Tax Assistant Manager Southern Europe - Ice Cream

Looking for Your Dream Job?Join Our Ice Cream Team!

Title: Tax Assistant Manager Southern Europe - Ice Cream

Work Level: 1B

Scope: Markets

Reports to: Tax Manager Southern Europe

Location: France

Terms & Conditions: Full-time local

If you are in the Unilever Ice Cream business or are considering working for the Unilever ice Cream business, you will work for the global, leading Ice Cream player with €8bn Turn Over in 2023. The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of the top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025. Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure.

We are committed to developing and nurturing talent within our Ice Cream company. You will have ample options for career growth and exploration, allowing you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company.

We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

ABOUT ICE CREAM: Life Tastes Better With Ice Cream

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream Company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability we have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of €8 billion. All brands are driven to transform moments into memories through indulgent yet responsibly made and marketed products. We have a well-developed strategy to deliver growth and value creation which is clear on where to play and how to win.

We turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by designing unique and innovative Ice Cream experiences that make life taste better, creating joyful experiences. In our Ice Cream business, we’re crafting the future through innovation and imaginative minds, creating unique products. We spark moments of happiness for people and within the communities where we operate. However, it is not as simple as it may seem. As Ice Cream makers we are serious about happiness. With warm hearts, we create the coolest products.

Ice Cream Finance: Leading for a winning, trusted and investible global ice cream market leader

This is your chance for a ‘once in a lifetime’ career experience, playing a part in the creation of a fully independent, new Ice Cream organisation.in what will be the Ultimate Pleasure Food company.

We are seizing this unique opportunity to reset the role of Ice Cream Finance. Together we will become the best and most admired finance team in the world, and we’ll do this by focusing on value creation, trailblazing future-fit financial processes and technology, and by becoming a training ground for financial craftmanship that will be the envy of everyone. 

Just imagine the benefits of working within a single category, where everyone and everything is laser-focused on the same goal, where there's opportunity to develop deep and wide understanding of the business economics and international ecosystem of a single category, and to translate that into value creation.

The role of Ice Cream Finance in this momentous moment is staggering, exciting, and yes...a little daunting, which is why we are looking for empowered and accountable decision makers who are keen to take on end-to-end responsibility; if you are a self-starter who identifies opportunities, takes initiative, and innovates to create value, who is proactive, resourceful and comfortable with challenge and uncertainty, you will thrive with us. In return, you will be rewarded with a rich finance role, no matter where you are in your career, and within an environment that’s both fulfilling and fun...after all, life tastes better with Ice Cream!   

See appendix if you want to know more about the Ice Cream Finance North Star, showing our vision, goals and proposition in more detail.

JOB PURPOSE:

We’re looking for a highly motivated Tax Assistant Manager to support on tax business partnering for the following markets:

Direct Markets (key markets) : France, Spain, Italy

Flex Markets (sales markets) : N/A

Distributor Markets (export markets) : N/A

Why This Role Matters: 

Your role will ensure we meet our financial goals and comply with regulations, while also driving tax optimisation and leveraging technology. The Tax Assistant Manager will be responsible for working with the Tax Manager to provide in-market / regional tax advice on tax challenges and opportunities impacting the relevant markets.  The role encompasses overseeing local planning, review and sign off on local compliance and reporting (delivered via third party managed service) responding to tax authority challenges and ensuring that the business optimises its tax position while adhering to all relevant in-country and global laws and regulations.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Working with the Tax Manager, you will:

• Be accountable for ensuring local adherence to global tax strategy, policies and risk management framework and alignment with overall business objectives and regulatory environment. 

• Provide specialist advice on direct and indirect tax implications of new business initiatives, mergers and acquisitions, cross-border transactions (new and existing flows), commercial and vendor contracts, and corporate initiatives. 

• Be accountable for the management of in-market / in-region tax audits and controversy (including tax authority disputes, litigation and settlements) to drive efficient and timely audit resolution. Provide local tax insight into the audit approach and process and consult with external advisors as required.  Work closely with the central tax team to ensure consistent and efficient approaches to dispute resolution.

• Oversee timely and accurate filing of tax returns in all jurisdictions, including the reconciliation of tax accounts via third party managed service.  Provide timely review and sign off on returns and deliverables where required.  Work with the Global Business Services (shared service centre) tax team on data provision.

• Identify and mitigate local tax risks, including ensuring the implementation and maintenance of internal controls to meet compliance and governance regimes (such as SOx and horizontal monitoring) and to prevent non-compliance and potential penalties. 

• Monitor local legislative and regulatory changes for all taxes, assessing and advising management on tax impacts and practical mitigation strategies.  Provide relevant updates to local / regional business. 

• Provide specialist local input where possible into design decisions relating to S/4HANA and other enterprise-wide systems.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED:

Experiences & Qualifications

• A qualified Chartered Accountant or Chartered Tax Advisor or other appropriate professional body. 

• 5+ years’ tax experience with a large MNC and/or Big 4 firm.

• Excellent knowledge of tax matters within a consumer goods business. 

• Strong communicator with the confidence to liaise with stakeholders at all levels. 

• Ability to work collaboratively across an organisation and externally to resolve issues. 

• Naturally curious with a continuous improvement mindset and able to be agile/adaptable in changing circumstances.  

• Strong organisational skills and capable of handling a variety of tasks and prioritising accordingly to meet deadlines 

•  Great attention to detail, project management, and problem-solving attitude. 

ARE YOU EXCITED TO CRAFT THE ICE CREAM FUTURE?

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and cover letter detailing their relevant experience and qualifications to Unilever's career portal.

We take pleasure seriously. Join the Ice Cream team now!

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.