Indirect Tax manager

Role Overview

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.

We support reasonable adjustments to ensure positions align well with your needs, including flexible hours and hybrid working where applicable. We value diversity and inclusion in our workforce.