Lead Tax Manager

Defra is the UK government department responsible for protecting and enhancing the natural environment, supporting a world‑leading food and farming sector, and sustaining a thriving rural economy. Our work touches peoples everyday lives from the food we eat and the air we breathe to the water we drink.

Defra operates a group model, delivering corporate services centrally to Core Defra and four arms length bodies: the Environment Agency, Rural Payments Agency, Natural England, and the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

The Tax Team provides expert tax services across the Defra group, covering VAT, taxable benefits, corporation tax, and off‑payroll working (IR35). The team sits within the wider Compliance and Financial Accounting Team, which leads on the preparation of statutory accounts for Defra bodies and the consolidated Defra Group Annual Report and Accounts.

As a Grade 7 within the Defra Tax Team, you will play a lead role in delivering high‑quality tax expertise across the Defra group. You will be the lead specialist for IR35, taxable benefits, and corporation tax, and will support wider VAT compliance activity as needed.

You will act as a trusted adviser to senior stakeholders, ensuring compliance with tax legislation, managing relationships with HMRC and cross‑government partners, and leading on complex tax issues. This role requires strategic thinking, strong technical knowledge, and the ability to operate confidently in a complex, changing environment.

• Provide strategic leadership for IR35 compliance across the Defra group, ensuring robust governance and effective risk management.
• Lead on taxable benefits, including oversight of processes for data collection and review, and management of PAYE Settlement Agreements for Core Defra, the Environment Agency, and Natural England.
• Ensure corporation tax obligations are fulfilled for Natural England, including compliance, reporting, and liaison with stakeholders.
• Maintain and update tax guidance, ensuring it reflects current legislation and supports consistent application across the business.
• Identify and deliver training and capability‑building to meet organisational tax knowledge needs.
• Provide authoritative advice on complex tax matters, supporting informed decision‑making across the Defra group.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the tax function on all areas of tax, providing expert input and peer support.
• Lead engagement with HMRC and the cross‑government Tax Centre of Excellence, including managing and coordinating HMRC audits.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with senior stakeholders, supplying clear, timely, and accurate information.
• Represent tax interests in finance system development and upgrades, ensuring tax requirements are embedded from the outset.
• Provide leadership to a geographically dispersed team, fostering high performance, inclusion, and professional development.

• Significant experience as a tax professional, with strong technical knowledge of IR35, taxable benefits, and tax legislation.
• Proven ability to interpret and apply complex tax legislation and guidance in a practical, operational context.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to influence at senior levels.
• Strong communication skills, including the ability to explain complex technical issues clearly to non‑specialists.
• Demonstrable experience of leading and managing teams, including remote or geographically dispersed colleagues.
• Strong project management, organisational, and prioritisation skills.
• Analytical and problem‑solving capability, with sound professional judgement.
• Ability to operate effectively in a changing environment, with a strategic mindset and awareness of wider organisational impacts.
• Strong IT capability and confidence working with financial systems and data.

• You will be an experienced tax professional and either hold, or be working towards, a relevant professional qualification such as CTA, CCAB, or ATT, or be able to demonstrate equivalent experience.