Tax Senior Associate

Overview

Canonical is a leading provider of open source software and operating systems to the global enterprise and technology markets. Our platform, Ubuntu, is very widely used in breakthrough enterprise initiatives such as public cloud, data science, AI, engineering innovation, and IoT. Our customers include the world's leading public cloud and silicon providers, and industry leaders in many sectors. The company is a pioneer of global distributed collaboration, with 1200+ colleagues in 75+ countries and very few office-based roles.

Teams meet two to four times yearly in person, in interesting locations around the world, to align on strategy and execution. The company is founder-led, profitable, and growing.

We are hiring a Tax Senior Associate
, reporting to the CFO. This role covers multiple Canonical corporate entities in several countries. We have a preference for candidates in EMEA time zones.

This is a unique opportunity for an astute and forward-thinking tax professional to build a tax function from the ground up at a profitable, fast-growing technology company. We re looking for someone with a keen interest in technology and how technology is changing the tax profession, who can translate that insight into a modern, effective strategy and hands-on execution.

Reporting directly to the CFO, you will design and own the tax processes that support our global expansion. Your primary challenge will be navigating the complexity of the evolving global environment in which we operate, where tax rules are constantly evolving. You will work with the CFO to establish a scalable and efficient framework fit for a dynamic, global software business—tackling everything from digital services taxes to leveraging new tax technologies.

In our selection process, we prioritize intellect and strategic thinking over years of experience. We are looking for someone with a strong academic background, a professional qualification in accounting and tax and demonstrable exposure to global tax considerations in a multinational context.

Location: This role will be based remotely in the EMEA region, or may be office based in London, UK.

• Exceptional academic track record from both high school and university
• Undergraduate degree in business, finance, economics, technology or other quantitative field
• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) and tax advisor (CTA, ADIT or equivalent)
• A minimum of 3-5 years of relevant tax experience, gained within a Big 4/Top 10 accounting firm or a multinational in-house tax team.
• Confidence to respectfully speak up, exchange feedback, and share ideas without hesitation
• Track record of going above-and-beyond expectations to achieve outstanding results
• The work ethic and confidence to shine alongside motivated colleagues
• Professional written and spoken English with excellent presentation skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills, curiosity, flexibility, and accountability
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex tax concepts to non-tax stakeholders
• Thoughtfulness and self-motivation
• Result-oriented, with a personal drive to meet commitments
• Ability to travel internationally twice a year for company events up to two weeks long

• Leadership ability
• Software or tech industry experience
• Public company finance and reporting experience

We consider geographical location, experience, and performance in shaping compensation worldwide. We revisit compensation annually (and more often for graduates and associates) to ensure we recognize outstanding performance. In addition to base pay, we offer a performance-driven annual bonus or commission. We provide all team members with additional benefits which reflect our values and ideals. We balance our programs to meet local needs and ensure fairness globally.

• Distributed work environment with twice-yearly team sprints in person
• Personal learning and development budget of USD 2,000 per year
• Annual compensation review
• Recognition rewards
• Annual holiday leave
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Team Member Assistance Program & Wellness Platform
• Opportunity…