Bonhams
Group Tax Senior Manager
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About The Bonhams Network
Founded in 1793, Bonhams is one of the world's leading auction houses — defined by connection, and home to the curious.
With over 230 years of expertise, Bonhams operates a global network of trusted specialists across 24 countries, including flagship salerooms in London, New York, Paris and Hong Kong. Across more than 60 specialist categories, Bonhams serves collectors of every kind — from emerging to established — with the objects, stories and expertise that define their collecting journey.
Beyond auctions, Bonhams is both a destination for discovery and for industry-leading services and support. Its rotating programme of exhibitions and public programming is free and open to all, reflecting a longstanding commitment to curiosity, cultural conversation and the enduring power of objects.
For forthcoming auctions and details of specialist departments, visit Bonhams.com.
Bonhams: A house built on knowledge. Defined by connection. Home to the curious.
About The Role
Bonhams is a leading global auction house, founded in 1793, operating across five regions with 13+ salerooms. The Group is undergoing a finance transformation that will reshape a regionally fragmented function into a global capability model.
Tax knowledge today sits with our retiring Group Financial Controller, is spread across regional Finance Managers, and is partly outsourced. The Tax Senior Manager is a newly created role that consolidates all of this into single, accountable ownership role. You will own tax strategy, compliance and advisory across direct and indirect tax, including the auction-specific matters that define this industry: VAT margin scheme, cross-border consignments, temporary admission, Authorised Economic Operator status, and Artist's Resale Right.
The role is deliberately scoped to grow. As outsourced tax work is brought in-house and the Group's tax capability builds, the scope and seniority of the role are expected to develop with it — offering genuine opportunity for progression for the right candidate.
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Key Tasks And Responsibilities
- Tax strategy. Define and own the Group tax strategy across all jurisdictions.
- Transfer pricing. Own the Group transfer pricing policy, documentation and intercompany arrangements across a multi-entity structure spanning the UK, US, Europe, Hong Kong and Australia.
- VAT and indirect tax. Own all VAT matters and VAT returns, including margin scheme application, cross-border consignments with import and re-export, temporary admission, VAT-free invoicing and proof of export, and VIES validation processes.
- Auction-specific tax. Act as the Group authority on auction-specific tax: buyer's premium and seller's commission treatment, agency vs principal implications, Artist's Resale Right, and guarantees.
- Direct tax and compliance. Own corporate tax compliance and planning across all jurisdictions; bring in-house the tax compliance work currently outsourced to third parties where it is economic to do so and manage remaining advisers to a defined scope and budget.
- Knowledge transfer. Lead a structured handover from the retiring Group Financial Controller; document Group-wide tax positions, judgements and processes so knowledge is institutional, not personal.
- Team leadership. Build and lead the Group tax team, set standards for regional execution, and develop VAT capability currently spread thinly across regional finance staff.
- Risk and governance. Establish a tax risk framework, manage tax authority relationships and enquiries, and provide tax input to strategic transactions (acquisitions, disposals, restructuring, where applicable).
- Adviser strategy and coordination. Coordinate external tax providers across all jurisdictions and own a strategy to optimise tax support to the business — assessing what remains outsourced versus what is brought in-house, rationalising the global provider landscape, and managing advisers to a defined scope, quality standard and budget.
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Essential
Key Skills and Experience
- CTA and/or ACA qualified (or equivalent) with significant post-qualification experience in a senior in-house or practice tax role.
- Deep indirect tax expertise, including VAT margin scheme and cross-border / import-export VAT.
- Multi-jurisdictional experience covering transfer pricing and corporate tax across the UK plus at least one of the US, EU or APAC.
- Track record of managing external advisers and insourcing tax work.
- Comfortable as the sole senior tax voice in the business — pragmatic, commercial, able to explain complex positions simply.
- Experience of tax execution across strategic transactions.
Desirable
- Auction, art market, luxury goods or other high-value cross-border goods experience.
- Exposure to Artist's Resale Right and temporary admission regimes.
What We Offer
Some Of Our Benefits And Perks Include
- 28 days holidays (including Bank Holidays), increasing to 33 with service
- Healthcare and Life Assurance
- Enhanced maternity and paternity leave
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Season Ticket Loan
If you wish to apply, please send your CV and cover letter by the 5th August 2026 at midnight.
We thank you for your interest in this position but please note that we will only contact candidates chosen for further consideration.
Bonhams is an Equal Opportunity Employer. As part of our commitment to fight for equality, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.
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