risk management matters across iQ, with the support of the Tax Manager and Tax Adviser. Whilst the Senior Tax Manager will have responsibilities across the taxes, it is envisaged that the majority of this role will relate to UK Indirect Taxes.

 

iQ is the second largest provider of student accommodation in the UK with over 28,000 students calling us home. The business was acquired by Blackstone in 2020, subsequently listed as a UK REIT, and is now undertaking its next growth phase.

 

The Senior Tax Manager is a key part of the Tax Team, supporting iQ through its growth, both operationally and transactionally, and across the taxes applicable to a real estate business (including Corporation Tax, VAT, CIS and stamp taxes).

 

Key Role Responsibilities:

 

Acts as an internal tax adviser within the iQ Group, including provision of advice on transactions, operations, and construction, management of tax related due diligenceConsideration and delivery of tax training needs within the businessOverall responsibility for delivery of indirect tax compliance, making use of internal and external resource as appropriateWorks in conjunction with the Tax Director to maintain and develop relationships with HMRC, external advisers, and internal stakeholdersManages ongoing and seeks opportunities for process improvements, partnering with Finance and IT colleagues where requiredMonitors required changes to tax risk documentation and related policiesKeeps up to date with new developments in tax to ensure that iQ is compliant – including involvement in external consultations and presentation to the Board and shareholders where requiredLine management responsibility within the iQ Tax Team  

Knowledge & Qualifications:

 

Qualified CTA and/or ACA or equivalentAn extensive knowledge of UK taxes, particularly in the Real Estate sector and with a focus on indirect taxesAwareness of other tax jurisdictions used to hold UK real estate (e.g. Luxembourg/Jersey/Guernsey)  

Experience & Skills: 

 

Strong tax experience in a large accounting firm, or equivalent tax experience with a large private tax departmentExperience in the UK real estate/property/construction sector, both in an operational and a transactional setting with a good understanding of partial exemption issuesAbility to work with finance professionals and understand accounting principlesExcellent communication and relationship management skillsThe ability to explain technical tax terms and implications to non-specialist professionalsCommercial mindset – ability to identify improvements and cost savingsOrganised and self-motivatedExperience in managing a team and interacting with those outside of the tax team to deliver on a range of projects simultaneously  

Live our Values:

In addition to your technical and personal skills, you will be happy to embrace the following seven key values that sum up what’s really important to us and have become part of everyday life at iQ:

 

Be the team: To build a winning formula, we need to succeed together…

Be the learner: We never miss an opportunity to learn. Always look at how we can do things better and share what you learn with fellow iQers…

Be the future: We’re always looking at the world around us to find brilliant ways of doing things. Use your imagination and solve problems creatively…

Be the business: We deliver on our promises. Take personal ownership of issues, balancing the impact on customers, commerciality, cost and compliance…

Be the customer: We put our residents’ experience at the heart of everything we do. Think like our students, anticipate and respond to their needs and care for their wellbeing.

Be the leader: Being the leader doesn’t mean being the boss. Give people the freedom and confidence to make decisions…

Be the best: We always seek an edge over our competitors to maximise our company performance. Find ways to transform the market and shape our industry…

 

iQ is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds.

 

Although we try to respond to all applications, unfortunately, due to the high number we receive, we are unable to respond to all of those who are unsuccessful

 

Ready to feel like you've got the best job ever? Apply today and find out what it's really like to work at iQ!