Leonid Group is privileged and exited to be retained on a senior leadership search with a major manufacturing company in Berlin. They are looking to hire a Head of Tax, to run their German and broader European Tax division, with an international reporting structure.
The Role
- Lead the development and ongoing enhancement of the German and European tax compliance strategy, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and maintaining the company’s reputation as a fiscally responsible organization.
- Advise senior management on tax structuring and strategic planning, including the preparation of tax plans to optimize the company’s financial position.
- Collaborate with the global tax team to refine and implement long-term tax strategies across all tax types, ensuring process efficiency and compliance.
- Oversee the European tax strategy, defining process requirements and optimizing tax positions to support business objectives.
- Manage the optimization of direct taxes and VAT in Germany, identifying opportunities to reduce the company’s overall tax burden while ensuring full compliance.
- Prepare tax budgets and forecasts in accordance with IFRS, supporting tax accounting and financial reporting for quarterly and annual statements.
- Oversee and manage tax audits, including direct tax, VAT, payroll tax, insurance tax, and property tax, ensuring favorable outcomes for key business operations.
- Monitor and mitigate tax risks, assessing legislative changes and their potential impact on the organization.
- Develop and implement tax audit guidelines, including best practices for compliance, digital audits, and regulatory reporting.
- Lead and coordinate internal and external tax audits, ensuring transparency, compliance, and risk mitigation.
- Support company-wide tax initiatives and cross-functional tax projects, working closely with global teams to implement strategic tax solutions.
The Candidate
- Master’s degree in Taxation, Finance, Accounting, Law, or a related field.
- Certified Tax Advisor (Steuerberater) qualification in Germany is highly preferred.
- 10+ years of tax experience, preferably in a senior tax leadership role within a multinational corporation or Big 4 firm.
- Extensive knowledge of German tax law, including direct and indirect taxes (corporate income tax, VAT, payroll tax, insurance tax, property tax).
- Experience with transfer pricing regulations and BEPS compliance.
- Strong experience working with (and preferably negotiating on) advanced pricing agreements with international entities and partners
- Experience with European tax frameworks and international tax regulations, including cross-border tax structuring.
- Proven expertise in tax compliance, planning, and risk management within a complex corporate environment.
- Prior experience working with German and European tax authorities, managing audits, and handling disputes.
- Strong understanding of IFRS and tax accounting principles, including tax reporting and budgeting.
- Proficiency in SAP, tax technology tools, and data analytics for tax reporting and compliance.
- Ability to develop and implement tax strategies to optimize tax positions while ensuring full compliance.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to align tax planning with broader business objectives.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, working closely with C-suite executives, finance teams, and external tax authorities.
- Ability to lead and develop a tax team, fostering a high-performance culture.
- Fluent in English, with a preference for German professional competency (additional European language skills would be a plus.