VP, Accounting & Tax

Holtzbrinck; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Digital Science, part of the Holtzbrinck group, seeks a VP of Accounting & Tax in the UK with strong IFRS and consolidation expertise. The role reports to the CFO and leads the Accounting, Tax & Corporate Reporting team.

Based near London, you will work in a hybrid setup with occasional in-office presence to support the annual audit and regulatory reporting. You will own statutory reporting, tax compliance, and intercompany accounting, driving process improvements and building a robust control

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with IFRS and consolidation experience.
• Proven track record leading external audits.
• Experience with tax compliance and transfer pricing in multi-entity environments.
• Experience negotiating contracts with external firms.

Responsibilities

• Prepare IFRS-compliant statutory financial statements for all entities.
• Set and maintain group accounting policies across entities.
• Oversee legal entity consolidation and intercompany eliminations.
• Manage month-end and year-end close and ensure timely reporting.
• Oversee tax compliance and transfer pricing across jurisdictions.
• Lead the external audit process and board-level reporting.

Skills

IFRS knowledge

Audit leadership

Tax compliance

Transfer pricing

People leadership

Contract negotiation

SaaS/tech finance

Education

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)

Tools

NetSuite

Job description

We are Digital Science and we are advancing the research ecosystem. We are a pioneering technology company, and our vision is of a future where a trusted and collaborative research ecosystem drives progress for all. We believe in better, open, collaborative and inclusive research. In creating the next generation of tools and working in partnership with the community we tackle some of the biggest challenges to research. In order to achieve our vision, we need innovative, inspiring and dynamic people to join our team. Do you want to join us in achieving our vision?

We are a pioneering technology company, and our vision is of a future where a trusted and collaborative research ecosystem drives progress for all. We believe in better, open, collaborative and inclusive research. In creating the next generation of tools and working in partnership with the community we tackle some of the biggest challenges to research. In order to achieve our vision, we need innovative, inspiring and dynamic people to join our team. Want to join us?

Your new roleThe VP, Accounting & Tax owns Digital Science's statutory reporting, tax compliance, and core accounting control environment across all entities. The role is accountable for accurate, IFRS-compliant financial statements, a robust month-end and year-end close, and a well-controlled tax and intercompany accounting function, while building and developing the Accounting, Tax & Corporate Reporting team and owning the continuous improvement of accounting and tax processes and systems — including

legal entity consolidation.

The VP leads the Accounting, Tax & Corporate Reporting team and reports directly to the CFO as a member of the Finance leadership team. As one of the Finance seats identified for potential CFO succession, the VP is expected to develop the breadth of financial, commercial, and stakeholder judgement needed to deputise for the CFO when required. Please note - due to business need, we can only accept applications from candidates who reside in the UK, where we have an established legal entity. If you apply from outside of this area, your application will not be considered.

For this role, we’d specifically need someone based in or close to London, so they can come into the office around twice a month.

Please be aware that we may close this position early if we receive a high volume of applications.

What you’ll be doing

• Own the preparation of IFRS-compliant statutory financial statements — for all Digital Science entities, including liaison with external auditors through to sign-off.
• Set and maintain group accounting policies — ensuring consistent application across entities and alignment with Holtzbrinck group reporting requirements.
• Own the group's legal entity consolidation process and systems — including intercompany eliminations, FX translation, and consolidated reporting in NetSuite, ensuring accurate, timely consolidated results across all entities and driving continuous improvement of the consolidation process as the entity structure evolves.
• Own the month-end and year-end close calendar — across the Accounting, Tax & Corporate Reporting team, ensuring a timely, well-controlled close.
• Review key reconciliations and judgemental accounting positions — including significant journal entries, ahead of finalisation.
• Own overall accountability for tax compliance and transfer pricing — working closely with the Tax & Intercompany Accountant and external advisors.
• Act as primary point of contact with Holtzbrinck group tax — on group-level tax and transfer pricing matters.
• Own external tax advisor and local compliance accountant relationships — across jurisdictions, including contract negotiation, scope-setting, and fee oversight, ensuring cost‑effective, high‑quality support for local statutory and tax compliance requirements.
• Oversee revenue recognition policy and its application under IFRS 15 — in partnership with the Revenue Accountant.
• Own judgement calls on complex or new technical accounting matters — ensuring positions are well documented and defensible.
• Own the internal control environment — across Accounting, Tax & Corporate Reporting, identifying and remediating control gaps.
• Act as the primary Finance owner for the annual external audit — and for internal and tax authority audits, from planning through to completion.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Accounting, Tax & Corporate Reporting team.
• Plan resourcing and workload across the team — to meet reporting deadlines across all entities.
• Act as a credible stand‑in for the CFO — on accounting, tax, and audit matters when required, including representing Finance in senior internal and external meetings.
• Build commercial, cross‑functional, and board‑level communication experience — needed to progress toward CFO‑level responsibility over time.

Performance Standards

• Statutory financial statements delivered accurately and on time, with clean audit sign‑off and no material weaknesses.
• Month-end and year‑end close completed to calendar, with reconciliations and judgemental accounting positions reviewed and approved before finalisation.
• Tax and transfer pricing compliance maintained across all jurisdictions, with no material adverse findings from tax authorities.
• External tax advisor and local compliance accountant relationships managed within agreed fee and service levels.
• Accounting, Tax & Corporate Reporting team resourced, developed, and consistently meeting reporting deadlines across all entities.

What you’ll bring to the role

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with significant post‑qualification experience in statutory reporting, tax, and technical accounting.
• Proven track record owning the external audit relationship and delivering clean, timely statutory accounts across multiple entities.
• Strong working knowledge of IFRS, including revenue recognition (IFRS 15) and consolidation.
• Experience managing tax compliance and transfer pricing in a multi‑entity, multi‑jurisdiction environment.
• Experience owning and negotiating contracts and commercial terms with external tax advisory and accounting firms, including fee and scope management.
• People leadership experience, with a track record of developing accounting teams.
• Experience reporting into a parent group structure (e.g. group consolidation, group tax, or group treasury reporting).
• Experience in SaaS, technology, or subscription‑based businesses.
• Exposure to board‑level or senior stakeholder reporting.
• Technically rigorous, with sound judgement on complex accounting and tax positions.
• Carries the gravitas and judgement to be trusted as a credible stand‑in for the CFO when required.
• Calm under pressure, particularly around audit and reporting deadlines.
• Develops talent and builds a strong, capable accounting team, while applying an AI‑first mindset to improve processes and outcomes.
• Collaborates proactively across Finance and Digital Science, taking ownership and accountability for outcomes.

We're looking for people who are naturally curious about AI and comfortable exploring how it can improve the way we work — you don't need to be an AI expert, but an openness to experiment and adapt is important to us.

Don't worry if you don't meet every qualification—let us be the judge! Studies show that many qualified candidates from under‑represented groups hesitate to apply unless they meet every single requirement. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive team.

Living our Values

We invest in, nurture and support innovative businesses and technologies that make all parts of the research process more open, efficient and effective.

The talent we secure is fundamental to us achieving our vision and our growth plans. The values we live by are:

We are brave in the pursuit of better

We are collaborative and inclusive

We are always open‑mindful

We are from and for the community.

At Digital Science, our vision is to see research flow seamlessly – trusted, collaborative, and accessible – fueling breakthroughs that push humanity forward. This ambitious mission is one we achieve together, by enabling open, collaborative, inclusive research.

We firmly believe that to truly innovate and solve the complex challenges faced by our customers, from researchers and universities to funders and publishers, we need diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas. A rich mix of voices drives quality insights, fosters enhanced collaboration, and ultimately pushes knowledge forward more effectively.

As an equal opportunity employer, we are committed to building and nurturing a workplace where every individual feels valued and belongs. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status. Beyond recruitment, we strive to cultivate an environment where inclusivity is woven into the fabric of our culture, enabling everyone to be their best self and do their best work.