Head of Tax - Finance Office - 48830 - Grade 9
CompanyUniversity of Birmingham
Location
Birmingham, England, United Kingdom
Employment TypeFull-time
Posted At6/1/2026
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Occupation TypeFinancial managers and directors
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Description
Job Description
Position Details
Finance Office
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £58,225 to £67,468 with potential progression once in post to £87,974
Grade: 9
Full Time, Permanent
Closing date: 15 th June 2026
Our offer to you
People are at the heart of what we are and do.
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham
Background
Position Details
Finance Office
Location: University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Full time starting salary is normally in the range £58,225 to £67,468 with potential progression once in post to £87,974
Grade: 9
Full Time, Permanent
Closing date: 15 th June 2026
Our offer to you
People are at the heart of what we are and do.
The University of Birmingham is proud to have been a part of the City of Birmingham and the wider region for over 100 years, and we are equally proud to be recognised as a leading global university. We want to attract talented people from across the city and beyond, support them to succeed, and celebrate their success.
We are committed to helping the people who work here to develop through our sector-leading Birmingham Professional programme which provides all professional services staff with development opportunities and the encouragement to reach their full potential. With almost 5,000 professional services jobs in a wide-range of functions in Edgbaston and in our campus in Dubai, there are plenty of opportunities for you to be able to develop your career at the University.
We believe there is no such thing as a typical member of staff and that diversity is a source of strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation, and debate. We warmly welcome people from all backgrounds and are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is at the heart of who and what we are, and how we work.
Supporting our people to achieve a healthy work/life balance is important both to our employees and to the success of the University and, depending on the role, we offer a variety of flexible working arrangements. We therefore welcome discussions on all forms of flexible working. In addition, you will receive a generous package of benefits including 40 days paid holiday a year, one paid day a year for volunteering, occupational sick pay, and a pension scheme. We also have three high quality subsidised day nurseries.
The University is situated in leafy Edgbaston and there are excellent transport links to our beautiful campus, including main bus routes and a train station on site. On campus we have a state-of-the-art sports centre with pool, shops, places to eat and drink, our own art gallery, museum and botanical gardens.
Find out more about the benefits of working for the University of Birmingham
Background
The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research. We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge. Professional Services put students at the heart of all they do and enable an exceptional educational experience. They provide outstanding support to our researchers and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally. They ensure the University’s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. Our Birmingham Professional programme operates across the University, supporting colleagues to network and collaborate, offering opportunities to learn and develop, contributing to the delivery of the University’s objectives, and helping everyone to understand the broader context within which we work.
Department Overview
The Tax team sits within the Financial Services department which also includes the FP&A, Business Partnering, Treasury and Corporate Accounting teams. The role holder will report into the Deputy Finance Director and be responsible for running a reliable and responsive tax function that provides the CFO, Deputy Director of Finance and the Senior Management Team across the university with incisive, value-add support and analysis which facilitates effective decision making.
Role Summary
The post holder will be responsible for providing comprehensive VAT, Corporation Tax and overseas tax advice and guidance within both the Finance Office and the wider University community both UK and worldwide. The role also includes liaising with the University's external tax advisors; and ensuring all elements of the tax portfolio of the University are managed on a timely and well planned basis.
The ability to be innovative and driven to develop, document and embed new standard ways of working to ensure the most efficient approach is adopted and understood by all stakeholders, will be key to the success of the role. They will need to be collaborative by nature and prepared to challenge the status quo.
Main Duties
Department Overview
The Tax team sits within the Financial Services department which also includes the FP&A, Business Partnering, Treasury and Corporate Accounting teams. The role holder will report into the Deputy Finance Director and be responsible for running a reliable and responsive tax function that provides the CFO, Deputy Director of Finance and the Senior Management Team across the university with incisive, value-add support and analysis which facilitates effective decision making.
Role Summary
The post holder will be responsible for providing comprehensive VAT, Corporation Tax and overseas tax advice and guidance within both the Finance Office and the wider University community both UK and worldwide. The role also includes liaising with the University's external tax advisors; and ensuring all elements of the tax portfolio of the University are managed on a timely and well planned basis.
The ability to be innovative and driven to develop, document and embed new standard ways of working to ensure the most efficient approach is adopted and understood by all stakeholders, will be key to the success of the role. They will need to be collaborative by nature and prepared to challenge the status quo.
Main Duties
VAT Compliance
- Overseeing the completion of all the relevant returns within necessary deadlines.
- Ensuring VAT claimable/payable within the University group and/or to HMRC is delivered on a timely basis.
- Keeping abreast of developments in legislation and the sector which may impact on the University's and its subsidiaries' compliance and planning.
- Providing good quality and researched advice to the Finance Office,
- the wider University, the subsidiaries and associated companies in relation to VAT planning and mitigation and VAT implications of operational and business decisions.
- Liaising with the external advisors where appropriate, to obtain detailed technical input to support the advice given.
- Managing the net VAT cost to the University and its subsidiaries, including making suggestions of ways of achieving this based on changes in legislation, guidance etc.
- Working within project groups from time to time to provide VAT advice and support to the University senior team.
- Designing and delivering training to Finance Office team members in relation to indirect taxes.
- Lead the provision of advice to the University group in relation to other areas of indirect taxes, including obtaining external advice where appropriate.
- Liaison with the payroll team to provide support and guidance in relation to PAYE and other related matters.
- Provide strategic input to the setting of the overall tax policy of the University in this area.
- Review tax computations provided by other members of staff prior to submission to either HMRC or the University's external tax advisors as appropriate.
- Provide guidance on ways of improving the compliance process to reduce the reliance upon external advisors.
- Oversee the guidance on the University website and arrange for changes as required.
- Provide information around the taxation position of the University and its subsidiaries on an annual basis, summarizing areas of potential risk, compliance weaknesses etc.
- Facilitate the development of appropriate processes, process maps and guidance tools for the effective management of all taxation matters.
- Develop and own the relationships with HMRC with regard to all forms of taxation affecting the University and its subsidiaries.
- Develop relationships with individuals at all levels within the University who
- are involved in or impacted by taxation related matters. This will involve providing support to people not directly line managed as well as College Finance teams, Research Support officers, Estates etc.
- Line management of the taxation team (two FTE) on a day to day basis and ensuring work allocations are appropriate. This will also involve development reviews, promoting best practice, coaching, training etc.
- Engagement with project teams for new business activities to proactively advise at the early stages of development.
- Actively engage and collaborate with, as well as support the other members of the Financial services Management team
- Educated to Degree level (or equivalent level qualifications), or extensive experience of working in a complex organisation plus substantial relevant managerial experience.
- Professional accounting qualification (ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, ACA) and evidence of continuous professional development
- Strong background of providing insight for decision support and driving cultural change.
- Specialist knowledge of UK and worldwide VAT legislation including the partial exemption environment.
- Experience of Higher Education VAT regulations would be advisable.
- Understanding, at a high level, of other taxes including corporation tax, transfer pricing, customs and import levies and climate change levy etc.
Informal enquiries to Russell Brown, email: r.brown.12@bham.ac.uk
View our staff values and behaviours here
Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website .
View our staff values and behaviours here
Use of AI in applications: We want to understand your genuine interest in the role and for the written elements of your application to accurately reflect your own communication style. Applications that rely too heavily on AI tools can appear generic and lack the detail we need to assess your skills and experience. Such applications will unlikely be progressed to interview.
We believe there is no such thing as a 'typical' member of University of Birmingham staff and that diversity in its many forms is a strength that underpins the exchange of ideas, innovation and debate at the heart of University life. We are committed to proactively addressing the barriers experienced by some groups in our community and are proud to hold Athena SWAN, Race Equality Charter and Disability Confident accreditations. We have an Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre that focuses on continuously improving the University as a fair and inclusive place to work where everyone has the opportunity to succeed. We are also committed to sustainability, which is a key part of our strategy. You can find out more about our work to create a fairer university for everyone on our website .