Head of International Tax

At Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer, our ambition is to help you achieve your goals.

Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why many are incredibly longstanding. And we enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 100 years.

We are where you need us to be. We are in the world's largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs. Our international footprint is extensive and committed.

We are at our best tackling complexity and navigating change. We work alongside you on demanding contentious matters, exacting regulatory work and complex public and private market transactions. We are recognised as leading in these areas.

We are immersed in the sectors and challenges that impact you. We are recognised as standing apart in energy, ESG, infrastructure and resources. And we're focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world, including technology and digitalisation.

All of this is achieved by supporting the growth of our people, who help us deliver on our ambition - which is to help you achieve yours.

Your goals. Our ambition.

The Opportunity

Primary Responsibilities:

• Maintaining an up-to-date tax strategy for the firm, consistent with best practice
• Oversight and management of the efficient completion, on a timely and accurate basis, of all of the firm's global tax compliance obligations, including income and corporation tax computations and returns, tax balances in statutory accounts, tax provisioning, VAT and sales taxes, payroll, double tax relief claims and tax payments
• Ongoing review and reconciliation of partners' tax payments
• Managing and mitigating tax risks arising from international remote working, working with the International Mobility team to track overseas workers, and communicating policy decisions to stakeholders throughout the firm
• Responsibility for the firm's employment taxes, including management of IR35 risks, PSA and FBT reporting and other ad hoc issues arising
• Preparing and submitting the firm's annual Country by Country report, fulfilling notification requirements throughout the network in which the firm operates, ensuring appropriate transfer pricing documentation is in place globally, and ensuring compliance with other transfer pricing requirements as they develop
• Determining tax risks and working with the Director of Tax and Partner Finance to assess, prioritise, communicate and address these risks
• Supporting the Director of Tax and Partner Finance and CFO with quarterly RMAC papers on tax and partner finance topics
• Supporting management with specific tax and partner finance matters, eg foreign exchange impacts, relocations, partnership entities
• Liaison with HMRC and the ATO; ensuring appropriate risk ratings are achieved and negotiating positions as required. Liaising with other relevant tax authorities where appropriate
• Managing responses to tax audits and enquiries globally, working with local finance teams to provide appropriate responses and information to ensure efficient resolution
• Establishing systems to monitor legislative changes in tax and reporting requirements (eg Pillar 2), and implementing the firm's policies and reporting in response to these, to ensure compliance in line with legal and regulatory requirements, and the firm's tax strategy
• Responsibility for tax issues associated with partner and staff moves, and policy development. Ensuring appropriate accounting and tax treatment for partners and staff on secondment
• Assisting fee earners and the broader Business Finance team with efficient structuring of client billing and revenue remittance arrangements to maximise the profitability of transactions.
• Working with colleagues and external advisors to identify tax efficient ways of structuring cross-border transactions
• Liaising with colleagues from a non-tax background, both within the finance team and the wider business, to ensure tax is properly understood and factored into decision making across the business.
• Advising on the international tax considerations of strategic initiatives including new office openings, associations with local law firms, lateral hires, changes to remuneration systems
• Working with the Head of Partner Finance, Tax Processes and Controls to ensure efficient year-end processes. Ensuring that appropriate internal controls and supervision routines are in place for the international tax team's work
• Management and personnel aspects
• Leadership of the international tax team, ensuring continual improvement, appropriate development of talent and succession planning
• Core part of the Tax and Partner Finance team senior leadership team, sharing responsibility for overall team planning, development and management
• Developing and maintaining strong relationships with Business Finance and management stakeholders across the firm, in particular to pro-actively identify areas of activity where tax and partner finance issues may arise, or where the Tax and Partner Finance team should become more significantly involved
• Evaluating best practice and identifying and driving operational improvements in the Tax and Partner Finance team's processes
• Ensuring pro-active communication within the Tax and Partner Finance team

Qualifications, skills and experience

• Proven post-qualification tax and partner finance experience in a partnership setting
• Over 10 years' experience in a role in a large organisation where you have operated at a senior advisory or similar level. We will consider equivalent relevant experience or those with more or less experience, providing they meet the required competencies and can demonstrate successfully undertaking the above outlined responsibilities
• Strong tax technical knowledge across all aspects of international tax especially with regards to the UK, US and Australia, and a selection of other territories relevant to the firm
• Strong appreciation of how tax fits into the wider business context from a compliance, commercial and risk perspectives
• Excellent managerial skills, especially with regard to a specialist team spreads across different locations and time zones
• Demonstration of influencing skills with senior management, especially regarding topics of sensitivity such as tax and remuneration
• Managing change within their area of responsibility
• Attention to detail with a high level of accuracy
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise
• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• Qualified accountant and/or tax adviser

Competencies

Personal leadership

• Energises those around them, simplifies complexity and makes quality decisions
• Brings perspective and a constructive approach to high pressure situations and directs attention to solutions
• Makes sound commercial decisions based on a clear understanding of the business
• Acts decisively even on the basis of incomplete information

Collaborates with others

• Develops innovative solutions by valuing diversity of thought, expertise and experience
• Brings a positive energy to the way they work and inspires this in others
• Draws on internal networks to bring people with the right skills and expertise together to develop solutions

Builds high performing teams

• Builds highly engaged teams that are diverse and inclusive and can excel in a range of situations
• Creates an environment that encourages personal accountability, and builds the confidence of others by highlighting their strengths and achievements

Focuses on clients

• Always acts with the firm's clients in mind
• Prioritises initiatives that will positively impact the client experience and their business
• Develops solutions that balance client needs and the sustainable profitability of the firm
• Takes active steps to cultivate and maintain an excellent reputation in the market

Innovates

• Leads and influences change
• Seeks out market trends and introduces relevant ideas for competitive advantage
• Envisions ways for the firm to differentiate itself and is driven to achieve this

Achieves results

• Makes things happen in a complex environment
• Remains focused on long term objectives and broad firm issues

Team

Business Finance

Working Pattern

Full time

Location

London

Contract type

Permanent Contract

Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to attracting people from all backgrounds and creating a respectful and inclusive culture where everyone thrives. We see this as essential to our success, including our ability to innovate and achieve sustained high performance. This is a key part of our Values—Human, Bold, and Outstanding.