Head of Tax

Head of Tax

Alfa is looking to recruit a Head of Tax as a Senior member of the group’s Finance team. This is a replacement for the existing Head of Tax who is retiring at the end of 2025.  This role will report to the group’s CFO. The successful applicant will hold overall responsibility for the group’s tax issues, including strategy, planning and compliance.
About Alfa

Alfa is a UK based group with operations also in the USA, Australia and New Zealand.  The group’s core activity relates to its “Alfa Systems” software - the first-choice SaaS platform for asset finance companies, worldwide.  Alfa has been supporting some of the world’s largest and most innovative companies for more than 35 years.

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Key responsibilities/activities:

Corporate tax advisory, including tax strategy and transfer pricing:

• International tax management to include the ongoing review of the group’s  global tax strategy in light of the evolving international tax environment and business developments. Ongoing evaluation and communication of the impact of legislative developments on global taxes to enable optimization of the global structure.
• The ongoing review of the group’s global transfer pricing strategy and ensure all appropriate and correct documentation is in place.
• Advise and partner with the business on tax implications in respect to client contracts, especially in new markets as the group expands across its chosen global markets, and on the impact of changes in tax law.

Indirect taxes:

• Managing the group’s compliance with VAT and similar taxes, including also US sales tax.
• Advise and partner with the business on indirect tax implications in respect to client contracts.

Employer/employee tax issues:

• Act as a key consultant on employment tax-related matters.

Compliance:

• Oversee the group’s tax compliance obligations, across all taxes.  This will involving managing external advisors for the majority of the compliance activities which are outsourced, plus overseeing / handling some in-house compliance.
• Ensure all group entities and activities meet and maintain tax compliance requirements across relevant taxes.
• Manage the relationship with HMRC and other relevant tax authorities.

Reporting:

• Group and local statutory accounts disclosure notes in relation to tax (half year and full year)
• Input into group budgeting and forecasting for taxes
• Working with the group’s external auditors and Audit Committee in relation to tax matters.

Systems and risk mitigation:

• Manage tax risk through maintaining strong & robust Tax Governance policies and procedures; identify and implement process improvements.
• Ownership over the published tax strategy and ensure tax procedures and policies adhere to this.
• Document processes and keep the documentation current.

Profile of tax function:

• Maintain the profile of tax and the value it brings across all stakeholders including Finance, Human Resources, Legal and Commercial teams and advising and updating the business on relevant changes in tax law

• Comply with the information security roles and responsibilities

Payroll: (currently reports into this position, but could report elsewhere depending on skillset/experience of candidate):

• Manage the payroll process for all group companies and territories, ensuring that we have appropriate controls and processes and that these are documented.
• Review the existing payroll software and vendors being used in the group, to determine if any changes are required to ensure appropriate levels of robustness, ease of use by the payroll team and employees (i.e. portals), and cost-effectiveness.
• Help with the desired goals of having all payroll-related information sourced from Workday and having Workday linked with payroll software being used.

Team:

• Currently, the role has only 1 direct report (the EMEA Payroll Manager)
• Support is provided by Finance team members in the UK and elsewhere, as well as reliance on external advisors.

Who are we looking for:

• 10 years post qualification tax experience, both in practice and in industry.
• A sound understanding of direct tax issues, both UK and international. 
• Experience of working with US subsidiaries including exposure to US State Tax and US Sales Tax.
• Good knowledge of other indirect tax issues, and of employer/employee tax issues
• Able to carry out tasks collaboratively and autonomously and be highly organised with a keen eye for detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with excellent problem-solving abilities and comfortable explaining issues to senior management and to non-tax colleagues in other business functions.
• Experience of briefing, managing and controlling spend with external advisors

The following experience would be ideal, but not critical:

• Working / have worked for a professional services firm
• Working in the tech sector
• Working for a publicly listed company
• Exposure to Treasury operations

What we’ll do for you

• Support you in flexible hybrid working
• 27 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays and flexible cultural days
• Pension contribution match up to 6%
• Provide private health insurance and access to private 24/7 online GP
• Support you with enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave with family-friendly policies
• Provide Income protection
• Provide Life, disability and worldwide travel insurance
• Offer interest free loans of up to £10,000 after probation period
• Access to a range of health and wellbeing gyms, classes and apps via Wellhub.