JOB DESCRIPTION
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where 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 so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years.
As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be. Our footprint is extensive and committed across the world’s largest markets, key financial centres and major growth hubs.
At our best tackling complexity and navigating change, we work alongside you on demanding litigation, 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, infrastructure and resources. And we’re focused on areas of growth that affect every business across the world.
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.
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer: Your goals. Our ambition
The Opportunity
Primary Responsibilities:
1. Maintaining an up-to-date tax strategy for the firm, consistent with best practice
2. 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
3. Ongoing review and reconciliation of partners' tax payments
4. 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
5. Responsibility for the firm's employment taxes, including management of IR35 risks, PSA and FBT reporting and other ad hoc issues arising
6. 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
7. Determining tax risks and working with the Director of Tax and Partner Finance to assess, prioritise, communicate and address these risks
8. Supporting the Director of Tax and Partner Finance and CFO with quarterly RMAC papers on tax and partner finance topics
9. Supporting management with specific tax and partner finance matters, eg foreign exchange impacts, relocations, partnership entities
10. 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
11. Managing responses to tax audits and enquiries globally, working with local finance teams to provide appropriate responses and information to ensure efficient resolution
12. 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
13. 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
14. 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.
15. Working with colleagues and external advisors to identify tax efficient ways of structuring cross-border transactions
16. 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.
17. Advising on the international tax considerations of strategic initiatives including new office openings, associations with local law firms, lateral hires, changes to remuneration systems
18. 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
19. Leadership of the international tax team, ensuring continual improvement, appropriate development of talent and succession planning
20. Core part of the Tax and Partner Finance team senior leadership team, sharing responsibility for overall team planning, development and management
21. 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
22. Evaluating best practice and identifying and driving operational improvements in the Tax and Partner Finance team's processes
23. Ensuring pro-active communication within the Tax and Partner Finance team
Qualifications, skills and experience
24. Proven post-qualification tax and partner finance experience in a partnership setting
25. 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
26. 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
27. Strong appreciation of how tax fits into the wider business context from a compliance, commercial and risk perspectives
28. Excellent managerial skills, especially with regard to a specialist team spreads across different locations and time zones
29. Demonstration of influencing skills with senior management, especially regarding topics of sensitivity such as tax and remuneration
30. Managing change within their area of responsibility
31. Attention to detail with a high level of accuracy
32. Excellent written and oral communication skills
33. Strong organisational skills and ability to prioritise
34. Educated to degree level or equivalent
35. Qualified accountant and/or tax adviser
Competencies
Personal leadership
36. Energises those around them, simplifies complexity and makes quality decisions
37. Brings perspective and a constructive approach to high pressure situations and directs attention to solutions
38. Makes sound commercial decisions based on a clear understanding of the business
39. Acts decisively even on the basis of incomplete information
Collaborates with others
40. Develops innovative solutions by valuing diversity of thought, expertise and experience
41. Brings a positive energy to the way they work and inspires this in others
42. Draws on internal networks to bring people with the right skills and expertise together to develop solutions
Builds high performing teams
43. Builds highly engaged teams that are diverse and inclusive and can excel in a range of situations
44. Creates an environment that encourages personal accountability, and builds the confidence of others by highlighting their strengths and achievements
Focuses on clients
45. Always acts with the firm’s clients in mind
46. Prioritises initiatives that will positively impact the client experience and their business
47. Develops solutions that balance client needs and the sustainable profitability of the firm
48. Takes active steps to cultivate and maintain an excellent reputation in the market
Innovates
49. Leads and influences change
50. Seeks out market trends and introduces relevant ideas for competitive advantage
51. Envisions ways for the firm to differentiate itself and is driven to achieve this
Achieves results
52. Makes things happen in a complex environment
53. 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.