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Our tax professionals draw on their comprehensive experience to deliver businesses industry-leading insights and innovation. Our tax services include advice on employment taxation and international tax, transaction support for mergers and acquisitions, VAT services, expatriate tax advice and more. There are always fresh challenges to face in the Tax team, from meeting evolving business needs to managing changes to legislation. We’ll support you all the way, with opportunities to share knowledge and perspectives at all levels. If you’re after a career that will excite and surprise you, we’ll give you the autonomy to drive your career forward.

Whatever your definition of success, we’ll support you to identify and achieve it. Together, we’ll contribute to the growth of both our clients, our teams and the firm.

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iconJob ID:
R21196
iconLocation:
Reading, United Kingdom; Bristol, United Kingdom
iconDate posted:
07 October 2026
iconCategory:
Tax

R&D Tax Software Assistant Manager

Ideas | People | Trust

We’re BDO. An accountancy and business advisory firm, providing the advice and solutions entrepreneurial organisations need to navigate today’s changing world.

We work with the companies that are Britain’s economic engine – ambitious, entrepreneurially-spirited and high‑growth businesses that fuel the economy - and directly advise the owners and management teams that lead them.

We’ll broaden your horizons

Working hard and working together, our Tax team thrives on keeping busy. Friendly, driven and diverse, they service our clients across the country and around the world. By providing expertise in many different specialist areas of tax, they collaborate across BDO to deliver wider business solutions. From meeting clients’ evolving business needs to managing changes to legislation, there are always fresh challenges to face in the Tax team. If you’re after a career that will keep you on your toes, we’ll give you the autonomy to drive your career forward.

We’ll help you succeed

Leading organisations trust us because of the quality of our advice. That quality grows from a thorough understanding of their business, and that understanding comes from working closely with them and building long-lasting relationships.

You’ll be someone who is both comfortable working proactively and managing your own tasks, as well as confident collaborating with others and communicating regularly with senior managers, directors, and BDO’s partners to help businesses effectively. You’ll be encouraged to identify and draw attention to opportunities for enhancing our delivery and providing additional services to organisations we work with.

Role Overview

The firm's specialist Innovation & Technology Group comprises engineers, software programmers and scientists as well as specialist finance professionals such as auditors and tax accountants all of whom are experienced in claiming R&D tax relief. The Innovation and Technology team provide the following services:

  • Claiming R&D tax relief
  • R&D Allowances (RDAs)
  • Grants
  • International R&D relief
  • Patent Box

The successful candidate will get the opportunity to work as part of the wider Corporate Tax team, in a diverse team of highly successful tax and industry specialists. The Corporate Tax team provides bespoke taxation services to its clients and deals with all queries from basic compliance through to high-level advisory work. It prepares tax returns and computations, carries out tax planning/consultancy work, and deals with HMRC, clients and third parties.

This is a client facing role where the consultant will be working with customers primarily in the technology and software sector. A key aspect for this role will be the ability to translate complex ideas into non-technical concepts and communicate these to a broad client base.

Key Skills and Qualifications

When you join us, we’ll make your growth our priority. If you can demonstrate the following skills, we can help you go far. We are looking for someone with:

  • A recognised university degree (MSc/MEng and/or PhD) in a field of Information Technology or Computer Software, with demonstrable work experience in your chosen industry as an engineer, scientist, or technical role, with a good sector knowledge.
  • Experience working with software clients or software related R&D tax claims as an R&D tax practitioner, with strong sector knowledge.
  • Experience in dealing with technological challenges faced by industry professionals, such as software architectural design, the enhancement or improvement of software development processes, development of new tools/APIs and improvement to existing tools/APIs.
  • Excellent communication (both spoken and written), curiosity, awareness and an interest in the fields of science, technology and innovation.
  • Interact readily with other technical professionals, have outstanding interpersonal skills and excel in eloquence and concise summary of information.
  • Strong attention to detail and first-time accuracy is essential, as well as an interest in project and company finances, strong numerical ability and the application of tax treatment.
  • Proactive in the approach to new work opportunities, whilst being a team player and having an ability to work on own initiative.
  • Ability to project a professional, credible image, trustworthy and able to maintain strict confidentiality.
  • Ability to travel to clients' premises for meetings and on-site reviews as well as other offices as needed.

You’ll be able to be yourself; we’ll recognise and value you for who you are and celebrate and reward your contributions to the business. We’re committed to agile working, and we offer everyone the opportunity to work in ways that suit them, their teams, and the task in hand.

At BDO, we’ll help you achieve your personal goals and career ambitions, and we have programmes, resources, and frameworks that provide clarity and structure around career development.

We’re in it together

Mutual support and respect is one of BDO’s core values and we’re proud of our distinctive, people-centred culture. From informal success conversations to formal mentoring and coaching, we’ll support you at every stage in your career, whatever your personal and professional needs.

Our agile working framework helps us stay connected, bringing teams together where and when it counts so they can share ideas and help one another. At BDO, you’ll always have access to the people and resources you need to do your best work.

We know that collaboration is the key to creating value for the companies we work with and satisfying experiences for our colleagues, so we’ve invested in state-of-the-art collaboration spaces in our offices. BDO’s people represent a wealth of knowledge and expertise, and we’ll encourage you to build your network, work alongside others, and share your skills and experiences. With a range of multidisciplinary events and dedicated resources, you’ll never stop learning at BDO.

We’re looking forward to the future

At BDO, we help entrepreneurial businesses to succeed, fuelling the UK economy. Our success is powered by our people, which is why we’re always finding new ways to invest in you. Across the UK thousands of unique minds continue to come together to help companies we work with to achieve their ambitions

We’ve got a clear purpose, and we’re confident in our future, because we’re adapting and evolving to build on our strengths, ensuring we continue to find the right combination of global reach, integrity and expertise. We shape the future together with openness and clarity, because we believe in empowering people to think creatively about how we can do things better.

Apply now

Success Profile

What makes a successful R&D Tax Software Assistant Manager? Check out the traits we’re looking for and see if you have the right skill level.

  • Business thinking
  • Communicating
  • Decision making
  • Developing self & others
  • Collaborating
  • Innovation & Change

Our culture at BDO

We’re a thriving business that is respectful and client-focused while remaining firmly anchored in our core purpose – helping you succeed. Our Unifying Culture encourages us to be ourselves, to be inspired, challenged, collaborative and ultimately successful.

Career Path

Your career is what you make of it at BDO. Whether you want to move into a leadership position within Tax or grow your portfolio of skills and become an expert in your field, we’ll support you all the way.

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Move Up

We’ll give you access to team recognition, financial benefits and career progression opportunities that align with your interests and ambitions.

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Explore new areas

You can test some possibilities before committing to a permanent change. Knowing your alternatives gives you more control over your career.

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Grow in place

Master new skills and build productive relationships, deepening your knowledge, experience and specialism.

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Realign

Redesign work to fit your changing personal needs including reducing your responsibilities or workload in order to better balance your lifestyle.

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Move across

Identify other positions or areas of the business that better fit your skills, values or interests.

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Relocate

Investigate suitable roles available in other BDO offices, both in the UK and internationally.

Meet Darren a Senior Tax Manager

Darren shares his journey so far, and how BDO has helped him to succeed both professionally and personally.

Rewards & Benefits

We offer a wide range of core and voluntary benefits, with a few examples below.

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Health and Wellness Programmes

We promote a positive working environment where our people can thrive.

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Pension Plan

A Group Personal Pension Plan, with matched employer contributions.

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Private Medical

Access to private medical treatment for you and your family.

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Income Protection Plan

Provides a proportion of your basic salary if you suffer a loss of earnings because of illness or injury.

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Holidays

Our holiday benefit enables you to purchase up to 10 days of additional leave.

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Bike to work scheme

A convenient, environmentally friendly and tax-effective way to acquire a bike for travelling to and from work.