Tax Manager

Thames Water

This is an integral, high-profile role within the business. Reporting to the Head of Tax, the Employment Tax Manager acts as the Group’s subject matter expert on all employment tax matters, with responsibility for successfully managing related compliance and advisory activities.

The primary purpose of the role is to provide group-wide employment tax advice, guidance and oversight to ensure:

• Full legal compliance across all employment tax obligations; and
• The identification, implementation and optimisation of commercially appropriate employment tax opportunities.

You will ensure the business remains fully informed of all relevant employment tax requirements and legislative developments. This will involve providing timely, pragmatic employment tax advice and maintaining regular, proactive engagement with key stakeholders both internally (e.g. HR, Payroll, Procurement/P2P, Finance) and externally (e.g. HMRC, auditors and tax advisers).

• Providing expert advice on all employment tax and employee benefit matters impacting the business.
• Building strong relationships with senior management, key stakeholders and business partners, delivering relevant employment tax updates while remaining closely aligned to business developments that may give rise to employment tax implications.
• Identifying and delivering employment tax optimisation initiatives to generate efficiencies and cost savings for both the business and its employees.
• Updating and maintaining robust employment tax risk management frameworks, processes and controls, including those relating to Senior Accounting Officer (SAO) and CCO obligations.
• Managing the Group’s Off-Payroll Working (OPW / IR35) programme, ensuring compliance with legislation, confidently assessing and communicating IR35 status determinations, and remaining current with assessment tools (including HMRC’s CEST tool).
• Taking responsibility for the preparation and submission of the Group’s annual PAYE Settlement Agreement (PSA).
• Overseeing the Group’s compliance with the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).
• Supporting the employment tax aspects of ad hoc business projects as they arise, such as due diligence exercises and HMRC Business Risk Reviews.
• Maintaining a strong, professional working relationship with HMRC on all employment tax matters.
• Representing the business in sector-wide employment tax forums (e.g. Water UK Employment Taxes Group).

Full time – 36 hours a week.

• A qualified tax professional with extensive post-qualification experience in UK employment taxes.
• A strong technical background with a proven track record in employment taxes within a large organisation, either in-house or within a professional services firm.
• Demonstrable experience of successfully managing and delivering complex projects.
• The ability to work autonomously, exercising sound judgement and escalating matters appropriately.
• A flexible, collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively within a small professional team and foster positive working relationships.
• Proven ability to communicate with confidence at all levels, clearly explaining complex tax issues to non-tax stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical skills and a high level of attention to detail.
• Hands‑on experience managing employment tax compliance relating to PAYE Settlement Agreements (PSAs), Off‑Payroll Working (OPW / IR35) and the Construction Industry Scheme (CIS).

• Experience of working within a utilities or water organisation and/or a regulated business environment.

• Competitive salary of circa £75,000 – £85,000 per annum depending on your experience.
• Car Allowance £5,800.
• Private Health Insurance.
• Annual Leave – 26 days holiday per year (plus bank holidays), increasing to 30 with length of service.
• Generous Pension Scheme, provided through AON.
• Performance-related pay plan directly linked to company performance measures and targets.
• Access to lots of benefits to help you take care of you and your family’s health and wellbeing, and your finances – from annual health MOTs and access to…