Senior Accountant VAT (m/f/d)

Job Description
Company Overview
At Azenta Life Sciences, a global leader in the life sciences arena headquartered in Burlington, MA, and operating offices worldwide, the trajectory of our future is shaped by fresh ideas, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative perspectives. Every day our employees support us fulfilling our mission to bring breakthroughs to the market faster. Our organizational culture, firmly grounded in our core values, places the utmost importance on putting people first. Open communication is not just encouraged but embedded in our DNA, fostering an environment where ideas freely flow, and collaboration thrives. Authenticity is not just a principle but a guiding light, encouraging our diverse workforce to bring their true selves to work.
This culture empowers our employees to champion innovation and question conventional norms through creative thinking and collaborative work dynamics. Diversity is not just a concept but a cornerstone of our ethos, recognizing that a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences enhances our collective creativity and success. Leveraging our unmatched expertise, we offer comprehensive services spanning lab analysis, sample management and storage, informatics software, and consumables. Notably, our extensive installed base oversees the management of over 1 billion samples on a global scale.
Our Finance team is looking for a new talent, starting at the earliest possible time as Senior Accountant VAT (m/f/d).
office based in Manchester, UK
Permanent, fulltime employment
How You’ll Add Value...
Join the Azenta Finance Team supporting the SMS entities in Europe, working with a global team of professionals and be responsible for ensuring VAT compliance, preparing and submitting VAT returns, conducting VAT reconciliations, and advising on VAT-related matters. This role requires a deep understanding of VAT regulations, strong analytical skills and the ability to work collaboratively across departments.
You will work with a global team and will be exposed to senior management as you develop knowledge about key business issues and support new initiatives. Grow personally and professionally while building a network within the life sciences industry!
The position is based in Manchester and reports to the Senior Accounting Manager for the European Region.
What You’ll Do...

• VAT Compliance & Reporting
  
  • Prepare and submit accurate VAT returns in a timely manner.
    
  • Ensure compliance with local and international VAT regulations.
    
  • Maintain proper documentation and records for VAT audits and inspections. Reconcile VAT accounts and resolve any discrepancies.
    
• Advisory & Risk Management
  
  • Provide guidance on VAT implication for business transactions.
    
  • Assess risks related to VAT and propose corrective measures. Liaise with tax authorities and external auditors on VAT-related matters.
    
• Process Improvement & Reporting
  
  • Review and improve VAT processes to enhance efficiency.
    
  • Keep up to date with changes in VAT legislation and inform stakeholders. Prepare reports and analysis on VAT compliance and financial impact.
    
• Collaboration and support
  
  • Work closely with finance, procurement and operations teams to ensure accurate VAT treatment.
    
  • Support month end and year end closing activities related to VAT. Work closely with IT to ensure proper VAT set up in the system and pint of reference for any implementation projects involving the VAT ledger.
    
• Key user for the Oracle Cloud VAT ledger to ensure proper maintenance and set up.
  
• Run and maintain lease accounting process.
  
• Ensure accounting documentation (Guidelines, SOP) are complete and up to date.
  
• Drive a culture of continuous improvement.
  What You’ll Bring…
  
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance or related field. Professional certification preferred. ACA or ACCA qualification.
  
• Minimum 5 years of experience in VAT accounting and compliance.
  
• Strong knowledge of European VAT laws and regulations.
  
• Experience with major ERP (Oracle Cloud preferred).
  
• Strong interpersonal skills with a proven record of successful collaboration with team members and stakeholders.
  
• Strong process focus & improvement mindset; Six Sigma and/or Lean trained a plus; strong project management skills.
  
• Excellent communication skills and ability to multi-task in complex and dynamic environments. Experience working at a global company in a SOX compliant environment is preferred.
  
• Demonstrate sound work ethic, respect and cultural sensitivity and awareness. Strong analytical/problem solving skills.
  
• Detail-oriented with the ability to work independently to meet deadlines.
  
• A sense of urgency and self-motivation, with a personal commitment to meeting deadlines. Effective time management, organizational and prioritization skills.
  
• Additional languages (German, French, etc) would be a plus.
  Contact
  Azenta Life Sciences
  Manchester
  Christina Knappe
  (Senior Recruiter)
  Please apply with your complete application documents (cover letter, detailed CV, references) in English.
  About us
  Azenta Life Sciences is a global life sciences leader headquartered in Burlington, MA, with offices and operation sites around the world. We are the market leader in automated biospecimen management solutions and genomic services in areas such as drug development, clinical and novel cell therapies for the world's leading pharmaceutical, biotech, academic and healthcare institutions. Our laboratory analysis, sample management and storage, informatics software and consumables services offer unparalleled capabilities and have the largest installed base managing over one billion samples worldwide