Private Client Tax Senior Manager / Director

In a nutshell

Are you an experienced Senior Manager or Director with expertise in trust taxation, ready to take on a fresh and rewarding challenge in a firm dedicated to supporting your professional growth?

As a leader in our Trust Tax team, you will play a pivotal role in delivering an outstanding tax compliance and advisory service to our diverse portfolio of private client tax clients. This includes advising on complex trust structures, inheritance tax planning, and succession strategies, ensuring tailored solutions for high-net-worth individuals, families, and trustees. Your leadership will drive excellence in all aspects of our work, from compliance to sophisticated advisory projects.

Joining our team means stepping into a role where your insights and expertise will help shape the direction of our private client tax services, making a meaningful difference to our clients while furthering your career in an environment that values your contribution and development.

What you'll be doing day to day

• Ensure compliance with legislative and ethical standards within the Trust team
• Resolve client issues efficiently, meeting timescales and budgets
• Lead and develop a team of advisors
• Liaise with trustees, beneficiaries, individuals, and intermediaries to provide top-tier service
• Act as principal on a portfolio of trust and high-net-worth clients, reviewing and signing off advice
• Review and advise on trust accounts
• Play an active role in marketing and business development for trust services
• Support team growth and expansion of the trust business
• Upskill colleagues in other departments to manage risk and identify opportunities
• Meet with clients to assess and advise on tax planning, overseeing delivery by team members
• Work with Private Client tax partners to identify key opportunities and risks
• Promote firm-wide services, especially financial planning
• Ensure work is allocated effectively and departmental targets are met
• Assist in the running of the trust corporation

About you

• Previous experience in similar role 
• ATT or CTA qualified (or equivalent) with up-to-date technical knowledge (STEP qualification is desirable)
• The ability to lead a team and inspire them to become the best advisors they can
• Highly motivated with the ability to engage with clients with significant levels of wealth and with colleagues at all levels
• Organised and able to plan time efficiently in order to meet deadlines
• Demonstrates a creative approach to problem solving with a strong desire to succeed

Why work at PKF Francis Clark

As the largest firm of independent chartered accountants and business advisers in South West England, PKF Francis Clark offers a wide range of opportunities to develop your career in the way that’s right for you.

Established in 1919, we’ve grown to nearly 1,000 people across offices in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Poole, Salisbury, Southampton, Taunton, Torquay and Truro. Our size means we can offer ambitious work with exciting clients and a friendly, supportive culture.

We want you to belong, be yourself and do your best work as part of a forward-thinking team, with a flexible approach to hybrid working and a strong focus on wellbeing, learning and development.

For the past four years, PKF Francis Clark has been certified as a Great Place to Work and ranked among the UK’s Best Workplaces, rising to 6th out of 100 large organisations.

We’re a top 10 Best Workplace for Women, as well as being ranked for Wellbeing, Development, and Consulting and Professional Services. These rankings are compiled by Great Place to Work, based on confidential, independent feedback from our people. In addition, we’re one of The Sunday Times Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers.

Being a Certified B Corp means we’re held to high standards for environmental and social performance. We’re independently assessed to ensure we support our people, act responsibly and make long-term decisions that balance people and planet.

We’re proudly independent, while collaborating internationally through the PKF Global family of firms. Together we’re the 13th largest provider of accountancy services in the UK, with connections to like-minded advisers in 150 countries.

Your core benefits 

Financial wellbeing 

• Group personal pension to help you build your future savings through employer and employee contributions 
• Group life assurance providing cover up to four times your basic annual salary 
• Group income protection available after six months’ service 
• Health cash plan giving money back on everyday health costs, with free cover for up to four dependent children (up to age 24 in full‑time education) and the option to add a partner or spouse 

Mental wellbeing 

• Counselling and emotional support for you and your immediate family 
• Virtual GP and second opinion services for you and your immediate family 
• Access to trained Mental Health First Aiders for confidential, peer to peer support 

Physical wellbeing 

• Group private medical insurance, providing access to diagnosis and treatment 
• Cycle to work scheme, with the option to purchase a bike and accessories up to £4,000* 
• Discounted membership at gyms, pools and studios across the UK 
• Digital health and wellbeing tools available through the employee health cash plan 
• Support for colleagues experiencing menopause, as part of our Menopause Workplace Pledge, including webinars and a dedicated Microsoft Teams channel for ongoing support 

Additional benefits 

• Family friendly benefits, including enhanced pay, family leave coaching sessions and a parent network  
• The option to buy up to five extra days of holiday (pro rata for part‑time colleagues) * 
• One paid volunteering day each year to support local organisations 
• Electric vehicle lease scheme (grade and pay criteria apply) * 
• Gifts to mark key career and family milestones 
• Expert led webinars on mental, physical and financial wellbeing 
• Francis Clark Charitable Foundation, offering support for current and former employees experiencing financial hardship 

* These benefits are provided via a salary exchange and are subject to employee’s post exchange hourly rate remaining above the national minimum wage 

Additional information 

• Job title used internally may not align exactly with the title displayed in this advert