Lead Tax Manager

Contract Length: 6 months + potential extensions
Location: Hybrid - can be based anywhere in the UK, with 40-60% attendance at a local office (York, Cambridge, Manchester, Carlisle)
IR35: Inside
Pay Rate to Candidate: 600 / day umbrella

A Tax Manager is required to join a public organization on a contract role. The Lead Tax Manager will provide senior-level tax expertise and act as the lead specialist for IR35, taxable benefits, and corporation tax, while supporting VAT compliance as part of the wider Compliance & Financial Accounting Team. The role spans operational tax work, process improvement, advisory activity, and stakeholder engagement, including interactions with HMRC and the Government Tax Centre of Excellence.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead IR35 compliance, setting and maintaining robust processes and guidance.
• Oversee data capture and review for PAYE Settlement Agreement (PSA) return.
• Ensure full compliance and governance for all taxable benefits.
• Manage the corporation tax function for Natural England, including accurate and timely re-turns.
• Maintain tax policies, guidance notes, and training materials across the organisation.
• Act as senior tax adviser on complex, ambiguous or high risk tax queries.
• Work collaboratively with the wider tax team across VAT, benefits, IR35, and corp tax.
• Engage externally with HMRC and the Tax Centre of Excellence as required.
• Represent tax interests in finance system changes and upgrades.
• Build strong working relationships with stakeholders and communicate clearly with senior leaders.

Essential Skills / Experience

• Strong technical tax expertise, especially IR35, Taxable benefits, Corporation tax
• CTA, CCAB or ATT qualified or demonstrable equivalent experience.
• Ability to interpret and apply tax legislation.
• Strong stakeholder management and relationship building skills.
• Clear communicator able to simplify complex technical issues.
• Experience supporting or leading dispersed teams.
• Excellent organisational and project delivery skills.
• Strong analytical/problem solving capability.
• Comfortable working in a changing, multi body public sector environment.

Desirable

• Public Sector or Central Government experience.

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