About the role
We have an exciting opportunity for a detail-oriented and proactive finance professional to join us as a VAT Accountant, supporting DS Smith’s European operations. This is a key role in ensuring compliance across multiple jurisdictions and driving efficiency in VAT reporting and processes.
As a VAT Accountant, you’ll take ownership of European VAT returns, working closely with outsourced service providers to ensure accurate and timely submissions. You’ll manage VAT payments and reclaims, oversee Intrastat reporting, and lead the setup of new VAT registrations as the business expands across Europe. Beyond compliance, you’ll play a critical role in supporting audits, maintaining robust balance sheet reconciliations, and monitoring other local taxes such as plastics and green taxes.
This role is highly collaborative—you’ll work with internal teams including Sales, Finance, and IT, as well as external stakeholders, to ensure smooth processes and continuous improvement. You’ll also act as the subject matter expert for VAT, providing guidance on regulatory requirements and supporting ad hoc projects that enhance our compliance and reporting capabilities.
If you’re an experienced finance professional with strong technical knowledge of VAT and a passion for delivering excellence in a dynamic, international environment, this could be the perfect role for you!
About you
- ACA/CIMA/ACCA qualified
- Experience of working on VAT submissions liaising with local tax authorities or similar finance role in an FMCG environment
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with experience of working in a complex matrix environment
- Experience of entities reporting in different currencies
- Experience of VAT reporting and control
- Constructive challenger with an initiative-taking and solution-focused approach
- Proven ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities in a dynamic environment
- Advanced Excel proficiency
Location: This is a full time, hybrid role with 2 days on site (one of which is Tuesday) at our offices in Manchester.
About us
We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!
Fair recruitment at DS Smith
To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas, and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.
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What We Do
DS Smith provides innovative packaging solutions, paper products and recycling services with a commitment to sustainability and a circular economy.
Our core purpose is to Redefine Packaging for a Changing World, and our expert teams work closely with like-minded partners to incorporate renewable resources for products that minimize our environmental impact, reduce complexity and increase profitability through supply chain optimization
