Job Description

This role is responsible for maintaining robust internal policies, processes and controls to enable all external tax reporting activities to our shareholders and external stakeholders, to be prepared accurately, timely, be of high quality and undertaken in a way that makes us proud as we move towards an expanded company.

The role holder ensures that the group complies with tax legislation and accounts for tax appropriately, whilst ensuring that company’s direct and indirect tax costs are minimized. In addition, they are expected to lobby the UK tax authorities and Government in relation to complex tax technical issues to influence/change tax legislation.

You will demonstrate strong leadership in building a culture of tax awareness across the business to drive continuous improvement; providing a source of high-quality tax advice which is relevant, easily understood and drives the Finance function’s strategic initiative. You will also need to develop excellent working relationships across various teams, where alignment on technical solutions to business problems is critical.

The candidate should have a strong ability to simplify and communicate complex tax messages to senior stakeholders, and work in harmony with Heathrow’s Process Owners to automate, simplify and develop tax processes as the business evolves.

Your role will involve:

• Developing company’s tax strategy and manage tax risks to ensure compliance with all tax legislation, including direct, indirect and employment taxes.
• Being responsible for compliance with all tax governance requirements including SAO, BRR and CCO, and developing a best-in-class governance framework.
• Being responsible for monitoring best practice and changes in tax legislation and taking ownership to ensure that opportunities and risks are assessed, and changes implemented to protect the Group’s interests where applicable.
• Manage relationships with tax authorities including attendance at technical tax meetings (including the CBI and The Infrastructure Forum); lobbying on specific issues where appropriate.
• Provide effective business partnering support through the provision of well-rounded, practical, relevant and high-quality advice on tax issues with the aim of minimizing tax costs. This will include complex UK corporation tax and indirect tax issues (VAT, Customs Duty, Excise Duties, Environmental taxes etc.), employee tax and Stamp Duty Land Tax.
• Being responsible for raising tax awareness and embedding key tax checks and balances across the business through engagement and building relationship with key people. Specifically, ensuring that tax is considered in all capital processes and that capital allowance claims are maximized.
• Owning company’s tax transparency disclosures, ensuring visibility of company’s Total Tax Contribution at Board level, along with appropriate external disclosures within company’s Annual Report and financial statements.
• Being responsible for Group and entity tax figures and disclosures for inclusion in the Group’s externally reported statutory accounts, management accounts and business forecasts.
• Taking ownership of the tax relationship with shareholders, including attendance at meetings, calls and correspondence.
• Being responsible for preparing and presenting papers to the Audit Committee on all key tax strategy, governance and compliance matters.
• Leading, coaching and developing an ambitious team of seven tax professionals to continuously improve and to live by company’s Values and Behaviors.
• Consistently focus on team development, ensuring we plan for the future while providing professional best and embed a team culture based on meritocracy, inclusivity, proactiveness and change.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Qualified accountant (ACA or CTA) with leadership experience operating at a technical and strategic level.
• Highly motivated, with a significant energy and passion for tax. Strong influencer with the ability to structure and deliver persuasive arguments at Director, Executive Committee and Board levels.
• Reflective with the demonstrable ability to learn and adapt in order to deliver results.
• A demonstrable track record of directing high-performing teams toward the successful attainment of challenging goals.
• Technical tax expertise with a high level of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Experience in driving effective change in an evolving and growing business.
• Proven delivery in complex operational environments, demonstrating high levels of resilience.