Tax Manager - Europe
Location: Hertfordshire, UK
Reporting to: Senior Manager and AVP Finance Director
Salary up to £90k base salary + bonus
The Opportunity
Morgan McKinley is working in partnership a leading international client, to recruit a Tax Manager for its UK Home Office in Hertfordshire.
This is a newly created role within a growing and increasingly complex European tax environment. You will lead tax compliance across five European markets with responsibility spanning VAT, corporate tax, transfer pricing and the UK Senior Accounting Officer regime.
Reporting to the Senior Manager and AVP Finance Director, you will lead a team of in-country tax specialists, oversee regional tax compliance, and work closely with colleagues across Finance, Legal, Buying, the US Tax team and external advisers. You will play a key role in strengthening tax governance, enhancing controls and ensuring compliance with local legislation and regulatory requirements across the region.
This role would suit an experienced tax professional with strong technical expertise, proven people-management skills and the ability to operate effectively across multiple jurisdictions in a fast-paced, international business.
Key Responsibilities
- European Tax Compliance and Governance
- Take ownership of the regional tax compliance calendar, ensuring all statutory filings, tax returns and payments are completed accurately and within deadlines across the UK, France, Spain, Sweden and Iceland.
- Lead, manage and develop a team of in-country tax specialists, providing technical guidance, day-to-day support and performance oversight.
- Review and approve VAT returns and other statutory tax filings across all five jurisdictions.
- Oversee VAT classification for new products and conduct quarterly reviews of product VAT rates, working closely with the Buying team to minimise compliance risks and identify opportunities to manage VAT liabilities appropriately.
- Prepare or review corporate tax computations, returns and payments, including UK quarterly instalment payments.
- Oversee tax provisions and deferred tax calculations for local statutory accounts, supporting the US Tax team with group tax reporting requirements, including Pillar Two.
- Maintain local transfer pricing documentation and support the preparation of the group master file in collaboration with the US Tax team.
- Review intercompany transactions and agreements to ensure appropriate tax treatment, compliance and supporting documentation.
- Support the UK Senior Accounting Officer (SAO) process, ensuring appropriate tax accounting arrangements, controls and documentation are maintained.
- Contribute to the preparation and publication of the UK tax strategy.
- Develop, implement and maintain regional tax policies and procedures that promote consistency while addressing local legislative requirements.
- Act as a key point of contact for tax authorities across the region, managing enquiries, audits and requests for information in a proactive and professional manner.
- Manage relationships with external tax advisers, seeking technical guidance where required.
- Monitor changes in tax legislation and regulation across all five jurisdictions, assessing their potential impact on business operations and ensuring appropriate action is taken.
- Stakeholder Management and Continuous Improvement
- Partner with Finance teams across Europe to understand local compliance requirements, address emerging risks and ensure appropriate resources are in place.
- Work collaboratively with the US Tax team, Legal, Buying and other internal stakeholders on tax-related matters, including contractual arrangements and regulatory requirements.
- Drive the identification, development and implementation of systems and applications that streamline tax compliance, improve reporting and strengthen tax controls.
- Identify opportunities to standardise processes, enhance governance and improve the efficiency and accuracy of regional tax operations.
- Provide clear, concise updates to the AVP Finance Director on tax compliance, key risks, emerging issues and relevant legislative developments.
- Communicate complex tax matters in a practical and accessible way to colleagues across the business, supporting informed decision-making and greater tax awareness.
Skills and Experience - Essential Requirements
- A recognised tax or accountancy qualification, such as CTA, ACA, ACCA or equivalent, or substantial relevant experience gained in a multi-jurisdictional tax role.
- Demonstrable experience managing VAT compliance across multiple European jurisdictions.
- Proven experience managing and developing a team.
- Strong technical knowledge of UK tax compliance, particularly VAT, corporation tax and the Senior Accounting Officer (SAO) regime.
- Experience overseeing multiple tax compliance processes and statutory deadlines across different jurisdictions.
- The ability to develop and implement tax policies, procedures and controls.
- Strong analytical skills and advanced Excel proficiency.
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise competing deadlines and manage complex workloads effectively.
- Strong communication and stakeholder-management skills, with the confidence to engage with senior leaders, internal teams, external advisers and tax authorities.
- The ability to explain complex tax issues clearly to non-tax specialists.
- A proactive, solutions-focused approach, with the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, international business environment.
Desirable Experience
- Experience working within a large retail, wholesale or similarly complex multinational organisation.
- Knowledge of international transfer pricing, group tax reporting and Pillar Two requirements.
- Experience implementing tax technology, improving compliance processes or strengthening tax control frameworks.
- Additional European language skills: French, Spanish or Swedish.
