JOB DESCRIPTION
About Herbert Smith Freehills
As one of the world’s leading law firms, we advise many of the largest and most ambitious organisations across all major regions of the globe. With over 5,000 people, including 3,100 lawyers and over 2,000 business services professionals, operating from our global network of offices across Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and North America, Herbert Smith Freehills is at the heart of the new global business landscape providing premium quality, full-service legal advice.
We recognise that the success of our business and our clients relies on the skills, knowledge and ideas of all our people. Our environment is one in which high performance is expected, in return, we will provide you with rewards and opportunities tailored to your personal and professional goals.
The Opportunity
The Opportunity:
Key internal relationships:
1. Director of Tax and Partner Finance; Director of Partner Finance, Tax Processes and Controls; Head of International Tax; International Tax Manager; Partners; regional Business Finance teams; Matter Management team.
Key external relationships:
2. Deloitte, PwC
Primary Responsibilities:
3. Ensuring that the firm is meeting its indirect tax obligations in an efficient and timely manner. Acting as a subject matter expert for indirect tax matters. This requires a proactive approach to indirect tax, connecting and collaborating with other Business Services teams and external advisers is a key part of the role.
Key responsibilities:
4. Review of VAT / GST compliance, processes and controls in each office or region, with periodic testing of those controls.
5. Work with the Chief New Business and Enterprise Risk Officer to review matter opening processes where there is a VAT / GST consideration, with a view to streamlining the overall billing process.
6. Responsibility for compliance with Japanese Consumption Tax requirements.
7. Establishing and maintaining systems to monitor legislative changes in indirect tax and reporting requirements 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.
8. Be first point of contact for technical indirect tax queries across the business, in particular in respect of place of supply rules.
9. Supporting the Director of Tax and Partner Finance and the Head of International Tax with the implementation and management of strategic projects and initiatives where there is an indirect tax angle.
10. Involvement in cross functional IT projects where there is an indirect tax angle, e.g. systems updates / migration, e-invoicing etc.
11. Assisting fee earners and the broader Business Finance team to ensure compliance with cross-border VAT and GST rules. Reviewing any non-standard billing request from clients where VAT / GST is a consideration.
12. Respond to ad hoc requests from fiscal authorities on indirect tax matters and proactively manage formal tax audits into indirect tax matters.
13. Conduct indirect tax training sessions with stakeholders as necessary.
14. Liaising with colleagues from a non-tax background, both within the finance team and the wider business, to ensure indirect tax is properly understood and factored into decision making across the business.
Management and personnel aspects:
15. Proactive contribution to the people development initiatives of the Tax & Partner Finance team, such as Academy courses, Champions Groups and team morale and wellness initiatives.
16. Developing and maintaining strong relationships with Business Finance and management stakeholders across the firm, in particular to pro-actively identify areas of activity where indirect tax issues may arise.
17. Working with the Head of International Tax to evaluate best practice and identify and drive operational improvements.
18. Ensuring pro-active communication within the Tax & Partner Finance team and regional Business Finance teams.
19. Key Performance Indicators:
20. Fulfilment of the Tax & Partner Finance team's responsibilities in an efficient and timely basis
21. Timely dissemination of information to relevant stakeholders
22. Effective identification and management of tax risks
23. Delivery of commercially appropriate business solutions, enabling improved profitability
Qualifications, skills and experience
24. Proven post-qualification indirect tax experience in a partnership setting
25. Over five 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
26. Strong tax technical knowledge across all aspects of indirect tax especially with regards to the UK and a selection of other territories relevant to the firm
27. Strong appreciation of how tax fits into the wider business context from a compliance, commercial and risk perspective
28. General knowledge of billing systems within an international group, preferably with a services background (rather than goods)
29. Excellent managerial skills, especially with regard to a specialist team spread across different locations and time zones
30. Demonstration of influencing skills with senior management
31. Proven self-starter
32. Managing change within their area of responsibility
33. Attention to detail with a high level of accuracy
34. Excellent written and oral communication skills
35. Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise
36. Educated to degree level or equivalent
37. Qualified accountant and/or tax adviser
Team
Business Finance
Working Pattern
Full time
Location
London
Contract type
Permanent Contract
Diversity & Inclusion
At Herbert Smith Freehills you will be part of a diverse, innovative culture where high performance, client focus and highly engaged people are our differentiator. People at our firm come from a range of backgrounds and bring a wide variety of experiences and perspectives to their work with us. We strive to ensure that our inclusive environment means you feel valued and able to perform at your best by being your authentic self at work. We know that our future success not only depends on being innovative and progressive in the changing legal market but, most importantly, on our people feeling highly engaged in meaningful work.
We understand that you have commitments and personal interests outside of work and we strive to create a working environment based on mutual trust and respect, in which you can perform at your best whilst maintaining sustainable balance across your life.