International Indirect Tax Manager (VAT) (m/f/d)

The Role

Imperial Brands is a leading global FMCG company with more than 25,000 employees worldwide, operating across highly complex international supply chains and business models. As part of an ongoing global transformation, the Group Tax function plays a critical role in enabling sustainable, compliant, and business-driven growth.

We are seeking a highly experienced International Indirect Tax Manager (VAT) (m/f/d) to join our Tax Centre of Expertise within the wider Finance organisation. This is a high-visibility, globally exposed role, offering the opportunity to actively shape and influence the Group’s global VAT strategy across multiple regions and business models.

The role is based in Germany and offers a hybrid working model, with approximately 50% remote working and 50% based at our modern German headquarters in Hamburg, supporting both flexibility and close collaboration with key stakeholders.

Reporting into the Head of VAT, who reports to the Global Tax Director, you will operate as a senior VAT business partner to Global Business Services, Finance Business Partners, and key stakeholders across the organisation. You will be trusted to advise on complex international VAT matters, support strategic initiatives, and drive transformation in how VAT is managed across the Group.

Principle Accountabilities

• Shape and influence the Group’s global VAT agenda by advising on new and evolving business models, complex cross-border supply and service flows, contractual structures, and major corporate initiatives, working in close partnership with senior leadership and external advisors
• Act as a trusted global subject-matter authority for indirect tax (VAT), staying ahead of international legislative and regulatory developments, anticipating business impacts, and converting complexity into clear, pragmatic, and commercially relevant guidance for management
• Lead VAT support across the full M&A lifecycle, including due diligence, risk evaluation, transaction structuring input, and post-acquisition integration, enabling confident, well-informed strategic decision-making in an international environment
• Serve as a key strategic interface and escalation point for the Tax & Stats Centre of Capability within Global Business Services, while partnering closely with Finance Business Partners and stakeholder groups across multiple regions
• Drive effective VAT risk and controversy management, supporting audits, disputes, litigation, and settlements with tax authorities, and ensuring strong governance, transparency, and efficient resolution of complex matters
• Play an active role in VAT transformation and capability building, contributing to policy design, process optimisation, technology-enabled solutions, training initiatives, and continuous improvement across the Group

Skills and Experience Required

• Completed degree in economics, law, or a comparable field
• Several years of relevant professional experience in VAT, ideally gained within a multinational company and/or a Big 4 accounting firm with a strong VAT focus; prior in-house multinational tax experience is an advantage
• Advanced MS Excel skills and prior experience working with SAP or comparable ERP systems
• Excellent communication, presentation, and coordination skills across all levels of the organisation
• Strong attention to detail, structured working style, and proven project management and problem-solving capabilities and motivated, proactive, and professional personality with a high level of ownership
• Fluent written and spoken English; German language skills are desirable

What We Offer

In return for playing your part in building our future, you will receive a comprehensive compensation package with salary, bonus scheme and further benefits as well inspiring places to work and collaborate with purpose. Here at Imperial we will give you the opportunity to grow and learn, innovate at pace and be a part of our purpose to forge a path to a healthier future for moments of relaxation and pleasure for our consumers.

Everyone Belongs

Everyone belongs in Imperial. We are proud of being a truly inclusive organisation. We encourage and welcome applications from people of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, disabilities, sexual orientation, religions or beliefs and of neuro divergence. We give fair and equal consideration to all our applicants. Please contact us at recruitment@impbrands.com to let us know if we can provide support in helping you complete an application and/or attend an interview.

About Us

We're a truly international company, fourth largest in our industry and operating across 120 markets. An inclusive, innovative global FMCG business supported by 25,000 employees. As we embrace a new era of growth, we are transforming. Our ways of working and culture are driven by a challenger mindset, constantly questioning the status quo where people can bring their best selves to work. Our agility and collaboration are driving our ambitions, innovation and success all supported by our award-winning development programmes that creates exciting and rewarding career opportunities for all.  Encouraging inclusion at local levels and supporting a developing and robust diversity agenda globally, we’re fully committed to creating and maintaining an environment that celebrates and respects difference.

As a matter of policy, Imperial Tobacco or its subsidiaries never requests or requires payment as part of any recruitment process.