R&D Associate Director

R&D Tax Advisory – Associate Director
Manchester (Hybrid)
£70,000 – £90,000 + Annual Bonus + Hybrid Working + Full Benefits Package

Are you looking to build and shape a high‑performing R&D Tax team in the North? Do you enjoy leading people, developing talent, and growing a service line alongside delivering complex R&D claims? Ready for a senior role where you'll have real ownership, visibility and influence?

• Competitive salary between £70,000 – £90,000 depending on experience
• Annual performance‑based bonus
• Hybrid working with strong work‑life balance
• Regular salary reviews
• Clear progression to more senior leadership roles
• Comprehensive wellbeing and benefits package

Our client is a leading global professional services network delivering high‑quality audit, tax, advisory and consulting services. Following continued investment into their Innovation Incentives offering, they are now focused on building out their R&D Tax presence in Manchester and the wider Northern region. This is a genuinely growth‑focused hire, offering the opportunity to play a central role in shaping the team, developing people, and embedding best practice within a growing national R&D function.

As an Associate Director in R&D Tax Advisory, you'll take ownership of building and developing the R&D Tax team in Manchester while managing the delivery of R&D claims for a varied national client base. Alongside your technical and client‑facing responsibilities, you'll focus heavily on people leadership – coaching junior staff, supporting career development, and helping to scale the team in line with growth plans.

You'll work closely with senior stakeholders and regional leadership to shape strategy, drive standards, and grow the R&D offering across the North.

• Leading and developing the R&D Tax team in Manchester
• Coaching, mentoring and reviewing the work of junior and mid‑level team members
• Managing the end‑to‑end delivery of UK R&D tax relief claims
• Developing robust claim methodologies and technical project narratives
• Acting as the main point of contact for clients and managing HMRC interactions
• Overseeing client budgets, financials and fee negotiations
• Supporting recruitment, onboarding and team growth
• Identifying and driving business development opportunities across R&D and wider tax services

• Strong technical knowledge of UK R&D Tax legislation and claims preparation
• At least five years' experience in R&D tax advisory
• ATT qualification (or equivalent experience)
• Proven experience leading, coaching or building teams
• Strong client management skills across a range of sectors and business sizes
• Commercial experience managing budgets, fees and delivery
• A proactive mindset toward growth, people development and market engagement

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