Tax Senior Associate

Canonical Ltd.; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A multinational technology firm is seeking a Tax Senior Associate to manage corporate tax and VAT processes. This role involves working closely with external advisers and cross-functional teams, ensuring compliance and promoting efficient tax practices. Candidates should possess an undergraduate degree and be a fully qualified accountant with 3-5 years of relevant experience. The position offers opportunities for international travel and personal development in a collaborative work environment.

Benefits

Personal learning and development budget

Annual compensation review

Team member assistance program

Wellness platform

Opportunity to travel internationally

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of relevant tax experience within a Big 4 or multinational in-house tax team.
• Ability to explain complex tax concepts to non-tax stakeholders.
• Confidence to respectfully provide feedback and lead discussions.

Responsibilities

• Manage preparation and review of corporate tax, VAT, and other tax returns.
• Work with external advisers for transfer pricing documentation.
• Act as contact for tax authority audits preparing necessary documentation.
• Identify opportunities to improve tax processes and controls.

Skills

Corporate tax management

VAT compliance

Transfer pricing

Tax provisioning

Interpersonal skills

Professional English

Education

Undergraduate degree in business, finance, or related field

Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Tax advisor (CTA, ADIT)

Job description

Overview

Tax Senior Associate role focusing on corporate tax, VAT, transfer pricing, and tax provisioning for a multinational technology company. You will work with external advisers, support audits, and collaborate with the finance, legal, and operations teams to ensure compliant and efficient tax processes.

Responsibilities

• Manage and coordinate the preparation and review of corporate tax, VAT, and other relevant tax returns for our entities, ensuring timely and accurate filings.
• Work with external advisers to develop transfer pricing documentation and tax planning initiatives and lead their implementation.
• Act as a key point of contact for tax authority audits and enquiries, preparing responses and supporting documentation in collaboration with external advisors.
• Identify opportunities to streamline and improve tax processes, controls, and data management to enhance efficiency and accuracy, particularly using technology and automation.
• Manage and run tax provisioning and reporting under IFRS, including calculating effective tax rates and preparing tax-related disclosures for financial statements.
• Work closely with the wider finance team, legal, and business operations to provide tax support and ensure cross-functional alignment.
• Monitor changes in tax legislation across the regions in which we operate and assess their potential impact on the company.
• Distribute work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person; personal learning and development budget; annual compensation review; recognition rewards; annual holiday leave; maternity and paternity leave; team member assistance program & wellness platform.
• Opportunity to travel to new locations to meet colleagues; Priority Pass and travel upgrades for long-haul company events.
• Travel up to two weeks internationally for company events.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in business, finance, economics, technology or other quantitative field.
• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) and tax advisor (CTA, ADIT or equivalent).
• A minimum of 3-5 years of relevant tax experience, gained within a Big 4/Top 10 accounting firm or a multinational in-house tax team.
• Professional written and spoken English with excellent presentation skills; ability to explain complex tax concepts to non-tax stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability; self-motivation and result-oriented mindset.
• Confidence to respectfully speak up, exchange feedback, and share ideas; track record of going above-and-beyond to achieve outstanding results.
• Ability to travel internationally twice a year for company events up to two weeks long.
• In addition to the core requirements, leadership ability, software or tech industry experience, and public company finance and reporting experience are nice-to-haves.

About Canonical (Context)

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives. We recruit on a global basis and set a very high standard for people joining the company. Most colleagues have worked from home since our inception in 2004. Teams meet two to four times yearly in person to align on strategy and execution. This role supports multiple Canonical corporate entities in several countries, with a preference for candidates in EMEA time zones.