Job Description

Alternatively, Grant Thornton

At Grant Thornton we do things differently - looking to the future, driving ambitious growth and pioneering positive change in our industry. Providing audit, tax and advisory services, we empower clients through strategic insight, curiosity, and genuine partnership. And we empower our people with real opportunity, an inclusive culture and work life balance. A true alternative.

With over 5,000 people in the UK, and a presence in 150 global markets, we're on an ambitious journey, from great to exceptional, and we need the best people to help us achieve our potential. And with that comes the opportunity to help redefine what our industry looks like, and what you want from your career.

We are looking for bright and enthusiastic Associates/AMs who are interested in gaining some M&A tax experience.

We are leading advisers to mid-market private equity firms and large acquisitive corporates with deal values of anywhere from a few million to over £1 billion. We support our clients throughout the entire deal lifecycle from the initial proposal stage and assisting with offer terms, undertaking due diligence and advice on the acquisition structure through to completion and post-deal advice.

This is a fast-moving and exciting environment. It is technically led but with a keen eye on service and so this role will involve technical tax application, extensive interaction with clients and great interpersonal and organisational skills.

TAS Tax are a tight-knit team of around 35 people and have experienced exceptional growth year on year. We have a strong pipeline and as part of a growing team, you will have significant opportunities to take on responsibility and develop as the team grows.

Whilst the hours in a project based environment can be varied and, at times, quite intense, we’ll support you to balance your work, study and life.

A look into the role
As a member of the TAS Tax team, you will provide tax structuring advice and will undertake tax due diligence on both buy-side and sell-side transactions for private equity and corporate clients. You may also have the opportunity to work on public company transactions, primarily on AIM and the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.

We work with businesses across a huge range of sectors – from technology and gaming, through to care homes, art galleries, travel and retail. If you enjoy working on a wide-reaching range of projects and sectors, you’ll fit right in. Here are some things you can expect from a role in TAS Tax:

• You will be a key member of the deals team, supporting senior colleagues in discussions with and presenting findings to clients as well as managing the relationship with the target’s management team.
• You will lead the preparation for and support at due diligence meetings with the target business.
• You will take responsibility for the preparation of much of the due diligence analysis, reviewing data and ensuring the preparation of robust and accurate meeting notes and reports.
• You will prepare structuring reports based on the proposed acquisition structure, considering the key tax implications in line with the commercial requirements of the transaction.
• Collaboration with other stakeholders is vital in a TAS Tax role, and you will be encouraged to build your own connections with colleagues across other internal tax teams (our work brings in specialists covering aspects of corporation tax, VAT, employment taxes and stamp taxes, as well as overseas taxes), TAS and Corporate Finance as well as externally with key intermediary contacts within law firms, banks and private equity firms.
• You will support with the preparation of proposals and support the team in managing project budgets
• You will demonstrate an ability to produce a well-supported piece of technical research using legislation, guidance issued by tax authorities and/or the firm’s technical resources.
• A day-in-the-life of a transaction tax adviser is varied, you will be responsible for managing your workload and prioritising in line with demands of each project you are working on.

Knowing you’re right for us

The ideal candidate will have UK tax experience and be ATT/ACA/CTA qualified (or part-qualified close to being signed off). It would be great if you had some of the following skills, but don’t worry if you don’t tick every box, we’ll help you develop along the way:

• Corporation tax compliance experience.
• Exposure to other tax issues – transfer pricing, R&D, VAT, employment taxes, stamp duty, share transactions/share option schemes.
• Some experience of advising on technical tax matters would be beneficial.
• Demonstrable experience of managing multiple deliverables, showing prioritisation skills and meeting deadlines within an expected timeframe.
• Strong Excel and Power Point skills to prepare client and target documentation.

Knowing we’re right for you

Embracing uniqueness, the culture at Grant Thornton thrives on the contributions of all our people, we never settle for what is easy, we look beyond to deliver the right thing, for everyone. Building an inclusive culture, where we value difference and respect our colleagues helps our people to perform at the best of their ability and realise their potential.

Our open and accessible culture means you’ll interact with leaders who are interested in you and everything you bring to our firm. The things that set you apart, we value them. It’s that drive to do the right thing that runs through our every move, grounded in our firm’s values – purposefully driven, actively curious and candid but kind. That’s why we give you the freedom to bring your whole self to work and pursue your passions inside and outside of work.

Beyond the job

We’re looking for people who want to contribute, spark fresh ideas and go beyond expectations. People who want to be able to proudly do what’s right, for the firm, our clients, our people and themselves.