Senior Tax Manager

THE ROLE

WiseEnergy is a trusted and established solar asset manager, offering all the services clients require to manage and optimise large-scale solar plants, from development and construction through to long-term operational asset management. Our clients own solar plants with a total managed capacity in excess of 3.5 GW, more than 1,600 solar assets and with a very exciting growth plan in the coming years.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced tax professional to support the delivery of operational tax services to the WiseEnergy clients.

WiseEnergy’s contracted tax services are typically limited in scope and focus primarily on oversight of the tax services provided by external tax advisors. This role will expand that remit by executing certain tax activities directly, outside of the standard contracted service offering.

The role will report to the WiseEnergy Finance Services Director, and will work closely with the NextEnergy Fund Management team, which retains overall responsibility for tax oversight across the funds under management.

This position is responsible for supporting direct and indirect tax compliance for entities managed by WiseEnergy and providing oversight and leadership of portfolio tax projects. It is not involved in investment manager activities; instead, it leads and coordinates internal stakeholders and external advisors to deliver compliance and improvement workstreams (including remediation, process enhancements, audit/tax authority support and targeted reviews).

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Tasks to be performed will include, but are not limited to:

• Manage the successful delivery of technically complex and demanding tax advisory projects across a range of matters and jurisdictions (UK, Poland, Chile, Spain, Portugal, Italy, India, Singapore, USA) where the client HoldCos / SPVs are located. Areas of taxes includes corporation tax & VAT, transfer pricing, international tax, and other tax matters relevant to the infrastructure/real assets sector (such as Stamp Duty Land Lax on leases, capital allowance reviews, and other country specific tax filing obligations)
• Oversight of UK corporation tax return process working with external tax advisors and the WiseEnergy Finance team (including Group Payment Arrangement) across client HoldCos and SPVs
• Oversight of UK VAT/ overseas tax filing requirements prepared either by WiseEnergy Finance team or by external tax advisors depending on jurisdiction and provision of technical assistance as required
• Working with WiseEnergy Finance and NEC Fund Management teams to implement optimal SPV tax structuring agreed upon at the time of asset acquisition
• Managing tax audits and reviews (between local tax authorities, tax advisors, legal and WiseEnergy Finance team)
• Working with NEC Fund Management to manage tax risk matrix per fund
• Collaborating with, and directing, tax advisors and tax authorities as required
• Responsible for tax documentation storage in anticipation of future client due diligence requirements

There are ambitious growth and divestment targets over the next few years, creating a range of opportunities for high-performing candidates to take on increased responsibility and broaden their involvement across transaction related activity.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

• The ability to operate as a single contributor– this role engages with a wide spectrum of stakeholders (both internal and external) but operates as a single contributor and is not part of a larger team. The person needs to be comfortable in a small team environment engaging with larger groups and teams.
• Time management & prioritization skills- things can get a little hectic, so the ability to effectively manage yourself and your workload is critical, although there will be prioritization, support and guidance from the NEC Fund Management team.
• Excellent communication skills (in English or/and other European languages) - you must be able to organize your thoughts in a way that others find clear and compelling. You will be expected to together well-written, grammatically correct emails and other communications. When communicating verbally – whether over the phone, on video calls, in person or meetings – you will need to be articulate, warm and engaging.
• Flexibility- being an effective team player means being flexible in your approach and open to getting involved with new things, even if they are not spelt out in your job description.
• Intellectual Curiosity – we are looking for someone who is truly interested in our profession and has the intellectual curiosity to delve deep into topics and bring fresh ideas to the team.
• Delivery focus – it may sound obvious, but the ability to proactively churn through work at pace and deliver quality outputs matters
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills – seeking to improve the tax processes is important, being able to work with the respective finance teams to implement improvements.
• Passion for our mission ‘to generate a more sustainable future by leading the transition to clean energy
• Our values: be a leader, build trust, be responsible, be innovative and ‘bring your alpha’.

EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS 

To meet our ambitious growth plans, we are currently looking to recruit a Senior Tax Manager with tax advisory experience in asset management, including experience in the UK and internationally.

• Relevant Professional Qualification: ACA, ACCA, CTA, or equivalent
• Tax advisory experience within an accounting firm and/or multinational environment
• Strong tax technical skills
• Initiative, professionalism and confidence
• Eligibility to work in the UK

WHAT WE OFFER (UK) 

• A busy role in a supportive team, with plenty of opportunities to learn
• International scope – we operate in over 8 countries
• Hybrid working – we will need you in the central London (Mayfair) office at least twice a week, but you will normally be able to work remotely for the remainder of the week
• 30 days’ holiday per year (3 of which are taken during the festive shutdown in December)
• Private pension
• BUPA Healthcare for you and qualifying dependents
• Cycle to work and electric vehicle leasing schemes
• Annual discretionary bonus.

HOW TO APPLY

If you are interested in this opportunity, please follow the link to apply or send your application to careers@nextenergygroup.com. If you have been shortlisted for the next stage, we will be in contact within 14 days.

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DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Our approach to diversity and inclusion is a natural extension of our values. Our entrepreneurial culture inspires us to try new things, be open to different viewpoints and be bold. Our Group is committed to cultivating and preserving a culture of connectedness that values difference and gives space for individual expression. The collective sum of our individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, innovation, self-expression, talent and hard work form the bedrock of who we are and who we aspire to be.

We are committed to equal employment and advancement opportunity irrespective of race, colour, ancestry, social background, religion, gender, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability and gender identity.

ABOUT US

NextEnergy Group was founded in 2007 to become a leading market participant in the international solar sector.  Since its inception, it has been active in the development, construction, and ownership of solar assets across multiple jurisdictions.  NextEnergy Group operates via its three business units: NextEnergy Capital (Investment Management), WiseEnergy (Operating Asset Management), and Starlight (Asset Development).

NextEnergy Capital manages the Group's investment activities and has invested in over 520 solar plants, exceeding 2GW in capacity across its institutional funds.

• NextEnergy Solar Fund (NESF): Listed on the London Stock Exchange, NESF manages 102 solar and energy storage assets in the UK and Italy, with a total installed capacity of 983MW and a gross asset value of £1,014m.
• NextPower II (NPII): A private fund of 105 solar plants (149MW) focused on Italy, successfully divested in January 2022, delivering net IRRs exceeding its 10-12% target.
• NextPower III ESG (NPIII ESG): A private fund targeting solar infrastructure in OECD countries (e.g., US, Spain, Italy), with $896m raised, exceeding its $750m target.
• NextPower UK ESG (NPUK ESG): A private fund dedicated to new-build solar plants in the UK, with ~£600m raised.
• NextPower V ESG (NPV ESG): A private OECD solar fund investing in solar and adjacent technologies like battery storage. To date, it has raised $745m, targeting $1.5bn ($2bn ceiling).

WiseEnergy® is NextEnergy Group’s operating asset manager.  WiseEnergy is a leading specialist operating asset manager in the solar sector.  Since its founding, WiseEnergy has provided solar asset management, monitoring, technical due diligence and under construction services to over 1,500 utility-scale solar power plants with an installed total capacity in excess of 3.4 GW.  WiseEnergy clients comprise leading banks and equity financiers in the energy and infrastructure sector. 

Starlight is NextEnergy Group’s development company that is active in the development phase of solar projects.  It has developed over 100 utility-scale projects internationally and continues to progress a large pipeline of c.10GW of both green and brownfield project developments across global geographies.

NextSTEP is the venture capital fund of NextEnergy Group, dedicated to investing in innovative startups in the field of environmental sustainability. The fund primarily focuses on investments in Italy and the United Kingdom but also extends its reach to the rest of Europe and the United States, targeting startups in the pre-seed and seed stages. NextSTEP pays particular attention to emerging entities from incubators, startup accelerators, universities, and research centers, supporting projects that address global challenges in crucial areas such as Climate Change, Energy Transition, CO2 Capture and Sequestration, Circular Economy, Sustainable Cities, Sustainable Mobility, Sustainable Fashion, Waste Management, Water and much more.

NextEnergy Foundation is a non-profit organisation founded in 2016 by the NextEnergy Group that operates internationally and whose mission is to proactively participate in the global effort to reduce carbon emissions by providing clean energy sources in regions where they are not yet available and thereby contributing to poverty reduction. As the main sponsor of this foundation, the NextEnergy Group donates at least 5% of its consolidated net profits each year. The NextEnergy Foundation has no overhead costs and therefore 100% of the funds raised go to donations for the various projects. Since 2016, in 8 years of operation the foundation has donated more than £1.2 million, supporting over 30 projects in 27 different countries around the world.