Life Insurance Tax Senior Manager

Job description

Roles and Responsibilities

An opportunity has arisen in our insurance tax team, specifically focused on the life insurance part of the market. The team provides tax advisory, tax compliance and tax audit services in the life insurance sector, with advisory work spanning a range of corporate, M&A and product tax issues. 

KPMG’s Insurance tax team, part of the wider FS tax team, is a group of around thirty tax professionals of all grades with a strong market reputation working with leading global and UK insurance groups. The team is spread across several sites including centres in London and Edinburgh. The team works as a national team and location does not dictate client allocation.

Our business covers the full spectrum of insurance clients, including major UK-based insurers, international insurance groups, life insurers, pension product and other specialist providers, and brokers.

The successful candidate will work directly for a range of partners and directors who are highly experienced and are recognised UK-wide as leaders in their areas of specialism with strong promotion opportunities.

We are looking for capable, enthusiastic professionals with experience of the life insurance market, and of corporate tax for life insurance groups.

The role involves leading delivery across a range of tax advisory, M&A tax, tax compliance and tax audit engagements in the sector. In addition to delivery, the role will include building client relationships as part of wider client service teams and embedding tax into opportunities where relevant, as well as taking tax propositions to clients.

Another key aspect of the role is to be a role model in terms of knowledge sharing and coaching staff so that they build their life insurance tax specialism and we have a team ready to meet market demand.

The role is a national role. Applications will be welcomed from candidates in any location, with Edinburgh and London being preferred base office locations. 

Qualifications and Skills

Chartered Tax and/or Chartered Accountancy and/or equivalent legal/HMRC/international qualification is essential.

Experience and Background 

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate:

• Technical knowledge and experience in relation to one or more of the following:-
  • UK corporation tax for life insurance groups, and/or
  • Taxation of life insuraance products such as pensions and chargeable events and/or
  • Audit and accounting for life insurance businesses (e.g. obtained through an audit role)  

• A hunger to learn and to tackle new problems where the answers are not known;
• Possession of sound judgement, including the ability to identify and evaluate risk issues, and knowing when to involve others;
• Pro-active in identifying and progressing business opportunities for the long term benefit of the business;
• A track record of helping to lead / leading large, complex, high intensity projects, with a focus on accountability, high quality and timely delivery;
• Ability to communicate effectively at all levels (internally and externally) and be a team player; strong interpersonal skills are required in addition to strong oral and written communication skills with an ability to build and motivate teams;
• High level analytical skills and a commercial approach to resolving issues and providing advice;
• Ability to apply knowledge of fundamental tax principles in identifying potential technical issues and opportunities;
• Adaptability and dynamism;
• Ability to multi-task and be organised;
• Desire to coach and develop more junior members of the team in order to build specialisms rapidly and respond to market demand;
• A strong desire to gain and continually improve their knowledge of the life insurance market, insurance products, and insurance-related taxes;

The following are desirable:

• Experience in using life tax compliance software, such as Alphalife;
• IFRS and/or UK GAAP tax accounting
• Awareness of key accounting and regulatory pinciples relevant to life insurers (IFRS 17, Treating Customers Fairly and Solvency II).  

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