Job Description

At abrdn, our purpose is to enable our clients to be better investors. Clients worldwide trust us to find future-fit investment opportunities to deliver the outcomes they want. Our technology and insight help empower them to make better decisions, while the powerful partnerships we build help to enhance the expertise that we offer. By enabling clients to invest responsibly, we help to build a better world.

About the department

The Finance function is responsible for activities related to the accounting, product/business control, reporting, and tax functions for the entire firm. The Corporate Tax area handles all aspects of the firm's corporate tax liability and assists in the development and implementation of effective tax strategies. This includes a thorough knowledge of local, federal, and international tax and accounting laws and liaising with external parties, such as taxing authorities.

About the role

The VAT Manager will play a key role in supporting the Head of Indirect and Operational Taxes in managing the indirect tax affairs of abrdn and its associated businesses. The role supports overall tax risk, strategy, and governance for the group.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the first point of contact for VAT questions, providing prompt, commercially focused indirect tax advice across all business segments.

• Provide indirect tax transaction support, including M&A activity from deal conception to post-deal implementation.

• Monitor changes in global VAT and indirect tax legislation and take appropriate action.

• Ensure indirect tax risks and opportunities are identified and managed in line with Tax Authority rules and abrdn policies.

• Provide governance and oversight of VAT compliance for UK and EMEA businesses and VAT-registered funds.

• Support tax strategy, policy, and transparency initiatives.

• Lead on indirect tax technical questions and stay updated on market practices and legislation.

• Collaborate with other tax colleagues to ensure consistency and effective risk coverage.

• Coordinate external advisors and manage outsourced service arrangements.

• Support tax audits, maintain the tax risk and governance framework, and drive continuous process improvements.

Candidate Requirements

• Professional qualification such as CTA, ACA, etc.

• Wide variety and spectrum of VAT advisory expertise gained in practical roles.

• Experience in tax risk management, compliance, and governance.

• Experience in other areas of tax, particularly transfer pricing and/or employment tax, an advantage.

• Experience working on indirect tax aspects of transactions an advantage

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer. Therefore, if you have a disability and would like to apply to one of our UK roles under the Disability Confident Scheme, please notify us by completing the relevant section in our candidate questionnaire and one of our team will reach out to support you through your application process.

Our benefits

There's more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved, and be supported. When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around. This includes 40 days of annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance-based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare, and a range of flexible benefits – including gym discounts, season ticket loans, and access to an employee discount portal.

Our business

Enabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three distinct areas – our vectors of growth – focused on our clients’ changing needs. You can find out more about what we do here.

We’re committed to providing an inclusive workplace where all forms of difference are valued and which is free from any form of unfair or unlawful treatment.  We define diversity in its broadest sense – this includes but is not limited to our diversity of educational and professional backgrounds, experience, cognitive and neurodiversity, age, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief and ethnicity and geographical provenance.  We support a culture that values meritocracy, fairness and transparency and welcomes enquiries from everyone.

If you need assistance or an adjustment due to a disability please let us know as part of your application and we will assist.