Senior Manager - R&D Tax (Tax & Costing)

Unity Advisory is a pure-play, experience-led CFO advisory firm providing integrated finance, commercial, tax and deals support. We are free from audit conflicts and AI-enabled by design, combining deep technical expertise with automation, analytics and AI built into the delivery of every engagement. We are building an alternative to traditional advisory firms, focused on clarity over complexity, outcomes over hours, and practical advice delivered at pace for CFOs making high-consequence decisions.

The Role

We’re looking for a commercially sharp, technically rigorous Senior Manager to join our fast-growing R&D tax practice. This role sits at the heart of claim delivery, owning the financial and tax-technical dimensions of every engagement, from cost identification and apportionment through to HMRC-ready computations and submissions.

You’ll lead the quantification of R&D expenditure across a varied portfolio of clients, from scaling tech companies to large enterprise groups, ensuring claims are robust, defensible, and fully optimised within the boundaries of HMRC guidance. Working closely with Partners and the Technology & Science team, you’ll bring analytical precision to complex cost structures and play a central role in shaping how we embed AI and automation into our costing and compliance workflows.

This is not a pure compliance role. You will be expected to think critically about how R&D tax costing is done today, challenge legacy methodologies, and actively build or improve AI-driven workflows that raise the bar on efficiency, accuracy, and client experience.

What You’ll Do

• Own the end-to-end financial and tax-technical delivery of R&D tax claims, including cost identification, apportionment, computation, CT600 adjustments, and HMRC submission.

• Analyse client cost bases to identify and quantify qualifying direct and indirect R&D expenditure under the merged RDEC scheme and the Enhanced R&D Intensive Support (ERIS) regime.

• Lead detailed cost reviews with finance teams, interrogating trial balances, payroll data, subcontractor arrangements, cloud computing and data licence costs, and overhead allocation methodologies.

• Navigate the complexities of the merged scheme, including the overseas expenditure restrictions, PAYE/NIC cap mechanics, subsidised expenditure rules, and claim notification requirements.

• Prepare and review robust claim reports and supporting schedules that withstand HMRC enquiry, including the Additional Information Form (AIF).

• Stay ahead of legislative and case-law developments, advising clients on their practical impact and adjusting claim strategies accordingly.

• Work alongside the Technology & Science team to ensure qualifying activity narratives and cost schedules are fully aligned.

• Manage HMRC enquiries and voluntary disclosures, acting as the primary tax-technical point of contact.

• Develop and maintain trust-based senior client relationships, advising CFOs, Group Tax Directors, and Financial Controllers.

• Provide leadership, coaching, and technical oversight to junior team members on costing methodology and tax compliance.

• Actively adopt, build, and improve AI-driven tools and workflows for cost analysis, claim computation, and compliance, in line with Unity’s culture of embedding AI across all workstreams.

• • Contribute to business development, pricing strategy, thought leadership, and go-to-market initiatives.

What You Bring

• Deep expertise in the tax and financial mechanics of UK R&D tax relief, including RDEC, ERIS, cost categorisation, and CT600 treatment, ideally gained in a Big 4, top-tier, or specialist R&D advisory firm.

• Proven ability to navigate complex corporate cost structures, group recharges, subcontractor chains, and multi-entity claim scenarios.

• Strong working knowledge of HMRC’s R&D compliance framework, enquiry processes, and the Additional Information Form.

• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent claims across varying industries and deadlines.

• Exceptional stakeholder management, with confidence advising senior finance and tax leaders.

• ACA, CTA, ATT qualified or equivalent practical experience.

• A genuine enthusiasm for AI and technology, with a willingness to adopt, experiment with, and help build AI-enabled advisory tools. You do not need to be a developer, but you should be excited by what AI can do for R&D tax delivery and keen to be part of shaping it.

• Collaborative, entrepreneurial mindset with a genuine appetite to help build a next-generation advisory firm.

Working at Unity Advisory

We offer a hybrid and highly flexible working environment, centred around outcomes and impact. As a Senior Manager at Unity Advisory, you’ll be empowered to take ownership, drive innovation, and shape the future of R&D tax advisory in a firm that values modernity over legacy.

Additional Information

At Unity Advisory, we are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, we will accommodate any suitable candidate requiring assistance to attend or conduct an interview. If you need any adjustments or support, please let us know when either scheduling your interview or in your application cover letter. We are dedicated to ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed and are here to support you throughout the process.

PLEASE NOTE: We do not accept unsolicited CVs from third-party agencies.