Head of Tax Institutional Retirement and Retail

Legal & General is a leading UK financial services group and major global investor. We’ve been safeguarding people’s financial futures since 1836, aiming to build a better society for the long term by investing our customers’ money in things that make life better for everyone and create value for our shareholders.

Our Group Functions provide the services that all areas of the business need. This requires a talented and diverse team behind the scenes, who enable everyone at L&G to do what they do best. 

Joining us means helping to improve the lives of our customers and contributing to the success of the business every day.

We are recruiting for a Head of Tax as part of the tax leadership team responsible for the oversight of tax matters relating to the Insurance businesses. You will be lead tax business partner for Institutional Retirement & Retail (UK, US and Bermuda) division as as well as the Corporate Investments Unit. 

For the Retail division, Institutional Retirement division and Corporate Investments Unit, the role includes tax business partnering, and leading the development and delivery of all tax compliance, tax reporting, risk management & governance, advice, services, plans and strategies for those businesses across all taxes and business activities. As part of this the Role Holder will provide innovative, creative solutions to strategic objectives, threats and opportunities.

Across the Group the role includes leading the tax specialisms relating to life insurance taxation, insurance direct investments and M&A, and is co-responsible for developing and enhancing the tax team’s profile and effectiveness.

What you'll be doing:

• Lead the development and delivery of all tax business partnering and tax advisory services in relation to the Retail and Institutional Retirement business (and Corporate Investments) including corporate and international taxes, property taxes, life taxation, M&A taxation, indirect and operational taxes specialisms and providing innovative and creative solutions to address strategic objectives, threats and opportunities in relation to these areas. 
• Where SME support it required in other divisions, leading the provision of specialist tax advice relating to life insurance taxation, insurance direct investments and M&A. 
• Applying judgement and technical skills to provide tax advice and guidance to the tax leadership team and other senior managers & Directors within Group and the business to ensure sound understanding of tax issues in order to meet financial and business targets.
• Responsible for the delivery of global tax compliance and reporting (internal and external) required in relation to the Retail and Institutional Retirement business (and Corporate Investments).
• Responsible for ensuring appropriate tax risk management and governance for the Retail and Institutional Retirement business (and Corporate Investments).
• Maintaining good technical knowledge of UK tax issues and monitoring relevant changes tax legislation for applicability to L&G.
• Preparing representations and responses to consultations on prospective changes on behalf of L&G for HMRC/HMT and industry bodies to ensure the Group’s issues and needs are represented.
• Managing the relationship with the HMRC including responding to HMRC enquiries and dealing with HMRC contacts as appropriate including owning a single view of open HMRC enquiries. 
• Responsible for the recruitment and appropriate training of staff required for the delivery of the tax services to the relevant Businesses. 

Who we're looking for:

• Qualified Accountant (10+ years PQE), or with sufficient experience of financial accounting to maintain up-to-date professional knowledge.
• Member or fellow of the Chartered Institute of Taxation or with sufficient tax experience to maintain up-to-date professional knowledge.
• Knowledge of UK Taxes Acts covering corporation tax, income tax, VAT and stamp duty to the extent that they apply to the companies in the group for which tax responsibility held.
• Expert knowledge of the insurance tax regime, tax aspects of Solvency II and working knowledge of IFRS.
• Understanding of the key concepts which drive regulation within our markets.
• Ability to communicate complex technical issues in a clear, simple manner to a wide audience and to solve complex problems at short notice and under stressed situations.
• Ability to review for trends, anticipate problems/omissions and consider potential ways to mitigate them.
• Ability to make judgement calls where appropriate
• Building and developing strong relationships with staff, peers and other contacts within the business and with external stakeholders including HMRC.
• Prioritisation, planning and organisation of multi task/person assignments.
• Practice effective delegation: clear explanations, establish capabilities, use as an opportunity to develop, monitor progress and provide constructive feedback.

Whatever your role, we reward performance and behaviour with a package that looks after all the things that are important to you. Here are some of the benefits we offer: 

• The opportunity to participate in our annual, performance-related bonus plan and valuable share schemes  
• Generous pension contribution  
• Life assurance   
• Private medical insurance (permanent employees only) 
• At least 25 days holiday, plus public holidays, 26 days after 2 years’ service. There’s also the option to buy and sell holiday 
• Competitive family leave 
• Participate in our electric car scheme, which offers employees the option to hire a brand-new electric car through tax efficient salary sacrifice 
• There are the many discounts we offer – both for our own products and at a range of high street stores and online   
• In 2023, some of our workspaces were redesigned. Our offices are great spaces to connect and collaborate and have your wellbeing at the heart

Legal & General is a leading financial services group and major global investor, named Britain’s Most Admired Company in 2023, for the second year running. Rated top in our sector and top for inspirational leadership, we have a strong heritage and an exciting future.

We aim to build a better society for the long term by investing our customers’ money in things that make life better for everyone.

If you join us, you’ll be part of a welcoming culture, with opportunities to collaborate with people of diverse backgrounds, views and experiences. Guided by leaders with integrity who care about your future and wellbeing. Empowered through initiatives which support people to develop their careers and excel.

We strive to be open, mindful and inclusive, so are always willing to discussing flexible working arrangements and reasonable accommodations for candidates with specific needs.

If you’re open to find out more, we'd love to hear from you.