Senior Manager - R&D Tax (Technology & Science)

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 technically curious, scientifically literate Senior Manager to join our fast-growing R&D tax practice. This role is the technical engine of our R&D advisory. You’ll work at the intersection of innovation and tax, engaging directly with engineers, scientists, product teams, and CTOs to identify, interrogate, and articulate the qualifying R&D activities that underpin every claim.

Across a diverse portfolio, from AI-native startups and biotech firms to advanced manufacturing groups, you’ll lead technical interviews, author the scientific and technological narratives that form the backbone of claim reports, and ensure every qualifying project is captured and clearly articulated against the DSIT Guidelines and HMRC’s competent professional test. Working closely with Partners and the Tax & Costing team, you’ll shape how we leverage AI to improve technical documentation, knowledge capture, and narrative quality.

This is not a traditional report-writing role. You will be expected to bring genuine scientific curiosity, engage critically with complex R&D programmes, and actively build or improve AI-driven workflows that raise the standard of technical documentation and client delivery.

What You’ll Do

• Lead technical discovery across client engagements, conducting in-depth interviews with engineers, scientists, product managers, and R&D leaders to surface qualifying activities.

• Author and review compelling, HMRC-defensible technical narratives that clearly articulate the scientific or technological advance sought, the uncertainties faced, and why they could not be readily resolved by a competent professional in the field.

• Apply the DSIT Guidelines and HMRC’s Guidelines for Compliance (GfC) to accurately assess qualification across a wide range of sectors, including software engineering, AI/ML, life sciences, materials science, electronics, and advanced manufacturing.

• Critically evaluate whether client projects genuinely meet the threshold for an advance in overall knowledge or capability in a field of science or technology, rather than routine development or incremental commercial improvement.

• Build and maintain deep domain expertise across key sectors, staying current with emerging technologies to credibly engage with technical stakeholders.

• Work alongside the Tax & Costing team to ensure technical narratives and qualifying activities are fully aligned with the financial claim and AIF submission.

• Support HMRC enquiry defence by preparing and presenting robust technical arguments and attending HMRC meetings as the technical lead.

• Develop strong, trust-based relationships with senior technical stakeholders, including CTOs, Heads of Engineering, R&D Directors, and Chief Scientists.

• Provide leadership, coaching, and quality assurance to junior team members on technical writing, interview technique, and sector knowledge.

• Actively adopt, build, and improve AI-driven tools and workflows for technical discovery, narrative generation, and knowledge capture, in line with Unity’s culture of embedding AI across all workstreams.

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

What You'll Bring

• Significant experience writing and reviewing R&D tax technical narratives, ideally gained in a top-tier, or specialist R&D advisory firm.

• A strong scientific or technical background. A degree in a STEM discipline (computer science, engineering, physics, chemistry, life sciences, or similar) is highly desirable, or equivalent depth gained through hands-on R&D advisory experience.

• Demonstrated ability to engage credibly with deeply technical stakeholders, distilling complex innovations into clear, structured, and HMRC-compliant narratives aligned to the DSIT Guidelines.

• Strong understanding of HMRC’s definition of R&D for tax purposes, the competent professional test, the qualifying conditions, and the distinction between eligible and ineligible activities.

• Intellectual curiosity and comfort working across multiple sectors and technologies, from software and data engineering to biotech, cleantech, and advanced engineering.

• Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent engagements and deadlines.

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

• 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 technical 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.