VAT Compliance Specialist

Action; Zwaagdijk-Oost; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual bonus 10-20%

Flexible working hours

Work from home up to 40%

Employee discount

Pension and health insurance

Travel allowance

Job summary

Action is seeking a seasoned VAT Compliance Specialist to manage accurate and timely VAT returns across Europe. You will analyze financial data, perform reconciliations, support audits, and work with internal stakeholders, tax advisors, and authorities in a dynamic international setting.

You will report to the Indirect Tax Manager as part of a four-person VAT team, based at our international headquarters in Zwaagdijk-Oost. Excellent English and cross-border collaboration are essential.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of VAT compliance experience in international settings.
• Strong Excel skills; SAP experience is an advantage.
• Excellent organizational skills with deadlines.
• Strong analytical and proactive problem-solving.
• Experience in international, multicultural teams.
• Excellent command of English; another European language is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and file VAT returns across Europe.
• Analyze SAP data to support VAT compliance.
• Perform reconciliations of VAT balance sheet accounts and investigate discrepancies.
• Identify VAT risks and propose solutions.
• Review tax payments and monitor VAT refunds.
• Coordinate with external tax advisors in various countries.
• Collaborate with Accounts Payable/Accounts Receivable and other departments.
• Support VAT audits and foreign VAT refund processes.

Skills

VAT compliance

Analytical ability

Attention to detail

Excel

Communication

Teamwork

English

Multilingual capable

Tools

SAP

Job description

Full-time, 38 hours per week

Are you an experienced VAT specialist who thrives on international compliance challenges?

We are expanding our Tax team and are looking for an experienced VAT Compliance Specialist to ensure that Action remains compliant with applicable VAT legislation across Europe.

In this role, you will work in a dynamic, international environment where you will make a key contribution to the continued growth of our organization. You will collaborate daily with internal stakeholders, tax advisors, and tax authorities, while actively helping to manage and mitigate tax risks.

This is your daily action

As a VAT Compliance Specialist, you will be responsible for the accurate and timely submission of VAT returns across Europe. You will analyze financial data, perform reconciliations, and support audits and VAT-related matters. You will work closely with colleagues from various disciplines and external advisors. You will report to the Indirect Tax Manager and be part of a team of four VAT Compliance Specialists.

Your responsibilities include:

• Preparing and filing VAT returns and other mandatory tax filings across Europe
• Analyzing SAP data to support VAT compliance activities
• Performing reconciliations of VAT balance sheet accounts and investigating discrepancies
• Identifying potential VAT risks and proposing appropriate solutions
• Reviewing tax payments and monitoring timely VAT refunds
• Coordinating with external tax advisors in various countries
• Collaborating with Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and other internal departments
• Supporting VAT audits and foreign VAT refund processes

Meet your team

Within the Tax team, we ensure that Action remains fully tax compliant in all current and future countries of operation. The team consists of a Head of Tax, five Tax Managers, and specialized compliance professionals focusing on areas such as corporate income tax, payroll tax, VAT, product taxes, and tax technology.

Working from our international headquarters in Zwaagdijk-Oost, we collaborate closely with Finance, HR, Commerce, Supply Chain, and IT. We also maintain strong relationships with tax advisors throughout Europe, develop tax control frameworks, and manage tax audits initiated by tax authorities.

This Is You

You are analytical, detail-oriented, and comfortable working in an international organization where no two days are the same. You are a strong communicator, work in a structured manner, and can take ownership of your responsibilities independently. Building relationships comes naturally to you, and you are a true team player.

In addition, you have:

• At least 10 years of experience as a VAT Compliance Specialist
• Strong Excel skills; experience with SAP is an advantage
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and meet deadlines
• Strong analytical abilities and a proactive approach to problem-solving
• Experience working in international and multicultural teams
• Excellent command of English, both written and spoken
• Proficiency in an additional European language is considered a plus

What We Offer

Surprisingly much! From our international headquarters in the Netherlands you have an impact on what happens in our stores across Europe. We welcome more than 22.5 million customers every week in more than 3,400 stores in 15 European countries. And we have big growth ambitions. For Action and you. Because our growth means that you can always take new steps. A different job, an interesting innovation project, and new skills: as a professional, you can develop without limits. And all this in a culture where our shared values are truly lived: customer focus, teamwork, simplicity, discipline, cost consciousness, and respect.

Did you know that you can also count on us for:

• A market-based salary based on a 38-hour work week
• An annual bonus of 10% to 20% based on company and personal performance
• 24 days of holiday, with the option to purchase 5 additional days (based on a 38-hour work week)
• Flexible working hours and the possibility to work from home up to 40% of the time, in coordination with your team and manager
• 15% employee discount on purchases at Action
• A good pension scheme, collective health insurance, and travel allowance (our Zwaagdijk-Oost headquarters is traffic-free and only a 30-minute drive from Amsterdam)

How We Contribute to Society

If you only know Action from the stores, a world will open up for you when you come and work with us. We work hard to make a positive impact on society and the environment. Did you know, for example, that we support thousands of children worldwide who grow up in an SOS Children’s Village? That our team reflects the diversity of our customers, including over 160 different nationalities? That 99% of our cocoa, cotton, coffee and timber are certified sustainable? And that all our stores, DC’s and offices only use energy-efficient LED lighting? Yes, that is also Action. Curious about what other initiatives we’re facilitating? There’s a lot more we are proud of and we would love for you to be part of it.