Job Purpose Summary
CMS Distribution is one of Europe's leading specialist technology distributor, a growing and successful business with 500+ people across six locations in the UK and Ireland, plus locations in the Netherlands, Sweden, France, Germany, the US and China.
The role involves overseeing the company's tax, compliance, banking, and company secretarial responsibilities, enhancing financial reporting and governance processes, and contributing to transformation and continuous improvement initiatives. You will lead and develop a team that works closely with other finance sub-departments and the wider business, providing insights to management and supporting data-driven decision-making across the organization. While the team lead's primary focus will include tax and compliance, the team under their guidance also supports the management of the company's banking operations and company secretarial requirements.
Tax Management Responsibilities
* Lead and oversee the timely submission of VAT returns, corporate tax, and indirect tax compliance reporting across multiple jurisdictions, working closely with external partners and internal teams.
* Work closely with the business as a primary point of contact for tax-related queries eg indirect tax such as VAT, sales tax, or customs duties etc and compliance issues.
* Collaborate with tax partners to implement and manage transfer pricing strategies, ensuring policy compliance across the Group.
* Maintain up-to-date knowledge of tax legislation, conducting research to assess regulatory impacts and guide compliance efforts.
* Manage group tax compliance activities, including filing calendars, third-party coordination, and ensuring accurate, timely returns and payments.
* Collaborate with subsidiary accounting teams on quarterly, annual, and statutory reporting requirements and lead group-wide tax audits across all tax areas when needed.
Banking Management Responsibilities
While the Tax Manager's primary focus will be tax and compliance, the team under their guidance will also support key banking operations, including:
* Performing bank account reconciliations and monitoring for discrepancies or anomalies.
* Assisting in maintaining and managing banking access and relationships across the company.
* Supporting the coordination of bank account openings, closures, and updates to banking services.
* Assisting with the monthly reporting requirements related to invoice discounting facilities to the bank.
* Collaborating cross-functionally on process improvements in banking operations, including use of banking platforms and tools.
Team & Leadership Responsibilities
* Lead and mentor a team of qualified and part-qualified accountants, focusing on career development, performance management, and act as an escalation point for the team for payment approvals where thresholds are exceeded.
* Prioritise and manage team tasks, including timely GL reconciliations, discrepancy resolution, and accurate month-end/year-end close and statutory accounts preparation, ensuring compliance and external audit readiness.
* Foster a culture of operational excellence, financial accountability and continuous improvement through SMART KPIs and process automation, with a particular focus on tax, banking and where needed company secretarial, processes.
* Lead the team and participate in ad-hoc finance department initiatives and projects focused on process simplification, automation, and continuous improvement as needed including restructures, mergers, and acquisitions.
Company Secretarial Duties
* Ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements relating to company law and governance.
* Manage the preparation, filing, and maintenance of statutory registers and company records across multiple jurisdictions.
* Coordinate and prepare documentation for board meetings, including agendas, minutes, and resolutions.
* Facilitate timely filing of annual returns, confirmation statements, and other statutory filings with Companies House and relevant authorities.
* Liaise with external company secretarial advisors and legal counsel as necessary.
* Support governance frameworks, ensuring adherence to internal policies and external regulatory requirements.
* Assist with compliance reporting related to corporate governance and maintain oversight of company structure changes such as share allotments or transfers.
Skills & Personal Attributes
* Fully Qualified Tax Advisor and/or Accountant (ACA/ACCA/AITI)
* International tax experience required including a strong understanding of INCOTERMS related to indirect tax such as VAT, sales tax, or customs duties.
* Experience with SAP accounting software is beneficial but not essential; a willingness to learn and adapt to new systems is more important.
* Highly organised, with strong attention to detail and analytical and problem-solving skills.
* Comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with senior management.
* Excellent communication skills to convey technical information to business stakeholders.
CMS believes that a diverse and inclusive workforce enriches and is integral to the success of our company. We value diverse opinions and perspectives, and therefore welcome candidates from all backgrounds including but not limited to, ethnicity, gender, age, nationality, culture, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and neurodiversity.