Business Rates Manager Application Deadline: 1 January 2027 Department: Finance Employment Type: Full Time Location: London Reporting To: Charlotte Cywinski Description About The Arch Company The Arch Company is one of the UK’s largest owners of commercial property, managing a unique portfolio of railway arches and associated properties across the country. Our properties provide space for thousands of businesses across a diverse range of sectors, from independent retailers and creative businesses to logistics, automotive and industrial occupiers. We are looking for an experienced Business Rates Manager to take ownership of business rates across a large and diverse commercial property portfolio. The Role As Business Rates Manager, you will be responsible for the effective management of business rates across The Arch Company's property portfolio. You will play a key role in ensuring the business maintains accurate rates liabilities, identifies opportunities to reduce costs, manages relationships with external advisors and local authorities, and provides expert advice to internal stakeholders. This is a hands-on role suited to someone who understands the UK business rates system and is comfortable operating across a large commercial property portfolio. Key Accountabilities Key Responsibilities Take overall responsibility for the management of business rates across the property portfolio. Manage and monitor business rates liabilities, ensuring accuracy and compliance. Review rates assessments, bills and valuations and identify opportunities for savings and mitigation. Manage the relationship with external business rates consultants, valuers and other professional advisors. Liaise with local authorities and the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) on rating matters. Review and challenge assessments where appropriate, including appeals and reductions in rateable value. Monitor changes to business rates legislation, government policy and valuation methodology and assess their impact on the business. Provide expert business rates advice to property, asset management, finance and leasing teams. Support property acquisitions, disposals, developments, lease events and other transactions where business rates advice is required. Review the business rates implications of vacant properties, occupation changes, refurbishments and redevelopment. Maintain accurate business rates records and ensure relevant property and rating data is up to date. Monitor expenditure and identify opportunities to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the rates function. Prepare regular reports, forecasts and analysis for senior stakeholders. Support annual budgeting and forecasting for business rates expenditure. Identify risks and opportunities within the portfolio and proactively recommend solutions. Ensure appropriate governance and controls are in place around business rates management. Work collaboratively with Finance, Property Management, Asset Management, Leasing and other internal teams. Skills, Knowledge and Experience About You We're looking for someone with strong technical knowledge of UK business rates and experience managing rates across a commercial property portfolio. You'll ideally have: Significant experience in business rates / non-domestic rates within a commercial property environment. Strong understanding of the UK business rates system, including rateable values, multipliers, reliefs, appeals and billing. Experience working with the Valuation Office Agency and local authorities. Experience managing external consultants and professional advisors. Strong analytical and numerical skills, with the ability to interrogate large datasets and identify anomalies or opportunities. Experience working with property, finance and asset management teams. Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex rates issues clearly to non-specialists. Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities across a large portfolio. A proactive approach, with the confidence to challenge existing processes and identify opportunities for improvement. Strong attention to detail and a high level of commercial awareness. Desirable Experience working within a large commercial property portfolio. Experience across mixed-use, retail, industrial or railway/transport-related property. Experience managing business rates appeals and negotiations. Relevant professional qualification or membership of a property/rating professional body. Experience with property management or business rates software and large property datasets. Experience of working through changes to the UK business rates regime. What You'll Bring Technical expertise – You understand business rates and can act as the internal subject-matter expert. Commercial thinking – You can identify opportunities to reduce costs and understand the wider commercial implications of rating decisions. Influence – You're comfortable working with senior stakeholders, external advisors, councils and the VOA. Ownership – You take responsibility for the rates position across the portfolio rather than simply managing individual cases. Analytical thinking – You can work with large amounts of property and financial data and turn it into meaningful insight. Collaboration – You enjoy working across property, finance and wider business teams. Why Join The Arch Company? This is an opportunity to join a distinctive UK real estate business with a highly diverse property portfolio. You will have significant exposure across the organisation and the opportunity to make a tangible commercial impact through effective management of the business rates position. The role offers the opportunity to work alongside experienced property, asset management and finance professionals while developing your expertise within a unique commercial property environment.