Senior Tax Lead: Indirect & Direct (EMEA) in London

Senior Lead Tax Specialist (Indirect and Direct Tax) responsible for managing all aspects of the indirect and direct tax lifecycle.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead indirect and direct tax matters, including transfer pricing, PE risk, withholding tax, and regulatory developments such as BEPS and Pillar Two for various projects (business, restructuring, etc.).
• Oversee and administer direct and indirect tax compliance for EMEA entities to ensure timely, accurate filings in line with local tax laws.
• Provide tax support to business and other functions for activities such as business transactions, new business models, and legal entity setups.
• Govern BPO performance and internal controls: set and review KPIs, SLAs, maintain the European tax compliance calendar, and ensure quality of outsourced deliverables.
• Support senior management on tax-related matters, including the tax service budget.
• Manage relationships with local governments and tax authorities.
• Act as a cross‑functional finance partner, delivering tax and treasury expertise to FP&A, Financial Control, and Indirect Tax & Procurement teams while driving automation and efficiency improvements with Operational Excellence.

Indirect Tax Declarations

• Accurately prepare and file VAT returns, Intrastat filings, and other indirect tax deliverables.
• Maintain statutory deadlines, ensuring timely preparation, payment initiation, and internal approvals.
• Amend prior returns to correct past errors and obtain appropriate refunds.
• Ensure indirect taxes are collected and remitted accurately, timely, and efficiently.

Compliance, Audits & Policies

• Research and verify tax rates and codes.
• Keep up to date with current tax policies and upcoming legislative changes.
• Monitor tax authority websites and maintain related documentation.
• Assist with or manage tax and statutory audits, preparing files and explanations.
• Support the team with audit queries from tax authorities.

Process Improvements & Automation

• Assist and implement automation initiatives.
• Collaborate with other departments to prevent or resolve indirect tax issues.
• Recommend process improvements.
• Write, analyze, and update tax software.

Corporate Income Tax (CIT) Management

• Oversee and quality‑control CIT compliance across European jurisdictions with BPO partners.
• Review and approve tax returns and computations prepared by the BPO.
• Monitor and manage the effective tax rate (ETR) and report regularly to senior management.
• Lead responses to tax authority inquiries and audits in coordination with the BPO.
• Conduct risk assessments on tax positions and communicate findings to stakeholders.

International Tax & Transfer Pricing

• Implement and monitor group transfer pricing policies across Europe in alignment with the global tax team.
• Advise on international tax matters, including PE risk, withholding tax, and treaty application.
• Track developments in BEPS, Pillar Two, and other international tax regulations and assess business impact.
• Oversee compliance of intercompany transactions, including royalties, service fees, and loans.
• Support tax due diligence and structuring for new market entries and business model changes.

Cross‑functional Collaboration

• Provide ETR and tax cost inputs to FP&A for budgeting and forecasting.
• Partner with Financial Control on tax accounting and delegated tax assets/liabilities.
• Liaise with Legal and Compliance on regulatory and governance matters.

Your Experience

• Minimum ten years of experience in indirect and direct tax areas.
• Multi‑country VAT/customs experience across Europe, including the UK.
• Tax qualification or equivalent professional qualification required.
• Preferred background in retail or FMCG industry.
• Hands‑on experience maintaining and supporting indirect and direct tax to ensure efficiency.
• Strong communication skills (oral and written).
• Commercially minded, proactive, action‑oriented.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.
• Owns cost and risk, committed to delivering results.
• Interpersonal savvy and adaptability to diverse backgrounds.
• Prioritization skills and sense of urgency.
• Advanced Excel/Microsoft Office skills.
• SAP experience preferred.

Disclaimer

The duties and responsibilities described are not a comprehensive list and additional tasks may be assigned or the scope may change as business needs dictate.