GROUP TAX MANAGER - COMPLIANCE & ADVISORY

Ariston Education; Madrid; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Ariston Education seeks an accomplished Group Tax Manager to provide broad tax support across regions, focusing on compliance oversight, cash repatriation, ventures and acquisitions, and post-integration planning. The role partners with finance, legal and external advisers, reporting to the Group Head of Tax in a dynamic, international setting.

Applicants should have 8+ years of tax experience, exposure to Big 4 environments, and strong English/Spanish communication skills.

Qualifications

• Recognised tax qualification with a minimum of 8 years' experience.
• Broad corporate tax experience across compliance, cross-border advisory, tax risk management and transaction support.
• Good knowledge of international tax principles and local regulations in a growing, inorganic environment.
• Proven ability to work independently and coordinate with Legal, Finance and external advisers.
• Strong communication skills in English and Spanish, with a collaborative mindset.

Responsibilities

• Area Tax and Compliance Oversight: manage obligations, deadlines and exposures across entities; ensure compliance with local and international tax law; support audits and tax planning across jurisdictions.
• Cash Repatriation and Tax Planning: evaluate repatriation options, improve liquidity and working capital; advise on cross-border flows and restructurings.
• Ventures, Acquisitions and Integration: assist due diligence and transaction structuring; coordinate with M&A, Legal and Finance; post-acquisition integration.
• Tax Risk Management and Governance Support: escalate exposures; help implement group tax policies, controls and governance standards.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Future Development: build relationships with regional CFOs and other stakeholders; coordinate external advice; develop cross-jurisdictional tax expertise.

Skills

Tax qualification

Broad corporate tax

Cross-border advisory

International tax

Stakeholder management

Independent work

Leadership potential

English and Spanish

Job description

Ariston Education is building something rare — a new global K-12 platform focused on delivering educational excellence for the mid-market. We bring together high-quality, future-ready K–12 schools across the world, united by a shared belief that the best education opens pathways to many possible futures.

Ariston Education is the world's first global school group built for the AI era.

Through Pathways for Excellence, we recognise that every student is different. We combine academic rigour with genuine care to help young people discover their strengths, develop their potential and prepare for a changing world.

Every school in our network retains its name, identity and connection to its local community. Together, we strengthen what makes each school unique while creating new opportunities to share expertise, learn from one another and open new possibilities for students.

Role Summary

The successful Group Tax Manager will provide broad, commercially focused tax support across the Group’s regions, with particular emphasis on tax compliance oversight, cash repatriation, Ventures and Acquisitions (V&A) and post-integration planning. The role will coordinate closely with finance teams, legal and external advisers, supporting the Group Head of Tax in building a proactive, scalable Tax function. The regions include EMEA, Asia and America markets. This position reports to the Group Head of Tax.

Key Responsibilities

Area Tax and Compliance Oversight

• Maintain a clear overview of the Group’s tax obligations, filing requirements, key deadlines and material exposures across existing and newly acquired entities. This will include, but will not be limited to, the following: (i) assist in ensuring compliance with local and international tax law regulations, monitor legislative changes and support annual statutory audits, (ii) contribute to the development of tax planning proposals and coordinate with Legal, Treasury and Finance, for implementation, (iii) collaborate with other non tax groups to harmonize V&A projects and post-acquisition integration of the newly acquired entities.
• Coordinate with local finance teams and external advisers to confirm that tax compliance requirements are understood, appropriately managed and escalated where necessary. Local teams remain responsible for execution.
• Provide practical tax guidance across jurisdictions, with a primary focus on corporate income tax, while also addressing indirect or other tax matters as required, and support the resolution of day-to-day tax queries.

Cash Repatriation and Tax Planning

• Assess cash repatriation options across Group entities, identifying cash fungibility constraints, potential tax leakage and opportunities to improve Group liquidity.
• Work with Finance and local stakeholders to develop, maintain and improve liquidity and working capital.
• Advise on cross-border flows, distributions, financing and corporate restructurings, coordinating specialist input where required.
• Identify tax planning opportunities that create measurable business value, including potential incentives and reliefs as the Group’s activities develop within the legal required frameworks of good tax governance.

Ventures, Acquisitions and Integration

• Support domestic and cross-border acquisitions from initial tax due diligence and transaction structuring through signing, completion and post-acquisition integration.
• Coordinate with Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A) Team, Legal, Finance and external advisers to identify tax exposures, quantify potential risks and opportunities, and ensure timely input into transaction decisions.
• Support post-acquisition remediation and the integration of acquired entities into Group tax compliance, reporting and control processes.
• Provide tax input on potential market entry and changes to the Group’s legal entity and operating structures.

Tax Risk Management and Governance Support

• Escalate significant exposures promptly to the Group Head of Tax and Chief Finance Officer (CFO).
• Support the implementation of Group tax policies, controls and governance standards, while the Group Head of Tax retains overall accountability for tax governance and leadership of material tax controversies.

Stakeholder Engagement and Future Development

• Build effective working relationships with regional CFOs, local finance teams, M&A, Legal and other business stakeholders.
• Coordinate specialist external advice where required, balancing quality, cost and business priorities.
• Develop broad cross-jurisdictional expertise and progressively assume greater oversight of specialized tax activities as the Group expands.

Experience and Profile

• Recognized tax qualification with a minimum of 8 years ‘experience. Previous experience in a Big 4 or recognized Tax Law Firm is appreciated.
• Broad corporate tax experience across compliance, cross-border advisory, tax risk management and transaction support, with the ability to operate effectively across multiple jurisdictions.
• A good knowledge and understanding of international tax principles and local tax regulations in a highly inorganic corporate growth phase is appreciated.
• Proven ability to work independently, engage effectively with Legal, Finance and business stakeholders, and coordinate external advisers.
• Genuine intellectual curiosity and a strong commitment to continuous learning, with the willingness to explore new areas and develop expertise beyond their existing specialisms.
• A genuine commitment to creating value for others, with a collaborative, service-oriented mindset and a strong desire to make a positive impact on colleagues, stakeholders and the wider business.
• Demonstrate the potential to develop into a leadership role, progressively overseeing specialist tax activities and teams as the Group expands.
• A positive and adaptable person with strong communication skills (English and Spanish), being comfortable working in a dynamic and international environment, and able to engage effective with management, tax and non-tax functions.