Job Description

What's the role about?

Head of Tax - Europe

Full Time, Permanent

Salary: up to £100,000 per annum + annual company bonus

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Location: Winnersh, Berkshire RG41 (Hybrid)We are seeking a Head of Tax (Europe) to serve as our principal internal advisor. This isn't a back-office function; you will be a strategic business partner to the CFO and Board, navigating complex cross-border transactions, shareholder-level tax matters, and high-stakes HMRC governance.

Are you a strategic tax leader who prefers the complexity of M&A and global structuring over the routine of filing cycles? If you thrive on big picture structuring and have the technical authority to lead tax controversy at the highest level, this is your next career chapter.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Lead Architect of Strategy: You won't just monitor tax; you will design the framework. From reorganisations and M&A to capital planning and dividend flows, you’ll lead the tax structuring that fuels our global expansion.
• Executive Business Partnering: Act as the "Tax Voice" in the room for the CFO and Director of Financial Control. You’ll embed tax intelligence into our commercial models and operating structures, ensuring our growth is both efficient and compliant.
• HMRC & Regulatory Governance: Serve as our primary liaison with HMRC. You will manage audits and enquiries with a calm, authoritative presence, maintaining our reputation for integrity and ethical engagement.
• European Oversight: Ensure our European operations are harmonized. This includes overseeing transfer pricing frameworks, management recharges, and providing technical support to our regional entities.
• Advisory Management: You’ll be the gatekeeper for external advice; evaluating, challenging, and aligning the input from top-tier firms to ensure it fits our specific risk appetite and business goals.

What You'll Bring to the Role:

You are a seasoned tax professional who balances technical law with commercial pragmatism. You likely come from a Big 4 or Top-Tier advisory background (Director or Senior Manager level) and are ready to own the function in-house.

• CTA, ACA, or ATT with commensurate experience in Corporate Tax, VAT, WHT, and Transfer Pricing.
• You have a proven track record in UK and international cross-border structuring and shareholder planning.
• You’ve sat across the table from HMRC in high-stakes negotiations and audits, and you know how to manage those relationships with discretion and professionalism.
• You are proficient in tax reporting under IFRS and UK GAAP and comfortable navigating ERP systems.
• You don’t wait for directions. You set them. You are proactive, analytical, and capable of distilling complicated tax jargon into concise, actionable advice for the Board.

Why Join Us?This role offers the rare opportunity to move away from the compliance and focus almost entirely on value-add advisory and transactional work. You will have the autonomy to drive improvements, the influence to shape group strategy, and the challenge of managing a truly international footprint.

What We’ll Offer You:

• Competitive salary + annual company bonus
• Benefits include: Pension (4%), Medicash, Life Assurance, Electric Vehicle Scheme, GymFlex, WeCare ERP, Perkbox, Taste Card.
• 24 days annual leave + bank holidays (increasing 1 day per year up to 29 days)
• Ongoing support to enable you to fulfil your role to the best of your potential.
• Opportunity to work in a dynamic and innovative environment.
• Career growth and development opportunities.
• Supportive and inclusive company culture.

If you have the technical rigour and the leadership presence we’re looking for, we’d love to hear from you. Apply today - our Recruitment Team look forward to speaking to you.

Respectfully no recruitment agencies.

More about us...

Smollan is a full-service retail solutions partner with over 90 years of heritage, helping brands win at the point of purchase. Operating across 61 countries, we are trusted by over 500 global and local brands and employ more than 90,000 people. Our purpose is to create growth and transform lives by connecting people to products and possibilities.

We deliver intelligent, end-to-end retail execution and experiences across the physical and digital landscape, directed by data and powered by technology and people. Our capabilities include Sales & Merchandising, Activations & Experiences, and Data & Technology. Smollan grows brands by growing people, creating value for clients and impact for consumers every day.

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