Lead Tax Manager

Role: Lead Tax Manager
Contract Length: 6 months ext tbc
Location: Hybrid - can be based anywhere in the UK, with 40-60% attendance at a local office (team locations include York, Cambridge, Manchester, Carlisle)

About the Role (Sourcing Summary)
The Lead Tax Manager will provide senior-level tax expertise across the, covering and its Arm's Length Bodies (EA, RPA, NE, APHA). The post holder acts 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 en-gagement, including interactions with HMRC and the Government Tax Centre of Excellence.

Key Responsibilities (Sourcing Optimised)
Oversee data capture and review for PAYE Settlement Agreement (PSA) returns for EA, NE
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.

Background/Context (Shortform)
Role is a temporary backfill due to several G7 departures.
Workload includes corporation tax, PAYE, and an IR35 review project (ongoing beyond March).
Supports a geographically dispersed SEO team and contributes to group wide tax process-es.

Essential Skills/Experience
Strong technical tax expertise, especially:
IR35
Taxable benefits
Corporation tax
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.
Strong Excel skills.