The posting
Job Summary
We are seeking an exceptional Director to join our team in Amsterdam. This is a leadership position, reporting to Booking.com Head of Tax.
This role leads Booking.com’s global tax controversy and litigation strategy, with primary responsibility for audits, disputes, tax authority engagement, and defense of the company’s direct and indirect tax positions across multiple jurisdictions.
The Director will also manage the team responsible for tax governance and controls, quarter and year-end close for Tax, and strategic oversight of tax compliance activities by the Tax Accounting team.
Key Responsibilities
Global Tax Controversy Leadership:
- Lead and direct tax authority information requests, audits, disputes and litigation relating to direct and indirect taxes, including digital services tax, and partner with the Transfer Pricing (TP) team on TP controversy matters.
- Serve as Booking.com’s primary technical and strategic interface with tax authorities, and lead negotiations on material controversy matters.
- Direct high-quality technical submissions, legal-tax position papers, presentations and formal responses that clearly articulate and defend Booking.com’s tax positions.
- Own the technical assessment and defense strategy for material controversy matters, including the evaluation of legal merits, technical strengths and weaknesses, evidentiary requirements, settlement options and litigation posture.
- Provide clear recommendations to senior leadership on disputed positions and resolution strategies for high-risk or precedent-setting matters.
Tax governance and controls:
- Drive the tax control framework, ensuring tax controls are designed, documented, executed and continuously improved to support compliant, defensible and audit-ready tax positions.
- Drive standardization, automation and simplification across tax processes, with a focus on improving the quality, consistency and evidentiary strength of tax data and documentation.
- Incorporate AI-enabled ways of working in a practical and responsible manner, including improving velocity, consistency and scalability without compromising technical quality, audit readiness or risk management.
- Ensure governance and controls materially enhance controversy readiness, audit support, documentation quality and the defensibility of Booking.com’s filed and reported tax positions.
Tax compliance and reporting oversight:
- Provide senior technical oversight on tax positions arising through compliance and reporting processes where those positions may affect audit readiness, dispute defense, litigation risk or broader group tax posture.
- Partner with the broader Tax team on material matters affecting provisions, uncertain tax positions and supporting documentation, ensuring alignment between filed positions, reporting outcomes and controversy defense strategy.
External advisor management:
- Lead relationships with external counsel and advisors, setting strategic direction, defining expected technical standards and ensuring cost-effective, high-quality delivery.
- Select, instruct and lead external advisors on major audits, disputes and litigation, with clear direction on tax technical positions, procedural strategy, evidentiary requirements and target outcomes.
Team leadership and development:
- Attract, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering a collaborative environment.
- Evolve the team structure and operating model to support scale, velocity and stronger ownership.
- Partner effectively with the broader Tax team, Transfer Pricing, Legal, Finance, Public Affairs and business stakeholders to align tax technical positions, controversy strategy and internal and external communications.
Knowledge and skills
Level of Education: Degree in Law required; Master’s Degree, specialised tax qualification, or equivalent legal/tax training strongly preferred.
Years of experience: 12+ years
Language: Native or fluent English speaking and writing skills.
Requirements of special knowledge/skills:
- Significant experience leading tax audits, disputes, settlements and litigation in a multinational group, major law firm, Big 4 controversy practice or similarly complex environment.
- Deep technical experience across direct and indirect tax controversy matters; familiarity with DST and transfer pricing disputes is strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated success managing high-value, high-sensitivity matters with tax authorities, external counsel and senior internal stakeholders.
- Strong judgment on technical risk assessment, escalation strategy, negotiation posture, written advocacy and executive communication.
- Proven ability to translate complex tax technical issues into clear recommendations for senior leadership and non-tax stakeholders.
- Ability to work under pressure and strict deadlines, thriving in a fast-turnaround environment and managing multiple priorities.
- Strong people leadership experience, including leading teams through demanding stakeholder environments, tight deadlines, and high-impact projects.
- Excellent corporate agility to collaborate and build relationships at all levels of the organization.
- Ability to drive change and adapt quickly in an agile environment.
- Strong sense of ethics.
Pre-Employment Screening
If your application is successful, your personal data may be used for a pre-employment screening check by a third party as permitted by applicable law. Depending on the vacancy and applicable law, a pre-employment screening may include employment history, education and other information (such as media information) that may be necessary for determining your qualifications and suitability for the position.
