Direct Tax Manager

Location: Milton Keynes (2 days per week on site)
Rate: £600.00 per day (Umbrella)
Contract: Until the end of September 2026
Company: Undisclosed

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Overview

Our client is seeking an experienced and commercially focused Direct Tax Manager to join their team in Milton Keynes. This is an excellent opportunity for a tax professional to take ownership of a broad direct tax remit, supporting the business with robust tax governance, compliance oversight, risk management, and strategic tax advice.

The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring the organisation maintains strong relationships with HMRC, delivers accurate and timely tax reporting, and identifies opportunities to optimise tax positions across the business.

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Key Responsibilities

As Direct Tax Manager, you will be responsible for leading a wide range of direct tax activities across the organisation.

Core duties will include:

• Managing HMRC relationships across all direct tax matters, including corporation tax and employment tax queries, disputes, and clarification requests.

• Leading the corporation tax compliance cycle, including the preparation, review, and submission of corporation tax returns for entities in the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

• Overseeing current and deferred tax calculations, ensuring all reporting is accurate and aligned with IFRS requirements for group and statutory accounts.

• Managing transfer pricing documentation, including annual reviews, risk identification, mitigation planning, and clear communication with stakeholders and senior leadership.

• Coordinating Corporate Interest Restriction calculations across UK entities, working closely with internal teams to assess net interest income and expense positions.

• Leading thin capitalisation agreement negotiations with HMRC, maintaining supporting documentation, calculations, and monitoring agreed financial ratios.

• Overseeing UK withholding tax compliance, including the preparation, review, and submission of quarterly CT61 returns and related applications.

• Managing employment tax compliance for non-payroll matters, including annual PAYE Settlement Agreement returns for two entities.

• Partnering with senior management and operational teams to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate corporation tax and employment tax risks across both projects and business-as-usual activities.

• Providing expert tax guidance to support decision-making and strengthen tax governance across the wider business.

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What We’re Looking For

To be successful in this role, you will bring strong technical expertise, proven stakeholder management skills, and the ability to lead complex tax matters with confidence.

Essential experience and skills:

• CTA, ACCA, or ACA qualified

• Post-qualification experience gained in-house, in practice, or both

• Strong experience in HMRC relationship management

• Proven background in UK and ROI corporation tax compliance

• Expertise in current and deferred tax reporting under IFRS

• Experience in transfer pricing documentation and tax risk management

• Working knowledge of SAP FI/CMS

Desirable:

• Experience within the Financial Services sector

• Exposure to the Automotive Financial Services industry

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Why This Role Stands Out

This position offers the chance to step into a high-impact tax leadership role within a complex and dynamic business environment. You will have the opportunity to influence key tax decisions, work closely with senior stakeholders, and play a central role in managing compliance, reporting, and tax risk across multiple entities.

If you are a proactive and technically strong tax professional looking for your next contract opportunity, this could be an excellent fit.

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Apply Now

If this opportunity is of interest, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please note: Due to the anticipated volume of applications, we may only be able to contact candidates who are shortlisted in the first instance.