Senior Tax Manager - Private Client

Job Description – Senior Tax Manager – Private Client & Trust Services

Job Title: Senior Tax Manager – Private Client & Trust Services (PCTS)
Location: Droitwich, Worcester or Birmingham - Travel across Ballards sites will be required
Hours: 37.5 hours per week (part time candidates will be considered on an individual basis)
Hybrid Working: 60% Office Based
Reporting to: Private Client & Trust Services Partner

About Ballards: 

At Ballards, we're more than accountants, we're trusted business advisers, strategic partners, and problem solvers. Since 1985, we've been helping ambitious businesses, charities, and private clients achieve sustainable growth through expert accountancy, tax, audit, and consultancy services.

Today, with over 150 talented colleagues across the Midlands, we're proud to be one of the region's fastest-growing independent firms. Our success is built on lasting relationships, exceptional client service, and a collaborative, people-first culture where everyone has the opportunity to make a meaningful impact.

What sets us apart is our integrated approach. Alongside our market-leading accounting and tax expertise, we provide specialist consultancy in technology transformation, talent strategy, and brand and digital marketing, enabling us to deliver innovative, forward-thinking solutions that help our clients succeed in an ever-changing world.

Joining Ballards means becoming part of a progressive and ambitious firm that invests in its people, encourages innovation, and supports professional development at every stage of your career. If you're looking to build your future with a firm where your ideas are valued, your development is championed, and your work makes a real difference, we'd love to hear from you.

Role Overview of Senior Tax Manager - Private Client 

At Ballards, we believe the best advice starts with truly understanding our clients. As our next Private Client & Trust Services Senior Manager, you'll build trusted relationships, work closely with Partners and become a recognised adviser to individuals, families and trustees, helping them navigate complex tax matters with confidence.

Leading our specialist Private Client & Trust Services team, you'll combine technical expertise with a proactive, commercial approach, overseeing our compliance offering, delivering high-quality advisory work and helping shape the continued growth of one of the firm's key service lines. It's an opportunity to make a real impact, both for our clients and for the future of the team.

Technical Responsibilities:

• Lead the Personal and Trust Tax compliance service.
• Review and sign off Personal and Trust Tax Returns.
• Deliver advisory work covering Trusts, Inheritance Tax, CGT, offshore trusts and international tax matters.
• Oversee 60-day CGT Returns, Trust Registration Service, Trust IHT Returns and CRS reporting.
• Liaise with HMRC, clients and professional advisers.
• Manage complex client relationships and risk.

Leadership & Management: 

• Lead, coach and develop the Private Client & Trust Services team.
• Manage workflow, WIP, billing, recoveries and utilisation.
• Support recruitment, appraisals and training.
• Drive continuous improvement and quality standards.

Business Development:

• Support the growth of the department through networking and client development.
• Contribute to technical marketing and leadership initiatives.

Key Performance Indicators: 

• Utilisation: 70%
• Compliance Recoveries: 80%
• Advisory Recoveries: 100%

Essential Requirements:

• CTA, ACA or ACCA qualified (or equivalent experience).
• Significant Private Client Tax and Trust experience.
• Strong technical knowledge of Personal Tax, Trusts, IHT and CGT.
• Previous team leadership experience.
• Commercial awareness and excellent client relationship skills.

Desirable: 

• International and Offshore Trust experience.
• Business development experience.
• Experience leading advisory projects
  

Why Join Ballards?

This is an opportunity to join Ballards at an exciting stage of our growth and play an influential role within our Private Client & Trust Services offering. You'll have the autonomy to lead and develop a specialist team, work closely with Partners and shape how the service continues to evolve, while remaining hands-on with interesting and technically complex client work.

As an independent firm, we offer the opportunity to make a visible impact without the layers often found in larger organisations. Your ideas will be heard, you'll have direct access to senior decision-makers and you'll be encouraged to contribute beyond your immediate portfolio – whether that's developing people, improving how we work, building client relationships or helping drive the future growth of the department.

You'll also benefit from a collaborative, people-focused culture, hybrid working, ongoing professional development and a competitive salary and benefits package, with genuine scope to continue progressing your career as Ballards grows.