Senior Tax Assistant

The role

The Senior Tax Assistant role covers DLA Piper’s territories in Asia Pacific with input to the Global Mobility tax function.

The Senior Tax Assistant will:

• Obtain and perform an initial review (where required) of tax computations, tax returns and tax payments for DLA Piper’s Asia Pacific entities;
• Maintain and manage comprehensive international tax compliance records (including follow up / escalation as required);
• Assist with / Undertake year-end procedures, including the review of year-end tax charge information and preparation of accounts disclosures;
• Assist with / Take on International tax projects;
• Assist with / Complete budgeting throughout the year;
• Assist with ad hoc work for the Asia Pacific region and Global Mobility tax function as and when required;
• Develop relationships with key personnel;
• Provide cover and support when Tax Managers and Senior Tax Managers are unavailable;
• Assistance with monthly UK and overseas payroll reporting;
• Working with external advisers on tax return support for secondees;
• Support with Secondee tax return preparation; and
• Support with the underlying financial administration for the Global Mobility tax function. 

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Compliance:

• Perform initial review (where required) of overseas tax returns and tax payments in advance of submission, identifying and querying material changes from previous returns;
• Ensure there are English translations / templates of tax returns on file or that an English tax computation is provided with annual tax returns in order to perform reviews;
• Ensure payments, refunds and accruals have been posted to the correct nominal ledger codes to aid in accurate year-end consolidation and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting;
• Assist in the review / Review of CbC reporting data;
• Follow up and escalate instances of non-compliance (or potential non-compliance) with local finance managers and tax managers;
• Annual review of tax and statutory compliance deadlines in co-ordination with other Senior Tax Assistant(s) to ensure compliance calendar is accurate.
• Monitor and report / advise on overseas travel to destinations with high permanent establishment (PE) risk to support management of the firm’s PE risk;
• Prepare summary of issues raised by local finance teams for review by the Tax Manager / and enact plans to resolve issues raised;
• Review own tax processes at least annually, with a view to identifying areas for improvement;
• Seek to identify areas for improvement in other tax processes for which the Tax Managers and Senior Tax Managers have responsibility;
• Support Tax Managers in reporting tax compliance for the group to the firm’s Tax Committee;
• Preparation and periodic review of process notes; and
• Assist with ongoing Global Mobility compliance.

Year End:

• Provide assistance with the preparation / Preparation of the tax computation for DLA Piper Asia LLP;
• Assist with / prepare profit sourcing calculations for profit sources included in DLA Piper Asia LLP and direct allocations from Asia Pacific entities;
• Track information received from overseas finance managers;
• Preparation of estimates of key transactions to assist in estimation of tax charges and sense check the output for reasonableness against entity performance and other relevant factors;
• Review tax schedules in consolidation packs prepared by overseas finance managers and assist with preparation of / Prepare the tax consolidation schedule;
• Preparation of information for the firm’s auditors ahead of the audit of the DLA Piper International LLP tax charge;
• Assist with the preparation / Preparation of the tax equalisation calculations for partners with split remuneration arrangements;
• Calculation of interest on tax reserves for Asia Pacific members; and
• Preparation of deferred tax calculations for Asia Pacific members.

Budgeting:

• Critically review expected tax charges obtained by finance managers;
• Prepare budget spreadsheet in addition to expected cash flows during the year;
• Review budgeted tax cashflows for management accounts and prepare variance analysis for review on a monthly basis;
• Calculate / review applicable tax reserving rates for each financial year for applicable entities; and
• Provide assistance with ROI management information relating to Global Assignment tax costs.

Ad-hoc work:

• Assist Tax Managers and Senior Tax Managers with project work;
• Assist with calculations behind profit extractions;
• Review local to group reconciliations to understand accounting differences and seek to minimise these where possible;
• Monitor the invoicing and tracking of key transactions in sterling and currency, ensuring all teams (central tax, central finance, local finance) are working with the same amounts;
• Periodic review of travel schedules for individuals with unique cross-border working arrangements and flag any concerning travel levels or destinations with the relevant Tax Manager;
• Assist with territory-specific tax compliance reviews;
• Support the Central Tax Team on other ad hoc tax related projects; and
• Organise and attend periodic update calls with overseas finance managers. Prepare minutes of periodic update calls and monitor / follow up on actions arising.

ABOUT YOU

• Experience of working in tax (tax advisory / tax projects in addition to tax compliance), and be able to apply that existing knowledge and experience to new situations / scenarios;
• Knowledge of international payroll administration and UK personal tax (desirable);
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, coupled with the ability to influence, negotiate and persuade;
• Strong in Microsoft Office software, particularly Excel;
• A flexible and collaborative personal working style;
• The ability to build and maintain strong relationships across all levels within the organisation
• Interpersonal skills to work as part of a larger team to deliver seamless services to the partnership;
• The ability to work alongside more senior colleagues;
• Strong planning and organisation skills;
• Multi-tasking skills, including working to conflicting timescales and multiple priorities in a robust and fast-paced environment;
• Balancing a high volume of work and deliver consistently high-quality work under pressure;
• Logical, analytical and intelligent;
• A self-starter, who can work on their own initiative as well as being part of a team, and have a strong client service orientation;
• The ability to take the initiative to identify new opportunities and challenge established ways of doing things;
• Working to hold an appropriate professional qualification, such as ACCA, ACA, CTA or ADIT; and
• If based in Leeds or Manchester, spend at least one day per week working in Sheffield.

ABOUT US

DLA Piper is a global law firm with lawyers and business service professionals located in more than 40 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. Our global reach ensures that we can help businesses with their legal needs anywhere in the world. We strive to be the leading global business law firm by delivering quality, service excellence and value to our clients and offering practical and innovative legal solutions to help them succeed. Our clients range from multinational, Global 1000, and Fortune 500 enterprises to emerging companies developing industry-leading technologies, as well as government and public sector bodies.

OUR VALUES

In everything we do connected with our People, our Clients and our Communities, we live by these values:

• Be Supportive – we are compassionate and inclusive, valuing diversity and acting thoughtfully
• Be Collaborative – we are proactive, passionate team players investing in our relationships
• Be Bold – we are fearless and inquisitive, challenging ourselves to think big and find creative new solutions
• Be Exceptional – we are strategic and driven, exceeding standards and expectations

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

At DLA Piper, diversity and inclusion underpins how we live our values and everything we do. We believe that everyone has a voice, and that everyone’s voice counts. We know that the rich diversity across our firm makes us stronger, more innovative and creative, which helps us to better serve our clients and communities. We are committed to providing an inclusive working environment and culture across our global firm, where everyone can bring their authentic self to work.

Diversity of perspective, thought, background and culture combine to make us the leading global law firm; that’s why we actively seek to build balanced teams. We welcome the unique contribution that you will bring to our firm and actively encourage applications from all talented people – however your talent is packaged, whatever your background or circumstance and regardless of how you identify.

HYBRID WORKING

We recognise that people have responsibilities and interests outside of their career and that as a business, we all benefit from working flexibly. That’s why we are open to discussing with candidates the different ways in which we are able to support requests for agile working arrangements.

PRE-ENGAGEMENT SCREENING

In the event that we make an offer to you, and where local legislation permits and where relevant, we will conduct pre-engagement screening checks that may include but are not limited to your professional and academic qualifications, your eligibility to work in the relevant jurisdiction, any criminal records, your financial stability and work-related references.