Job description

Join our team as a Tax Reserves Manager in London. As a vital member of our Partners' Affairs and Tax team, you'll work closely with the Head of International Tax to oversee the global tax matters of the A&O Shearman grouping. In this role your primary responsibility will be ensuring the timely and accurate delivery of partners' tax reserves. 

Role and responsibilities

• Develop a detailed understanding of the tax systems of the territories in which A&O Shearman operates in relation to partner tax reserves.
• Set up of tax reserves both in GBP and in currency, for both equity and employee/consultant partners, and subsequent reconciliation and release of residual balances, including review of various tax equalisation arrangements.
• Coordination of work done by UK and international tax teams to obtain a consolidated view of partners’ overall tax reserves positions as part of ongoing reserves reconciliation and releases processes.
• Ongoing review of existing processes to ensure that they continue to be appropriate (e.g. to reflect impacts of business change transactions and external legislative developments), and to identify opportunities to improve these.
• Play a leading role in determining and putting in place appropriate processes for reconciling partner tax reserves for new offices and ensuring that these are maintained going forward.
• Support year-end work to deliver tax reserves calculations, tax equalisation calculations and relevant tax disclosures.
• Ensuring that positions taken in relation to partner tax reserves are correctly reflected in relevant accounting systems.
• Reconciliation and ongoing maintenance of deferred tax control accounts
• Build awareness of technology solutions that could generate efficiencies in the tax reserving process and propose recommendations on how these could be implemented.
• Communications with partners, CFOs and other stakeholders in relation to tax reserving matters
• Liaising with external advisors where required
• Coordinate and support the work of junior team members in London and Belfast

Key requirements

• Collaborative approach and ability to build strong relationships with PAT team colleagues in London, Belfast, and Hong Kong as well as colleagues in other teams located across the globe.
• Ability to effectively communicate complex tax and accounting issues both orally and in writing to non-specialists.
• Strong analytical skills and an eye for detail.
• Broad knowledge of tax issues affecting partners in professional partnerships would be helpful but is not a pre-requisite.

Who we are looking for

• Strong General Ledger accounting skills.
• Evidence of strong numeric skills.
• ACA or equivalent accounting qualification.
• Tax qualification (e.g. ADIT or CTA) desirable.
• Personal or Corporate Tax Experience to Manager level.

  Should you require additional support at any stage of the recruitment process due to a disability or a health condition, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our recruitment team who will work with you to provide any adjustments as required.

We are an equal opportunities recruiter and do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or any other protected characteristic.

We recognise that our people are our most valuable asset, which is reflected in the wide range of benefits that are available to our employees. Some of these benefits include: our occupational pension scheme, group income protection cover, private medical insurance, mental health resources and free apps, health and wellbeing services encompassing an onsite gym, wellbeing centre and GP service, emergency back-up care support, parental and special leave, holiday entitlement increasing with length of service, holiday trading, season ticket loans and online discounts and lifestyle management services.

We recognise the value of flexible working and embraces hybrid working, allowing our people to work from home up to 40% of their working time. We do however remain committed to working together in person for the remaining 60% of time so that we can learn, grow and succeed together.

Additional information - External

A&O Shearman is a new global industry-leading law firm, with 47 offices in 29 countries worldwide. Our fluency in English law, US law, and the laws of the world’s most dynamic markets, enables us to provide unmatched insight and seamless delivery to clients. We work on challenging and important deals and disputes that have the potential to shape the future.

We offer exceptional opportunities for our people; opportunities to work for the world’s leading businesses; to transform the status quo, and to deliver your best work, helping you and your career to thrive, while delivering unparalleled outcomes for our clients.

Whether you're helping clients solve complex challenges, transforming the ways we manage our business, or ensuring the smooth-running of our operations, this is an environment where you can belong and excel. We provide first-rate training and development, we are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and we provide support and ways of working that help you optimise your wellbeing.

What truly defines a career with us? We recruit the best and ask for the best of you. And together, we will redefine success.