Senior Lead Tax Compliance (all genders)

Zalando GmbH; Berlin; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27 days holiday

Fashion and beauty discounts

Company pension

Employee shares

Wellbeing options

Mental health support

Volunteer days

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Zalando GmbH in Berlin seeks a Senior Lead to own and optimize tax compliance across the group, reporting to the Tax Director and working with international experts.

You will drive processes, ERP integrations (SAP S/4HANA), and automation, manage external advisers, and ensure VAT and direct tax compliance with evolving European tax rules. This on-site role requires 3 days per week in Berlin and offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Taxation, Law, Economics, Business Administration or a professional Tax/VAT adviser qualification.
• 10+ years of tax experience in in-house or international advisory/auditing firms with VAT and direct tax oversight.
• Experience leading tax projects including ERP tax integrations and technology rollouts.
• Strong ERP and tax reporting tool proficiency; SAP S/4HANA preferred; AMANA GTC advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Own the accurate and timely fulfillment of all statutory tax reporting for Zalando entities.
• Serve as primary liaison for internal and external stakeholders on tax matters, managing external advisers.
• Collaborate to formulate tax policies and integrate European tax regulations.
• Lead ERP and tax system implementations, translating advisory requirements into scalable workflows.
• Drive continual improvement of tax systems and processes, enabling automation and digitisation.

Skills

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

English fluency

German fluency

Autonomous work

Education

Master’s degree or equivalent

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

AMANA GTC

Job description

Are you an accomplished and visionary tax professional ready to make a significant impact? We are seeking a highly skilled Senior Lead (all genders) to join Zalando’s Group Tax Department in Berlin, leading the tax compliance team and taking full ownership of all tax compliance processes in the group, working alongside an international team of experts in direct and indirect taxation.

Reporting directly to the Director of Tax and serving as a key member of the Tax Leadership Team, you will assume end-to-end ownership of tax compliance processes and operations, including vendor management of external advisers. In this role, you will drive process optimisation, tax technology implementation, and automation initiatives within a fast-paced e-commerce environment.

WHAT WE’D LOVE YOU TO DO (AND LOVE DOING)

• Take complete ownership of the accurate, complete, and timely fulfillment of all statutory tax reporting obligations across Zalando entities while maintaining robust internal controls.
• Serve as the primary liaison for internal and external stakeholders on all tax compliance topics, effectively managing relationships with external tax advisors and service providers.
• Collaborate closely with the tax advisory team and key business partners to formulate tax policies and seamlessly integrate evolving European tax regulations.
• Lead the operational execution and system implementation for critical initiatives, including ERP enhancements and tax integrations, translating technical advisory requirements into scalable workflows.
• Drive continuous review and enhancement of internal tax systems and operational processes to ensure alignment with industry best practices.
• Optimise, automate, and digitise tax compliance workflows through strong cross-functional collaboration, supporting broader strategic Zalando Group initiatives.
• Master’s degree in Taxation, Law, Economics, Business Administration, or a professional qualification as a certified Tax / VAT adviser.
• Minimum of 10+ years of relevant tax experience within an in-house tax function or international advisory/auditing firm, demonstrating deep practical experience in VAT reporting and direct tax compliance oversight.
• Proven track record of leading complex, large-scale tax projects, including tax technology rollouts, regulatory implementations, and ERP indirect tax integrations.
• Strong proficiency in ERP systems (preferably SAP S/4HANA) and tax reporting tools; practical experience with AMANA GTC is highly advantageous.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to manage complex workloads autonomously and work effectively as a collaborative team player.
• Fluency in both written and spoken English and German is required.
• Willingness to work on-site at our Berlin office for a minimum of 3 days per week to engage directly with team members and key stakeholders.

OUR OFFER

Zalando provides a range of benefits, here’s an overview of what you can expect. Ask your Talent Acquisition Partner to learn more about what we offer.

• 27 days of holiday a year to start for full-time employees (+1 day for every calendar year up to 30 days)
• 40% off fashion and beauty products sold and shipped by Zalando, 30% off Lounge by Zalando, discounts from external partners
• Family support, including counselling and dedicated services for parents and carers
• Company pension scheme
• Employee shares programme
• Health and wellbeing options, including Wellhub
• Mental health support and coaching
• Development through our training platform and biannual peer-to-peer review
• 2 paid volunteering days a year
• Relocation asistencia (subject to prior agreement)

INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN

At Zalando, our vision is to be the leading European technology platform for fashion and lifestyle – one that thrives on diversity and is truly inclusive by design. We believe that diverse teams fuel innovation and creativity, and we actively seek out talent from all backgrounds.

We actively seek to reduce bias in our hiring and employment processes, focusing on your qualifications, skills, and contributions. To support this, we kindly ask that you refrain from including personal details such as your photo, age, or marital status in your CV, ensuring a fair and equitable evaluation based solely on your abilities and potential.

We are committed to providing an exceptional and accessible candidate experience for everyone. If you require any accommodations to support you throughout the hiring process, please let us know – we are here to assist you.