Employment Tax Manager

Job Description
Edinburgh or London
At abrdn, our purpose is to enable our clients to be better investors.
Clients worldwide trust us to find future-fit investment opportunities to deliver the outcomes they want. Our technology and insight help empower them to make better decisions, while the powerful partnerships we build help to enhance the expertise that we offer. And by enabling clients to invest responsibly, it helps us to build a better world.
The holder will play a key role in supporting the employment tax requirements of the abrdn business and will be responsible for:

• The provision of employment tax advisory support to the business in the UK and overseas.
• Leading the provision of employment tax input on remuneration and reward structures, employee benefits, payroll related taxes and duties, legal and operating structure reorganisations and M&A activity.
• Maintaining and communicating knowledge of past, present and potential changes to employment tax rules, and considering potential impacts on the business.
• Engaging with key business stakeholders to develop and maintain employment tax risk guidance for the business.
• The effective management of external advisors
• Contributing to an effective risk and controls framework for employment taxes for the business

The role holder will be required to develop a good understanding of how the business operates and work with a wide range of other business areas across a range of territories to ensure that employment tax affairs are effectively managed across the organisation. The role will also require the individual to develop strong working relationships with advisors and other external suppliers. The role holder should be comfortable with developing an understanding of the interaction between employment taxes and direct and indirect taxes that may impact the business.
Key Outcomes / Responsibilities:

• Provide a comprehensive employment tax advisory service to the abrdn business in the UK and overseas covering remuneration and reward structures, employee benefits, payroll related taxes and duties (including off-payroll contractor engagements), legal and operating structure reorganisations and M&A activity.
• Provide employment tax support to organic and inorganic activity
• Provide employment tax support on business growth and change initiatives, coordinating external advisors as necessary
• Assist the business in understanding the employment tax impact and requirements for set up and growth of new business operations and monitor the activities of existing operations to ensure that all UK and overseas employment tax requirements are met
• Maintain a close working relationship with HR and other stakeholders to ensure employment tax risks are understood and documented and appropriate processes and controls are in place.
• Work closely with HR and other members of the tax team to advise on employment tax issues related to global mobility
• Work with other members of the tax team to ensure that the tax effects of business changes are factored into ongoing tax compliance and business processes
• Manage tax authority and audit enquiries
• Keep up to date with relevant UK and overseas taxation changes and advise business areas of any implications that may arise
• Develop a thorough understanding of abrdn business operations to ensure that all relevant employment tax issues are identified
• Coordinate and ensure effective management of tax advisors and other external inputs
• Work closely with other tax colleagues in the wider abrdn Group to ensure employment tax issues are considered within the context of the overall tax position of the business.
• Work with key stakeholders to ensure that both ongoing needs and ad hoc requests are met in a timely and appropriate manner
• Understand best practice and ensure industry representation for abrdn as appropriate with external partners, including applicable industry bodies

Core SkillsAbility to communicate clearly and concisely with all levels of management

• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills
• Excellent project management skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisational skills
• Background in asset management or financial services
• Able to work in a fast paced environment
• Hard working, quick learner with a positive attitude

Personal Skills

• Trusted, creates a credible impression and builds relationships built on respect.
• Independent, self-starter who enjoys managing and analysing different streams of activity, with an eye for detail but an ability to stand back and see the wider picture.
• An ability to adapt to change and a natural drive towards continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant / CTA (or equivalent) at experienced manager level
• Strong employment tax background with exposure to international tax issues preferred
• Experience in financial services or dealing with large corporate groups an advantage

Our benefitsThere's more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved and be supported.
When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around. This includes 40 days' annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare and a range of flexible benefits - including gym discounts, season ticket loans and access to an employee discount portal. You can read more about our benefits here.
Our businessEnabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three distinct areas - our vectors of growth - focused on our clients' changing needs. You can find out more about what we do here.
An inclusive way of workingWhatever way you like to work, if you have the talent and commitment to join our team, we'd like to hear from you.
At abrdn we've adopted a 'blended working' approach. This approach combines the benefits of face-to-face collaboration, coaching and connecting in our offices with the flexibility of working from home. It enables colleagues to find a balance that works for their roles, their teams, our clients and our business.
An inclusive culture, where diverse perspectives drive our actions, is at the core of who we are and what we do. If you need assistance with your application, or a reasonable adjustment to your interview arrangements - for example, because you are neurodivergent, or have a physical, sensory, cognitive, mental, visible or invisible disability - please let us know and we'll be happy to help.
We're committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment. We define diversity in its broadest sense - this includes but is not limited to our diversity of educational and professional backgrounds, experience, cognitive and neurodiversity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief and ethnicity and geographical provenance. We support a culture that values meritocracy, fairness and transparency and welcomes enquiries from everyone.If you need assistance or an adjustment due to a disability please let us know as part of your application and we will assist.Summary

• Location: Edinburgh; London
• Type: Full time