Tax Manager – London, N1C 4AG

At Universal Music Group UK, our in-house Tax Team of two plays a pivotal role in ensuring tax compliance across our iconic labels and music businesses. As Tax Manager, you will operate in a hands-on and advisory capacity balancing compliance responsibilities with providing commercial tax advice to our UK labels and business units. Working closely with our Head of UK Tax, your expertise will help guide our teams through the evolving tax landscape and ensure operational excellence. 

This is a fantastic opportunity for a tax professional who wants to apply their knowledge in a dynamic, globally connected and creatively charged industry.

Your Key Responsibilities  

• Manage a mixed UK tax portfolio (corporate, employment, VAT, and international tax) to ensure accurate and timely compliance. 

• Support the Head of UK Tax in maintaining a transparent and constructive relationship with HMRC through our Customer Compliance Manager (CCM) at the Large Business Office. 

• Be a key point of contact for tax audits, HMRC enquiries and correspondence, ensuring clear and timely responses. 

• Act as a liaison between UMG UK, external advisers and HMRC on all tax matters. 

• Provide clear, commercial and practical tax advice to internal stakeholders particularly our labels on a range of issues including acquisitions, restructures, and commercial arrangements. 

• Stay informed of tax legislative developments and assess planning opportunities, helping to ensure UMG UK remains compliant and forward-looking. 

• Oversee and support compliance with key tax regulations such as Transfer Pricing, Senior Accounting Officer (SAO), Corporate Interest Restriction (CIR), Country-by-Country Reporting (CBCR), and our published UK Tax Strategy. 

• Build effective relationships with label finance teams and commercial stakeholders to ensure tax risks are understood and managed at source. 

• Deepen business understanding across UMG UK to proactively identify tax impacts and support operational decision-making. 

Your Impact in Role 

You’ll be a trusted expert and partner to the business, ensuring our tax affairs are robust, forward-looking and compliant. Your input will directly support the financial integrity and strategic ambitions of UMG UK. By managing risks, identifying opportunities, and improving processes, you’ll help our artists and labels continue to thrive in a complex and evolving tax landscape. 

Our Ideal Candidate 

We’re looking for someone who’s both technically confident and commercially curious. You’ll bring strong tax knowledge, a hands-on approach to compliance, and the ability to explain complex issues in clear terms. You’re a proactive problem-solver who enjoys collaborating with others, values diversity of thought and thrives in a fast-paced, evolving environment. Most importantly, you’ll have a passion for being part of a business that values creativity, innovation and integrity. 

Skills, Experience and Behaviours We Value  

• A recognised tax and/or accounting qualification (e.g. CTA, ACA, ACCA), with broad experience in UK mixed tax compliance, ideally gained in-house or from a large practice. 

• Strong knowledge of UK corporate, indirect, and employment tax. 

• Ability to communicate complex tax issues clearly to non-specialists and influence decision-makers at all levels. 

• Experience of dealing with HMRC, particularly in relation to audits, enquiries or proactive risk management. 

• A proactive, solutions-oriented approach with strong analytical and organisational skills. 

• Confidence operating independently in a small team, while collaborating effectively with global colleagues and business partners. 

• A high level of integrity, professional judgement and commitment to continuous improvement. 

• (Desirable) Interest or experience in the music, entertainment or media sector. 

Why Join Our Tax Team 

At UMG UK, you’ll be part of a company that champions creativity and innovation — and that includes how we work behind the scenes. In the Tax Team, you’ll have the opportunity to shape best-in-class processes, influence business decisions and grow your career in a truly global environment. We’re committed to equity, diversity and inclusion, and to building a workplace where everyone can belong, be heard, and thrive. Come and make your mark at the world’s leading music company.