EMEA Indirect Tax Manager

EMEA Indirect Tax Manager

• Location: Chester, Cheshire – Hybrid (2–3 days per week in the office)
• Salary: £75,000–£96,000 + bonus + excellent benefits
• Working Hours: Full-time
• Languages: English fluent, additional European languages advantageous

The Opportunity
Our client is a high growth, global organisation with a significant presence across multiple EMEA markets. As the business continues to expand internationally, it is looking to appoint an experienced EMEA Indirect Tax Manager to take ownership of indirect tax compliance, risk management and advisory activity across the region.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced VAT / Indirect Tax professional who wants more than a purely compliance-focused position. You will combine technical indirect tax expertise with stakeholder management, people leadership, advisory support and process transformation, working closely with finance teams, senior stakeholders and external advisers across multiple EMEA jurisdictions.
The Role
Reporting to senior finance leadership, you will be responsible for managing indirect tax compliance and risk across the EMEA region, ensuring the business remains compliant while identifying opportunities to improve processes, controls and tax efficiency. You will act as a key point of contact for local finance teams and external tax advisers, providing technical guidance and ensuring that indirect tax requirements are understood and delivered consistently across the region.
Key Responsibilities

• Take ownership of EMEA indirect tax compliance, ensuring accurate and timely VAT and indirect tax reporting across multiple jurisdictions.
• Prepare, review and oversee indirect tax returns across the EMEA region.
• Review VAT reconciliations, General Ledger accounts and supporting documentation to ensure the accuracy and completeness of indirect tax reporting.
• Prepare and review detailed VAT packs supporting local filings and demonstrating compliance with relevant regulations.
• Manage relationships with external tax advisers and local finance stakeholders.
• Support and manage tax authority enquiries, VAT audits and other indirect tax investigations, ensuring issues are resolved effectively and within deadlines.
• Monitor changes in VAT and indirect tax legislation across EMEA and assess their impact on the business.
• Provide ad hoc indirect tax advice on business and supply-chain changes, helping the organisation remain compliant while identifying opportunities to improve tax efficiency.
• Partner with teams including Accounts Payable, Order to Cash, Finance and Operations to strengthen end-to-end indirect tax processes and controls.
• Prepare indirect tax budgets, forecasts and related management information.
• Lead, coach and develop junior tax professionals, supporting their technical and professional development.
• Identify opportunities to standardise, streamline and automate indirect tax processes across EMEA.
• Support broader international tax projects and initiatives as required.

Candidate profile

• Fluent English. Additional European language skills would be an advantage but are not essential
• Significant experience in indirect tax / VAT, ideally gained within a multinational, international professional services firm or complex corporate environment.
• Strong practical experience managing VAT compliance across multiple jurisdictions, ideally within EMEA.
• Experience preparing and reviewing VAT returns, reconciliations, VAT packs and supporting documentation.
• Experience dealing with tax authorities, VAT enquiries and audits.
• Strong knowledge of indirect tax compliance, controls and reporting requirements.
• The ability to identify the indirect tax implications of changes to business models, supply chains and commercial arrangements.
• Strong stakeholder-management skills and the confidence to work with finance teams, senior management and external advisers across different countries.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical tax matters clearly to non tax stakeholders.
• Experience coaching, mentoring or managing junior tax professionals.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills, with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple jurisdictions and competing deadlines.
• A proactive approach to identifying process improvements and opportunities for greater automation and standardisation.
• A professional tax or accountancy qualification such as CTA, ACA, ACCA or equivalent is highly desirable.
• Experience with SAP and/or OneSource Indirect Tax would be advantageous.

Salary and Benefits
£75,000–£96,000 base salary, depending on experience

• Annual bonus
• Long-Term Incentive Plan eligibility
• Private family healthcare
• Attractive pension scheme
• Hybrid working – approximately 50% home / 50% office
• 26 days' annual leave plus bank holidays
• Festive shutdown
• Career development and professional qualification support
• Modern office facilities
• Onsite benefits and parking
• The opportunity to work within an international, high-growth organisation

Apply
This is a particularly attractive opportunity for an experienced EMEA VAT / Indirect Tax professional looking to take greater ownership and broaden their international exposure. If you are an experienced Indirect Tax Manager, VAT Manager, EMEA VAT Specialist or Senior VAT professional looking for a broader international role with significant ownership and visibility, this could be an excellent next step.
For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please send your CV to Jonathan Grimes at The Language Business
All enquiries will be treated in the strictest confidence

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