VAT Manager

VAT Manager

Location: London- hybrid 50%

Contract: Permanent

Hours: Full time 35 hours

Purpose of the role

To provide first line oversight and support across the Group’s VAT compliance and advisory agenda, taking ownership of complex VAT reporting, overseeing VAT governance, and delivering high impact technical advice to Finance, Investments and wider business functions. The role requires significant autonomy and expert judgement, influencing operational, commercial and structural decisions while strengthening the Group’s Tax risk management and control framework.

About Just

We help people achieve a better later life. That’s our purpose and it’s the reason we exist. We are a fast-growing company helping customers enjoy the retirement they deserve. We do this through a variety of market leading, award-winning products and services, delivered by a diverse team of over 1,400 purpose-led colleagues who genuinely put the customer at the heart of everything we do.

This is a brilliant time to join our business. We are on an exciting growth journey to become the UK’s most loved retirement expert.
 

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery, oversight and continuous enhancement of the Group’s VAT compliance framework, ensuring accurate and timely VAT returns, partial exemption calculations and related disclosures. 

• Act as a senior technical authority on VAT, including financial services VAT rules, partial exemption, VAT treatment of investment operations, and VAT implications of structural or commercial initiatives. 

• Advise senior stakeholders across Finance, Investments, Legal and business functions on VAT matters affecting existing operations, new products, transactions and restructures. 

• Shape and influence the Group’s VAT strategy, ensuring alignment with commercial objectives while optimising VAT efficiency and managing regulatory risk. 

• Lead major VAT related workstreams for strategic projects including new business initiatives, systems changes, corporate restructurings and regulatory developments. 

• Strengthen VAT governance by designing, reviewing and improving VAT controls, processes, documentation and audit ready working papers. 

• Manage key relationships with auditors, external VAT advisors and HMRC reviewing technical input, challenging assumptions and ensuring high quality deliverables. 

• Identify emerging VAT risks and opportunities, developing proactive mitigation and optimisation strategies across the Group.

What we are looking for

• A Chartered Accountant or Chartered Tax Adviser post-qualification experience in a partially exempt business is essential

• Experience preparing, reviewing and enhancing VAT returns, partial exemption calculations and VAT adjustment workings in a partially exempt financial services business. 

• Experience providing complex VAT advisory support across Finance, Investments, Treasury, Legal and business functions. 

• Experience leading VAT workstreams on major projects such as restructures, system changes, business transformations, product launches or regulatory developments. 

• Experience aligning VAT governance and tax technical documentation to HMRC GfC8 standards, including preparing robust evidence files, technical papers and audit ready working papers. 

• Experience dealing with HMRC audits, enquiries or proactive engagements, with the ability to articulate, justify and defend complex VAT positions.

• Technical knowledge of UK VAT legislation, including PESM provisions, financial services VAT rules, and VAT treatment of investments and retail FS

• Ability to interpret complex VAT legislation, HMRC guidance and case law, and apply them to commercial, 

• Strong understanding of HMRC Guidelines for Compliance 8 (GfC8), including expectations around recordkeeping, evidence standards, tax technical documentation and governance, ensuring all VAT processes and outputs meet HMRC’s compliance framework.

• Strong stakeholder‑management and communication skills.

• Ability to review, challenge and improve processes.

Our behaviours

At Just you’ll have the opportunity to develop your career, whilst making a difference to the lives of those around you. You’ll be part of a company with a strong and distinctive culture - we’re ambitious, curious and collaborative – and every decision we make centres around being Just and delivering the best outcomes for our customers.

What’s in it for you

• A competitive salary, pension scheme and life assurance

• 25 days annual leave plus an additional day on us for your birthday

• Private medical cover and income protection, just in case

• A generous and highly achievable bonus scheme

• Opportunities to progress your career in-role and within the company

• Free access to the Headspace app, 24/7 employee assistance helpline and trained physical and mental health first aiders

• A variety of employee funded benefits available via our online benefits portal

• Plus, several additional purchase options available for you and your loved ones

Explore our full range of benefits on our dedicated benefits page.

Belonging at Just

Valuing diversity of thought and fostering a sense of belonging is critical to our business success, driving innovation and balanced decision making. Our work on DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) aims to deliver a brilliant employee experience underpinned by a sense of belonging, where our people feel proud to work at Just.

We remain committed to our publicly disclosed HM Treasury Women in Finance Charter and Race at Work Charter targets and support a wide range of employee network and events, championing issues including intergenerational working, social mobility and neurodiversity.

Application details

Please submit your CV using the 'apply now’ button. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted regarding next steps which may include an initial phone interview and in-person assessment.  

Be Bold. Be Brilliant. Be Just