Indirect Tax manager

Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 24,000 employees spanning over 56 countries.

People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

Howden is seeking an experienced Indirect Tax Manager to support the group’s indirect tax agenda across a fast-growing, international insurance intermediary business. This role will have responsibility for advising on VAT matters arising across the business, supporting compliance and governance, and partnering with finance and commercial stakeholders on the VAT treatment of complex transactions.

The successful candidate will bring strong practical VAT experience in financial services and/or insurance, including a solid understanding of insurance intermediary transactions, and must have hands-on experience operating a Partial Exemption Special Method (PESM) in a large or complex organisation.

This is a high-impact role suited to someone who can combine strong technical knowledge with commercial awareness, an ability to work across jurisdictions, and a pragmatic approach to managing tax risk in a dynamic business environment.

• Oversee and support the UK outsourced VAT compliance processes, ensuring returns and related filings are accurate, timely and appropriately reviewed.

• Assist in establishing and maintaining robust indirect tax controls, documentation and governance.

• Support response to VAT audits, queries and information requests from tax authorities.

• Partner with finance, legal, operations and commercial teams to ensure VAT is considered early in decision-making.

• Provide training and guidance to non-tax stakeholders on key VAT issues relevant to the business.

• Work closely with external advisers where specialist or local country input is required.

• Identify process inefficiencies, data issues and control gaps, and recommend practical solutions.

• Contribute to the improvement of systems, reporting and documentation supporting indirect tax compliance and recovery.

• Take ownership of the operation, governance and ongoing review of the group’s Partial Exemption Special Method (PESM).

• Provide clear, practical VAT advice to the business on a wide range of matters arising in an international insurance intermediary group.

• Advise on the VAT treatment of insurance intermediary revenue streams and related transactions, including broking, fee income, commissions, delegated authority arrangements and other insurance distribution activities.

• Support the business on the VAT implications of new products, business models, contractual arrangements, and operational changes.

• Advise stakeholders on cross-border VAT issues, including place of supply, reverse charge, invoicing, and recovery implications.

• Support the business on ad-hoc Insurance Premium Tax queries.

• Significant VAT / indirect tax experience, ideally gained in:

  • an in-house tax team within financial services, insurance or a large international group; and/or

  • a professional services firm with substantial financial services / insurance client exposure.

• Demonstrable experience operating a Partial Exemption Special Method (PESM), including practical involvement in methodology application, input VAT recovery calculations, annual adjustments and governance.

• Strong knowledge of insurance intermediary transactions and the VAT issues arising in an insurance broking / insurance distribution environment.

• Experience of advising on exempt, taxable and outside-the-scope supplies in a complex partial exemption setting.

• Experience managing VAT risk in a commercially focused business environment.

A career that you define. At Howden, we value diversity – there is no one Howden type. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:

• Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new

• We support each other in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges

• We are determined to make a positive difference at work and beyond

We're committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs.  Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours* or hybrid working*.

If you're excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.

*Not all positions can accommodate changes to working hours or locations. Reach out to your Recruitment Partner if you want to know more.